WSCS Global
Production Planning and Purchasing Manager
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Production Planning and Purchasing Manager
Location: Hartlebury (Full time on-site)
Salary: £40,000 - £45,000 per annum (dependent on experience)
Contract Type: Full-Time, Permanent
About Us
We are a leading manufacturer of food packaging solutions, supplying high-quality products to customers across the food and beverage sector. With a strong commitment to quality, safety, sustainability, and continuous improvement, we are seeking an experienced Production Planning and Purchasing Manager to support the Factory Manager in the timely management of production and purchasing whilst striving for operational excellence within our new manufacturing facility.
The Role
To coordinate production planning and purchasing activities to ensure materials, components, and resources are available to meet production schedules and customer delivery requirements. The role is responsible for planning and monitoring production workloads, managing supplier orders, maintaining accurate inventory records, and liaising with internal departments and external suppliers to ensure efficient operations, cost control, and on-time delivery.
Key Responsibilities
Production Planning and Scheduling
- Prepare, maintain, and update production plans and schedules in line with customer orders, forecasts, and delivery deadlines.
- Coordinate production priorities with the Production Manager and manufacturing teams.
- Monitor production progress against planned schedules and identify potential delays or capacity constraints.
- Ensure materials, components, labour, and equipment are available to support production requirements.
- Adjust production plans in response to urgent orders, material shortages, machine downtime, or changing customer requirements.
- Communicate production schedules and changes to relevant departments.
- Monitor work-in-progress and follow up on outstanding production orders.
- Maintain accurate production planning records and provide regular updates on order status and delivery performance.
Purchasing and Supplier Coordination
- Raise and process purchase orders for raw materials, components, packaging, and other operational requirements.
- Source and liaise with suppliers to obtain quotations, confirm pricing, and negotiate lead times where appropriate.
- Monitor supplier performance to ensure materials are delivered on time, in full, and to the required quality standards.
- Expedite outstanding purchase orders and resolve supply issues that could affect production.
- Maintain effective supplier relationships and identify opportunities to improve cost, quality, and delivery performance.
- Check supplier order confirmations, delivery dates, and invoices against purchase orders.
- Identify alternative suppliers or materials, when necessary, subject to approval.
- Maintain accurate purchasing records, supplier information, and order documentation.
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Inventory and Materials Management
- Working closely with the Warehouse Supervisor to monitor stock levels ensuring materials are available to meet production demand without excessive stockholding.
- Calculate material requirements based on production schedules, bills of materials, and inventory levels.
- Identify shortages, excess stock, obsolete materials, and potential supply risks.
- Coordinate stock replenishment and ensure purchasing activities reflect current production requirements.
- Support regular stock checks and investigate inventory discrepancies.
- Maintain accurate inventory data within the ERP, MRP, or stock management system.
Internal Communication and Coordination
- Liaise with other departments to coordinate operational requirements.
- Communicate material availability, production progress, supplier delays, and potential delivery risks.
- Ensure changes to customer orders or specifications are communicated to the relevant departments.
- Attend operational meetings as required.
Reporting and Continuous Improvement
- Prepare reports on production schedules, material availability, purchase orders, supplier performance, and delivery status.
- Monitor key performance indicators, including schedule adherence, supplier on-time delivery, stock accuracy, and material shortages.
- Identify opportunities to improve planning accuracy, purchasing processes, inventory control, and operational efficiency.
- Maintain organised and accurate records to support audits, traceability, and internal procedures.
- Comply with company policies, health and safety requirements, quality standards, and purchasing procedures.
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Skills and Qualifications
Essential:
- Previous experience in production planning, purchasing, supply chain coordination, or a similar manufacturing role.
- Strong organisational, planning, and time-management skills.
- Good numerical, analytical, and problem-solving abilities.
- Experience using Microsoft Excel and ERP, MRP, or stock management systems.
- Strong communication and supplier liaison skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and work to tight deadlines.
- High level of accuracy and attention to detail.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively across departments.
Desirable:
- Experience in a manufacturing or engineering environment.
- Knowledge of bills of materials, material requirements planning, stock control, and production scheduling.
- Experience negotiating supplier prices and delivery terms.
- Knowledge of lean manufacturing and continuous improvement principles.
- Relevant qualification in supply chain management, purchasing, production planning, or business administration.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Performance will be assessed against agreed objectives, including:
- On-time delivery of customer orders.
- Supplier on-time delivery performance.
- Material availability and reduction of production stoppages caused by shortages.
- Inventory accuracy and stock level control.
- Accuracy of production plans and purchasing records.
Personal Attributes
The successful candidate will be proactive, organised, commercially aware, and comfortable working in a fast-paced environment. They will demonstrate initiative, attention to detail, sound judgement, and the ability to communicate effectively with colleagues and suppliers at all levels.
What We Offer
- Competitive salary
- Company pension scheme
- Career progression opportunities within a growing organisation
- Supportive and collaborative working environment
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