Production Planner

Swift Temps are recruiting on behalf of a lithographic print company based in Birkenhead. This is a key role within the business, responsible for planning and coordinating production to maximise efficiency, minimise waste, and ensure customer deadlines are consistently achieved. Ideally, you'll come from a lithographic print background and understand the technical considerations involved in scheduling print runs. However, applications are also welcomed from experienced Production Planners from other manufacturing environments who have strong planning skills and the ability to learn a specialist process.

Working closely with production, customer services and management teams, you'll be responsible for creating effective production schedules that make the most of machine capacity, colour combinations, tooling requirements and available resources.

Key Responsibilities

• Producing and maintaining daily and weekly production schedules
• Planning lithographic print runs to maximise efficiency and minimise downtime
• Grouping jobs based on ink colours, substrates and tooling requirements where possible
• Optimising press utilisation and reducing unnecessary changeovers
• Considering sheet sizes, impositions and run lengths to achieve the most cost-effective production plan
• Coordinating work through the various stages of production to ensure customer deadlines are met
• Monitoring capacity and identifying potential bottlenecks before they impact delivery
• Liaising closely with production teams, customer service and management regarding priorities and schedule changes
• Reviewing urgent orders and adjusting plans to accommodate customer requirements
• Ensuring materials, tooling and resources are available in line with the production plan
• Updating planning systems and maintaining accurate records
• Supporting continuous improvement initiatives to improve efficiencies and reduce waste

What We're Looking For

• Previous experience as a Production Planner within a manufacturing environment
• Experience within lithographic print, labels, packaging or print production would be highly advantageous
• Understanding of print scheduling principles, including colour sequencing and changeover efficiencies
• Strong organisational and problem-solving skills
• Ability to prioritise workloads and react quickly to changing demands
• Excellent communication skills and the confidence to challenge and influence where necessary
• Good IT skills and experience using production planning systems
• A proactive approach with a keen eye for detail

Desirable Experience

• Knowledge of lithographic label production
• Understanding of imposition planning and sheet optimisation
• Experience planning multiple SKUs and short to medium production runs
• Exposure to lean manufacturing or continuous improvement principles

What's on Offer

• £30,000 - £35,000 per annum
• Monday to Friday working hours (08:45 - 17:00)
• Permanent opportunity with an established and respected print business
• Varied role with genuine influence over production performance
• Opportunity to utilise specialist planning skills within a fast-paced manufacturing environment