Planner - Systems

The Planner is a key role within the organisation, responsible for converting customer demand, forecasts, and engineering requirements into robust, executable production plans that meet delivery, quality, cost, and compliance objectives. Operating within a regulated aerospace and defence manufacturing environment, the role ensures materials, capacity, and priorities are aligned across the shop floor, supply chain, and support functions. The Planner will actively manage constraints, respond to change, and provide clear visibility of risks and recovery actions, while maintaining full traceability and compliance with applicable standards. This role requires a hands-on planner who can balance MRP discipline with practical shop-floor engagement and who actively drives planning process improvement.

Main Duties/Responsibilities

• Lead all short- & medium-term planning activities for the allocated cell(s).
• Co-ordinate regular cross-functional planning, prioritisation, and review meetings in support of medium-term planning activities.
• Develop, maintain, and control achievable production schedules that reflect demand, capacity, material availability, and operational constraints.
• Provide clear, timely communication on production status, risks, and mitigation plans to all levels of the organisation.
• Support customer delivery commitments by providing realistic lead times and schedule visibility.
• Plan and release Works Orders in line with MRP, Bills of Material, routings, and approved planning parameters.
• Manage the release of WIP on to the shopfloor in conjunction with the cell leader, to ensure level loading of operational work centres.
• Review and action MRP exception messages, shortages, and reschedule recommendations, applying professional judgement where system logic requires intervention.
• Ensure production plans fully support traceability, configuration control, and lot/batch integrity throughout the manufacturing process.
• Operate in compliance with aerospace and defence requirements such as AS9100, export control, and customer‑specific contractual obligations.
• Support inventory management objectives, including reduction of excess, obsolete, and stranded WIP.
• Maintain accurate planning master data, including lead times, order policies, and safety stocks, in line with company governance.
• Contribute to the development of standard planning methods, documentation, and training.

Other Responsibilities/Non-essential Functions

• Undertake training that is identified as a requirement of the role as identified by the role Manager.
• Undertake all other reasonable requests that are made by the role manager/acting manager or Directors.
• At times of reduced department staff attendance there will be a need to be flexible and provide support outside of the normal tasks of the job to ensure customer satisfaction.
• On occasion you will be required to take on ad hoc duties which includes, but is not limited to training, department associated tasks and brief secondment to other departments.

Standard Company Responsibilities

• Take responsibility for understanding the Business Management System/SOP and how it is applied to the role.
• Adhere to Health and Safety requirements at all times.
• There is a responsibility on all employees to bring to the attention of their manager any issues that could potentially affect the business, regardless of how small they may seem at the time.
• All duties within this job description should be carried out in line with any Company policies and procedures in place at the time and in line with any requirements set out in the Business Management System.