Production Planner in St Leonards

Introduction

Photek is a specialist manufacturer of vacuum-based tubes and camera systems for charged particle detection and imaging (photon, electron, and neutron); this includes Camera Systems, Image Intensifiers, Photomultiplier Tubes, Neutron Detection and Imaging Systems, Streak Tubes plus a range of associated electronics. The company is based in St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex and has around 55 employees. Photek is part of the Tibidabo Scientific Industries group of companies.

Introduction

Photek is a specialist manufacturer of vacuum-based tubes and camera systems for charged particle detection and imaging (photon, electron, and neutron); this includes Camera Systems, Image Intensifiers, Photomultiplier Tubes, Neutron Detection and Imaging Systems, Streak Tubes plus a range of associated electronics. The company is based in St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex and has around 55 employees. Photek is part of the Tibidabo Scientific Industries group of companies.

The Role, Reporting & Location

The Production Planner is a full-time, office-based position reporting to the Purchasing Manager, working as an individual contributor, although as part of the wider Purchasing team.

The Main Purposes Of The Role Are To

• Maintain full responsibility and accountability for the planning and production of Photek products with the ability to demonstrate full understanding and awareness of every order from Orderbook through Production to Handover and Shipping.
• Interpret, analyse and validate information, understand how planning dates are derived, and use this information to create and maintain an accurate, achievable production schedule. This requires regular discussion and close liaison with Department Heads and team members in all areas of the business is essential to ensure awareness of all orders, providing accurate status updates, immediately highlighting any issues, delays, component shortfalls etc. that may impact on performance and delivery, and proactively supporting problem solving.

Key Responsibilities

• Create and maintain overall responsibility of the Production Plan to best achieve the customer requested / committed dates of delivery.
• Maintain full accountability for the Production Plan through continuous, ongoing communication and involvement with Department Leads to be able to provide accurate status updates and respond to questions and enquiries at any time.
• Understand the relationships between key planning data, including order status, lead times, production progress and delivery dates, and how changes in one area may affect the overall schedule.
• Developing close working relationships and maintaining formal, face-to-face liaison with Cell Leaders, and members of the Purchasing and Operations teams, as well as with colleagues in Engineering and Test.
• Liaise and work closely with the procurement team to ensure timely delivery of any components required to fulfil customer demand.
• Ensure the prompt creation and tracking of works orders through the production departments.
• Host daily ‘stand-up’ production meetings with Production Cell Leaders to communicate delivery plans, obtain and provide timely feedback of product status, and proactively tackle issues.
• Proactively liaise with all production departments at all levels in their working areas to maintain an ongoing understanding of production cell requirements, better understand the issues and challenges they may face and ensure flexibility in our production requirement.
• Maintain an accurate schedule through planning and make effective use of available resources.
• Create and manage any larger or extended delivery plan requirements, where scheduled component deliveries or scheduled product shipping may be involved.
• Attend meetings that will have an impact on the schedule or customer delivery dates, as required.
• On completion of product, process Work Orders and prepare documentation for any shipments that are required.
• Ensure that production Work Orders are completed in a timely manner.
• Independently investigate and interpret planning data to understand the reasons behind changes in schedule dates, using sound judgement to distinguish genuine production constraints from inaccurate, incomplete or misleading information.
• Monitor and review production progress against targets to ensure on time transfer to available goods and highlight late jobs.
• Use data to identify patterns, trends and potential future scheduling issues, providing insight to support proactive decision-making and continuous improvement in production planning.
• Provide updates to sales and customer service on planned shipment dates of products to customers, as required.
• Maintain detailed records of the KPIs, as required, to oversee the company performance to customers (ie. delivery on time, depth of delay, etc.).
• Develop and implement key initiatives to sustain departmental activities at the forefront of LEAN practices, including, but not limited to: 5S / Continuous Improvement of processes / Weekly in-department target meetings to track departmental progress toward goals agreed with Production manager.
• Take appropriate and effective action to address and resolve any problems or delays in departments, as required.
• Provide support and backup for the packing and shipping process, as required.

Relevant Skills & Experience

• High level of organisation the ability to adapt plans to the changing manufacturing environment.
• Strong analytical and numerical skills, with the ability to interpret data, identify inconsistencies and draw accurate, logical conclusions.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to adapt production plans in response to changing manufacturing requirements while maintaining accurate planning data.
• Confident and proficient user of Microsoft Excel
• Good level of education or relevant experience.
• Good understanding of the English language both written and verbal.

Employee Benefits

• Annual Leave Entitlement: Employees have 20 days annual leave entitlement each year for use between January and December; this is in addition to Bank Holidays of which there are typically eight. Leave entitlement increases by 1 additional day for each full holiday year of service, up to a maximum of 5 additional days; this provides a maximum of 25 days entitlement after 5 complete holiday years.
• Pension Scheme: eligible employees will be automatically enrolled into the company’s Group Personal Pension Scheme with Royal London after completing three months’ service. Contributions are made at 3% Employer and 5% Employee, although employees may increase their contributions if they choose.
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP): all employees have access to the company’s EAP which provides employees with free access to a confidential helpline providing immediate help and support with any issues, whether work related or personal for employees and their family.
• Cyclescheme: Employees have the opportunity to purchase bikes and accessories at significantly reduced rates, with repayments made through salary sacrifice over a period of 12 months.
• Home & Tech Scheme: similar to the Cyclescheme, Employees are able take advantage of discounted rates at Currys & Ikea, purchasing anything from laptops, phones and appliances to furniture, kitchen and tableware and more, with repayments made through salary sacrifice over a period of 12 months.
• Birthday Leave: employees can book a day’s Birthday Leave each year to celebrate their birthday.
• Full details of the Employee Benefits are available upon provisional offer of employment.

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