Production planner

Production planners look for ways to improve production processes. They monitor current production levels and provide detailed schedules for the production plant to work to.

Work activities

Production planners make sure that products are produced on time and at the lowest possible cost. They carefully work out the best way to use resources, such as staff and materials. The production planner discusses the proposed production schedule with the buyers, the plant manager, and the production manager. Once a plan has been agreed, appropriate sections of the plans and schedules will also go to supervisors of the production departments involved. Where a company has to compete with other companies to win contracts for more work, the production planner has a central role.

The planner draws up production plans working from information provided by designers, draughtspeople, architects and engineers. These people provide a list of materials and parts with their drawings and specifications. The plans are sent to an estimator who will put a cost to the plans before submitting them. If the company is awarded the contract, the planners may need to revise schedules to take account of design changes and delays. Planners use standards developed from past experience within the company to help them estimate how long different activities and processes will take. They also get a good idea of how much time should be allowed for the delivery of different parts from suppliers. Production planners are usually based in an office in the planning department. They are usually involved in project meetings. In these meetings, changes may be made to the plans and schedules because of maintenance, staffing or other problems.

Personal qualities and skills

To be a production planner, you’ll need to:

• Be good at organising your workload.
• Have maths and IT skills.
• Be accurate with your work.
• Have good planning skills.
• Be a good communicator.

Pay and opportunities

Salaries for production planners vary depending on the company and responsibilities. According to jobs site Glassdoor, production planners earn between £29,000 and £39,000.

Production planners usually work full-time hours, which may include shift work and work at weekends.

Employers throughout the UK are manufacturers across a wide range of industries. In some sectors, production planners need technical knowledge and qualifications, for example, in engineering. Opportunities for production planners occur with manufacturers in towns and cities throughout the UK.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised on all the major job boards, and on the Government’s Find a Job service.

Entry routes and training

Entry routes vary depending on the size and type of company. Some people enter via a degree, foundation degree, HND or HNC. You should be able to enter this career with a higher education qualification in most subjects. Courses linked to subjects like manufacturing may be most useful. Occasionally, it may be possible to enter as a technician or be trained and promoted from craft-level work.

Training is mainly on-the-job working with experienced planners, with more formal training in business and planning techniques. The Institute of Operations Management offers a number of relevant courses.

Progression could be to managerial positions, or positions with more supervisory responsibilities.

Qualifications

Requirements for entry to this work vary but some planners have a degree, HND/HNC or foundation degree.

For entry to a degree course in any subject, the usual minimum requirement is:

• Two to three A-levels.
• GCSEs at grades 9-4 in your A-level subjects.
• A further two to three GCSEs at grades 9-4, including English and maths.

Other qualifications are often acceptable as alternatives to A-levels, including Edexcel (BTEC) level 3 National qualifications or the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma. However, entry requirements for different courses vary, so check university prospectuses for more details.

To do an HND, HNC or foundation degree, you will usually need:

• One A-level.
• A GCSE at grades 9-4 in your A-level subject.
• A further three to four GCSEs at grades 9-4, including maths and English.

For alternatives to A-levels, see above. However, entry requirements for different courses vary, so check university prospectuses for more details.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Knowledge of the production processes of the industry is important, so it is common for people to enter planning positions after working in other occupations, especially in supervisory positions in production. Skills gained in stock control, purchasing or quality assurance can be useful. A technical background, plus qualifications in production engineering, is normally required. Experience of production processes and/or related areas, such as quality control or manufacturing engineering, can be important. Many new entrants are graduates.

If you don’t have the qualifications needed to enter your chosen degree or HND course, a college or university Access course could be the way in. No formal qualifications are usually required, but you should check individual course details.

The Institute of Operations Management has merged with Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) and offers Certificates, Diplomas, and Advanced Diplomas in Operations Management, via distance learning. Details of course providers are available on its website.

Related careers

• Management services specialist
• Manager
• Media planner
• Product manager
• Road transport manager