Planner

Spherical Search has recently partnered with an industry leading manufacturer of Pharma Packaging & Drug Delivery space, who specialise in Injectable components, and we are looking for a Planner/Planificateur to join the team.

The Planner is responsible for managing the production planning activities within the assigned scope, ensuring that customer demand is met while optimising production capacity, inventory and delivery performance.

The role acts as a key link between production requirements and customer expectations , working closely with Operations, Supply Chain and Customer Service teams.

The main objectives are to:

• Develop and maintain production plans that meet customer demand.
• Ensure customer commitments and delivery dates are achieved.
• Optimise production capacity and industrial performance.
• Balance customer requirements with available production resources.
• Identify risks and implement corrective actions when required.

2. Key Responsibilities

Production & Capacity Planning

• Lead the site's planning process in collaboration with all relevant site functions, including Production, Maintenance, Engineering/Methods, Finance and Quality, as well as the wider Supply Chain organisation.
• Develop, together with the Medium- and Long-Term Planner, capacity plans over the Master Production Schedule (MPS) horizon for the Injectable sites.
• Define and optimise production scenarios, including workshop/machine availability, volume allocation and production timing, to meet customer demand and business objectives.
• Coordinate the availability and allocation of production resources across Injectable sites, including moulds and tooling.
• Develop capacity scenarios to respond to customer requirements and ensure that proposed commitments are technically and operationally feasible, including clearly defined validity periods.
• Adjust production plans in response to delays, technical issues or other disruptions, with the objective of maintaining confirmed customer delivery dates.

Customer & Order Management

• Analyse the order book within the assigned scope and commit to realistic delivery dates.
• Identify and implement actions required to meet customer requested dates.
• Work closely with Customer Service to manage the order portfolio, including:
• Conversion of sales forecasts into production requirements.
• Management of standard lead times.
• Compliance with agreed product allocations.
• Proactively communicate with Customer Service and maintain a good understanding of business and customer developments.
• Work with Customer Service and Sales to establish appropriate order and production priorities.
• Provide Sales teams with clear planning and capacity information to support customer negotiations.
• Escalate internal issues or customer requests that may have an impact on delivery performance or revenue, together with proposed corrective actions.

Planning Performance & KPI Management

• Lead the site's Master Production Schedule action plan and monitor key planning and delivery KPIs, including:
• OTIF (On Time In Full)
• Production plan adherence
• Work with the Site Management team to identify and implement corrective actions when performance targets are not achieved.
• Provide regular reporting and escalation to Supply Chain management.
• Incorporate forecast demand into the overall planning strategy.
• Monitor finished goods inventory to optimise production launches and minimise the risk of obsolete stock.
• Actively participate in projects aimed at improving the use and effectiveness of Supply Chain information systems and ERP solutions.
• Contribute to initiatives designed to improve the planning function across the Injectable sites.
• Support the continuous improvement of planning processes in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.
• Maintain and update documentation relating to planning and scheduling processes.
• Provide backup support for other planners and the Medium- and Long-Term Planner to ensure team flexibility and business continuity.

3. Health, Safety, Quality & Compliance

• Comply with and promote Aptar Group's values and Code of Conduct.
• Follow all company Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) requirements.
• Comply with Quality procedures, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and internal regulations.
• Ensure that applicable safety, quality and operational procedures are respected in all planning activities.

4. Required Skills & Experience

Education

• Engineering degree or equivalent qualification.
• Alternatively, significant and proven experience in a Supply Chain Planning role may be considered.

Professional Experience

• Minimum 5 years' operational experience in Supply Chain , ideally including production planning within an industrial/manufacturing environment.

Technical Skills

• Strong analytical, modelling and synthesis skills, including the ability to analyse complex information and make decisions within short timeframes.
• Strong knowledge of ERP systems and a genuine interest in the implementation and deployment of integrated information systems.
• Good understanding of Supply Chain processes, particularly:
• MPS / Master Production Scheduling
• Production planning and scheduling
• Good understanding of industrial/manufacturing environments and production constraints.
• Strong business awareness and customer focus.
• Ability to develop capacity and production scenarios and assess their feasibility.

Personal Skills

• Strong communication and influencing skills, with the ability to communicate effectively across all organisational levels, including senior industrial management.
• Proactive and dynamic approach.
• Autonomous and able to work independently.
• Methodical and organised.
• Strong ability to collaborate across functions and influence stakeholders without direct authority.
• Ability to communicate and share information effectively.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment and managing competing priorities.

Languages

5. Working Conditions

• Ability to work in accordance with company procedures, including GMP, Quality and Safety requirements.
• The role requires close collaboration with multiple functions and sites.

6. Key Stakeholders

• Customer Service
• Production
• Maintenance
• Finance
• Quality
• Supply Chain teams across other sites
• S&OP teams
• Site Management

The role requires the ability to influence stakeholders across different functions and organisational levels , often without direct managerial authority.