Role Overview
The Production Planning Manager is a senior leadership role responsible for defining, leading, and continuously improving the production planning strategy within a manufacturing environment. The position ensures that production plans align with business objectives, customer demand, and operational capability, while driving efficiency, quality, and on-time delivery performance.
This role provides leadership to the production planning function and works closely with senior stakeholders across operations, supply chain, procurement, quality, and manufacturing to deliver robust, achievable production plans.
Key Responsibilities
* Own and lead the end-to-end production planning and scheduling strategy to support business, customer, and operational objectives.
* Develop and govern master production schedules, ensuring optimal alignment of demand, capacity, materials, and resources.
* Lead, mentor, and develop a team of production planners, managers, and coordinators, driving high performance and accountability.
* Partner with supply chain and procurement teams to ensure material availability and mitigate supply risks.
* Proactively identify capacity constraints, operational risks, and performance gaps, implementing corrective actions where required.
* Drive SIOP/S&OP processes, including load and capacity analysis, scenario planning, and demand forecasting alignment.
* Collaborate closely with manufacturing and quality leadership to ensure production plans meet quality, safety, and regulatory requirements.
* Analyse operational and planning data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities for continuous improvement.
* Lead the implementation, optimisation, and governance of production planning systems, ERP/MRP tools, and planning methodologies.
* Communicate production plans, risks, and performance clearly to senior stakeholders and operational teams.
* Champion lean manufacturing principles, continuous improvement initiatives, and best-practice planning standards.
* Ensure full compliance with health and safety regulations, policies, and operational governance.
Skills, Qualifications, and Experience
* Degree-qualified in Production Management, Industrial Engineering, Supply Chain, or a related discipline, or equivalent senior-level experience.
* Extensive experience in production planning and scheduling within a manufacturing environment; aerospace or complex regulated manufacturing experience is advantageous.
* Proven leadership experience managing and developing production planning teams.
* Strong expertise in SIOP/S&OP, capacity planning, load analysis, and demand-driven planning.
* Solid understanding of lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, and operational excellence frameworks.
* Professional certification such as CPIM, APICS, or equivalent is highly desirable.
* Advanced analytical capability, with the ability to translate data into strategic planning decisions.
* Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence at senior and cross-functional levels.
* High level of proficiency in ERP/MRP systems and advanced production planning tools.
* Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in high-pressure, fast-paced environments with competing priorities.
* Highly organised, commercially aware, and results-driven, with a strong focus on delivery and continuous improvement.