Operations Planner
A leading aerospace & defence manufacturer is expanding and looking for an experienced Operations Planner to help drive production efficiency, optimise workflow and ensure customers receive high-quality, precision-engineered products on time.
This is a key role within a growing organisation and perfect for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, high-mix, low-volume environment and enjoys working closely with engineering, manufacturing and supply chain teams.
As an Operations Planner, you will be responsible for shaping and maintaining the manufacturing plan, ensuring resources are aligned and production runs smoothly. Your duties will include:
1. Developing and maintaining detailed manufacturing plans and routings for aerospace components and assemblies
2. Scheduling and prioritising production orders based on customer demand and delivery deadlines
3. Working with procurement and materials teams to secure timely availability of parts, tooling and consumables
4. Monitoring WIP and proactively resolving bottlenecks or delays
5. Collaborating with engineering to address deviations, rework and non-conformance issues
6. Supporting capacity planning, resource allocation and load levelling across production cells
7. Maintaining accurate data in ERP/MRP systems
8. Driving continuous improvement across planning and scheduling processes
9. Ensuring compliance with ISO 9001 and wider aerospace quality standards
Skills and Experience
Essential:
10. 3-5 years' experience in manufacturing planning or production control (ideally aerospace/defence)
11. Strong ERP/MRP experience and familiarity with work order management
12. Confident interpreting engineering drawings and technical specifications
13. Solid understanding of lean manufacturing and continuous improvement principles
14. Highly organised with excellent planning capability
15. Analytical and proactive problem-solver
16. Strong communicator across engineering, production and supply chain teams
17. Meticulous attention to detail and a commitment to quality
Desirable:
18. Knowledge of ISO 9001, NADCAP, EASA/CAA requirements
19. Understanding of aerospace materials, machining, assembly or design-to-production processes
20. Degree in Operations Management, Supply Chain, Business Administration or similar
21. Certifications such as APICS CPIM, Lean Six Sigma, PMP/Prince2
22. Experience within CNC machining or aerospace assembly planning