Production Planner

SUMMARY:
Production Planner
Chemical Manufacturing
Pinetown

Our client, a well-established chemical manufacturing company, is seeking an experienced Production Planner to coordinate and optimise production schedules, ensuring that manufacturing operations are aligned with customer demand, raw material availability, production capacity and operational requirements.

The successful candidate will be responsible for developing production plans, monitoring manufacturing performance, managing inventory requirements and coordinating with various departments to ensure efficient and uninterrupted production.

POSITION INFO:
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Develop, maintain and communicate monthly and weekly production plans in line with demand forecasts and business requirements. Coordinate production schedules based on equipment capacity, labour availability, maintenance requirements and raw material availability. Create and manage production jobs and schedules on the ERP system. Monitor daily production progress against planned schedules and implement corrective actions where necessary. Work closely with Production, Procurement, Warehousing, Dispatch and Commercial departments to ensure alignment of operational activities. Ensure raw materials, packaging materials and other production inputs are available to meet scheduled requirements. Monitor inventory levels, stock movements and production consumption to minimise shortages and excess stock. Coordinate production priorities and scheduling changes in response to urgent customer requirements or operational constraints. Optimise production sequences, batch sizes and resource utilisation to improve operational efficiency. Monitor finished goods availability and ensure production plans support customer delivery requirements. Participate in stock counts and investigate inventory discrepancies. Prepare production performance reports, capacity reports and planning updates for management. Monitor demand performance and escalate deviations, delays or potential production risks. Support Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) processes through demand, capacity and inventory reporting. Coordinate production planning with maintenance teams to accommodate planned servicing and equipment shutdowns. Identify opportunities for continuous improvement in production planning, scheduling and manufacturing efficiency. Ensure production plans comply with quality, safety and operational standards. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS Matric certificate. Diploma or qualification in Supply Chain Management, Production Management, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering or a related field would be advantageous. 3-5 years' experience in production planning, inventory planning or manufacturing scheduling. Previous experience within a manufacturing environment, preferably FMCG or chemical manufacturing. Strong working knowledge of Syspro or a comparable ERP system, with the ability to manage production planning and scheduling activities. Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including Pivot Tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP and reporting. Practical experience in raw material planning, inventory control, stock management and finished goods replenishment. Knowledge of production capacity planning, demand forecasting and S&OP processes. Understanding of manufacturing operations, warehousing, procurement and dispatch processes. Chemical manufacturing experience will be an advantage. Valid driver's licence and reliable transport. SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES Strong analytical and numerical abilities. Excellent planning, organising and prioritisation skills. High attention to detail and accuracy. Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities. Ability to work under pressure and meet strict deadlines. Effective communication and interpersonal skills. Ability to influence and coordinate cross-functional teams. Proactive approach to identifying and resolving production constraints. Strong sense of accountability, ownership and responsibility. Resilient, adaptable and results-driven. APPLICATION PROCESS Interested candidates who meet the above requirements are invited to submit their updated CV to: