Manufacturing Planning and Systems Coordinator

Manufacturing Planning & Systems Coordinator

Location: Erith
Salary: £35,000 – £40,000 per annum
Job Type: Permanent
Working Pattern: Full-time, office/site based

The Opportunity

We are recruiting for an experienced Manufacturing Planning & Systems Coordinator to join a growing manufacturing operation.

This is a varied and important role, supporting production planning, SAP systems, inventory control, reporting and continuous improvement. You will work closely across Production, Procurement, Warehouse, Quality and Finance to ensure manufacturing operations run efficiently and that key production and inventory data is accurate and up to date.

The successful candidate will be highly organised, analytical and confident working with data and manufacturing systems, with previous SAP and manufacturing experience highly desirable.

Key Responsibilities

Production Planning & Manufacturing Control

• Support the preparation of weekly production plans and daily production schedules.
• Maintain and update production schedules.
• Monitor production progress and completion.
• Identify and escalate production delays, risks and potential issues.
• Monitor raw material, packaging and consumable availability.
• Work closely with Procurement and Warehouse teams to identify and resolve potential shortages.
• Support inventory reconciliation and investigate discrepancies.
• Monitor and report slow-moving inventory.

SAP Manufacturing Systems

Act as a key user for SAP manufacturing processes, including:

• Creating and maintaining Bills of Materials (BOMs).
• Reviewing BOM accuracy and updating consumption standards.
• Creating, releasing and monitoring production work orders.
• Closing completed work orders and investigating production variances.
• Verifying material consumption and backflush transactions.
• Supporting inventory reconciliation and variance investigations.
• Maintaining manufacturing master data, including:
• Material Master
• BOMs
• Routings
• Production Versions

Data Analysis & Reporting

Produce accurate manufacturing and operational reports, including:

• Daily production output and labour efficiency reports.
• Material consumption and availability reports.
• Weekly production performance and inventory reports.
• Material shortage reporting.
• Monthly KPI, production, inventory and cost reports.
• OEE and downtime reporting.

SOPs & Process Documentation

• Prepare and maintain SOPs and work instructions.
• Create process flowcharts and process documentation.
• Maintain document control systems and registers.
• Ensure production documentation remains accurate and up to date.

Continuous Improvement

Support and track continuous improvement initiatives focused on:

• Waste reduction.
• Labour efficiency.
• Inventory optimisation.
• Process standardisation.
• SAP process improvements.
• Operational efficiency.

Monitor project progress and report on results and improvements achieved.

OEE & Downtime

• Collect and maintain OEE data.
• Record and analyse production downtime.
• Identify key downtime causes and trends.
• Produce OEE and downtime reports.
• Support improvement initiatives designed to improve equipment and production efficiency.

Operations Administration

• Organise weekly production meetings and prepare relevant reports/materials.
• Record meeting minutes and track agreed actions.
• Maintain production records and departmental filing systems.
• Maintain audit and compliance documentation.
• Maintain KPI databases and monitor performance against targets.

Consumables & PPE

• Monitor production consumables and PPE stock levels.
• Maintain minimum stock requirements and coordinate replenishment.
• Maintain PPE inventory and issue records.
• Monitor items including labels, printer consumables, cleaning and packaging materials, gloves, aprons, sleeves and hairnets.

Cross-Functional Coordination

Work closely with:

• Production
• Procurement
• Warehouse
• Quality
• Finance
• Sales

Ensure key operational information is communicated accurately and efficiently across departments.

About You

The ideal candidate will have experience within a manufacturing, production planning, production control or operational systems environment and be comfortable working with data, systems and multiple departments.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Diploma/college qualification or equivalent experience.
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills.
• Excellent attention to detail and data accuracy.
• Strong organisational and planning skills.
• Good communication and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to work effectively across multiple departments.
• Manufacturing experience.

Desirable

• Previous experience using SAP within a manufacturing environment.
• Experience with production planning, BOMs, work orders or inventory control.
• Experience with OEE and manufacturing KPI reporting.
• Experience supporting continuous improvement projects.
• Mandarin language skills would be advantageous.

Key Competencies

• Data Accuracy & Attention to Detail
• Organisation & Planning
• Manufacturing Awareness
• Problem Solving
• Analytical Thinking
• Communication
• Continuous Improvement
• Teamwork

What’s on Offer

• £35,000 – £40,000 salary
• Permanent, full-time opportunity
• Opportunity to work across production planning, SAP and operational improvement
• Key role within a growing manufacturing environment
• Opportunity to develop your manufacturing systems and planning experience