Operations Planner

Operations Planner

A leading aerospace & defence manufacturer is expanding and looking for an experienced Operations Planner to help drive production efficiency, optimise workflow and ensure customers receive high-quality, precision-engineered products on time.

This is a key role within a growing organisation and perfect for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, high-mix, low-volume environment and enjoys working closely with engineering, manufacturing and supply chain teams.

As an Operations Planner, you will be responsible for shaping and maintaining the manufacturing plan, ensuring resources are aligned and production runs smoothly. Your duties will include:

Developing and maintaining detailed manufacturing plans and routings for aerospace components and assemblies

Scheduling and prioritising production orders based on customer demand and delivery deadlines

Working with procurement and materials teams to secure timely availability of parts, tooling and consumables

Monitoring WIP and proactively resolving bottlenecks or delays

Collaborating with engineering to address deviations, rework and non-conformance issues

Supporting capacity planning, resource allocation and load levelling across production cells

Maintaining accurate data in ERP/MRP systems

Driving continuous improvement across planning and scheduling processes

Ensuring compliance with ISO 9001 and wider aerospace quality standards

Skills and Experience

Essential:

3-5 years' experience in manufacturing planning or production control (ideally aerospace/defence)

Strong ERP/MRP experience and familiarity with work order management

Confident interpreting engineering drawings and technical specifications

Solid understanding of lean manufacturing and continuous improvement principles

Highly organised with excellent planning capability

Analytical and proactive problem-solver

Strong communicator across engineering, production and supply chain teams

Meticulous attention to detail and a commitment to quality

Desirable:

Knowledge of ISO 9001, NADCAP, EASA/CAA requirements

Understanding of aerospace materials, machining, assembly or design-to-production processes

Degree in Operations Management, Supply Chain, Business Administration or similar

Certifications such as APICS CPIM, Lean Six Sigma, PMP/Prince2

Experience within CNC machining or aerospace assembly planning
Only candidates based in UK and eligible to work in UK are allowed