Job Specification: Print Production Planner Location: Newcastle Hours: 37.5 hours per week Type: Permanent Salary: Competitive Reports To: Supply Chain Manager About the Role We are seeking an experienced and detail-oriented Print Production Planner to join our dynamic and growing manufacturing team in Newcastle. Reporting to the Supply Chain Manager and working closely with the Plant Manager, this role is a key link between customer demand and manufacturing operations, ensuring that all print and packaging jobs are planned, scheduled, and delivered efficiently, accurately, and on time. You will play a pivotal role in optimising production capacity, aligning resources and materials, and maintaining a smooth, cost-effective workflow from initial job request through to dispatch. This position offers the opportunity to influence how print operations are planned and executed, supporting both business growth and continuous improvement initiatives. Key Responsibilities Production Planning & Scheduling Develop and maintain short- and medium-term production schedules for print and packaging orders, ensuring capacity, materials, and labour are effectively balanced. Utilise ERP/MRP systems (e.g., SAP, JDE) to manage production work orders, scheduling data, and material requirements. Ensure that all production plans align with business objectives, capacity, and customer delivery commitments.Cross-Functional Coordination Liaise with Sales, Customer Service, Procurement, Print Operations, Finishing, Packing, and Dispatch teams to ensure complete alignment on job specifications, deadlines, and materials. Review job specifications for accuracy and feasibility, identifying any potential material shortages, machine capacity issues, or labour constraints. Coordinate with third-party suppliers and subcontractors (e.g., finishing houses, packing partners) to ensure external processes align with internal schedules.Monitoring & Performance Management Track and monitor job progress through each stage of the production process, identifying bottlenecks or risks to delivery timelines. Implement corrective actions (e.g., re-sequencing, overtime, subcontracting) to maintain on-time, in-full delivery performance. Maintain accurate documentation and provide regular reports on scheduling performance, KPIs, and efficiency metrics such as schedule adherence, downtime, and waste. Assist the production team onsite, storing the artwork files in a library (both electronically and physically)Continuous Improvement & Quality Work collaboratively with the continuous improvement and operations teams to identify opportunities to enhance efficiency, reduce waste, and optimise equipment utilisation. Support root cause analysis and corrective actions on any recurring production issues. Ensure all activities comply with health, safety, quality, and operational standards, communicating any scheduling impacts resulting from non-conformances or rework.Communication & Stakeholder Management Communicate effectively across departments, ensuring all stakeholders are informed of schedule updates, risks, and progress. Escalate production challenges proactively to management and suggest practical, data-driven solutions. Support a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement throughout the production environment. Skills & Experience Essential: Strong experience in production planning and scheduling, ideally within manufacturing, print, or packaging environments. Proficiency in ERP/MRP systems (such as SAP, JDE, or similar) and strong data literacy for managing and analysing scheduling data. Proven ability to work under pressure, adapt to changing priorities, and meet tight deadlines. Excellent communication skills - both verbal and written - with the ability to collaborate across multiple teams. Understanding of manufacturing workflows, including capacity, material availability, and equipment constraints. Strong organisational and problem-solving skills with high attention to detail. Qualifications Essential: Post-secondary qualification (Diploma or Bachelor's degree) in Business, Operations, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, or related discipline. Practical experience in production planning, scheduling, or manufacturing coordination. Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.Apply today