Production Planner

Overview

A leading multinational company in Shannon, County Clare is seeking a Production Planner / Scheduler through Harmonics Recruitment. The role begins on a contract basis, with the possibility of moving into a permanent position for the right person.

This is a hands-on planning role spanning the wider supply chain. You will be involved in production scheduling, raw material planning, shipment coordination, and day-to-day communication with customers, suppliers, purchasing teams, and internal stakeholders. The environment is fast-moving and includes frequent new product introductions, so flexibility and responsiveness are essential.

Key Responsibilities

• Handle production planning and scheduling tasks independently or as part of a team, with limited supervision, while working safely, efficiently, and in line with site requirements.
• Respond accurately and on time to customer forecasts and orders by supplying schedules, material information, and system updates to the manufacturing team.
• Monitor manufacturing capacity and create scenario plans when constraints or bottlenecks appear.
• Combine sales forecasts, budget assumptions, and inventory needs for raw materials, work-in-progress, and finished goods.
• Work closely with purchasing teams to place raw material orders in line with customer demand, and partner with project and technical teams during new product introductions.
• Process purchase orders while meeting audit and compliance standards.
• Maintain supplier records and secure approvals where required.
• Coordinate with suppliers on shipping terms, material pricing, and lead times, while supporting continuous improvement efforts.
• Work with carriers on freight invoices and incoming shipments.
• Oversee supplier invoices and coordinate with Accounts Payable to keep processing on track.
• Support Finance with raw material costing and batch valuation queries.
• Create and review reports and metrics to assess inventory health and identify improvement opportunities.
• Manage raw material supply pipelines and inventory levels to reduce obsolete stock.
• Take part in cross-functional initiatives to improve MRP and inventory management processes.
• Support SAP master data and the introduction of new materials and products.
• Forecast raw material demand for key suppliers.
• Drive improvement projects aimed at reducing inventory, improving material flow, and shortening cycle times.
• Develop and review supplier performance metrics and contribute to supplier review meetings.
• Identify supply chain risks and help reduce their impact.
• Ensure waste handling practices meet regulatory and licensing requirements.
• Promote compliance with environmental, health, and safety standards across site operations.
• Work across departments to support new products, process changes, and site initiatives.
• Keep work areas, plant, and equipment in excellent condition.
• Actively support continuous improvement, TPM, 5S, Lean, Six Sigma, and quality initiatives.
• Complete all required training and maintain compliance standards.
• Participate in audits, investigations, root cause analysis, and improvement activities.
• Carry out any other duties that are relevant to the role.

Education and Experience

A degree or relevant qualification is preferred. APICS certification is an advantage.

The ideal candidate will have at least 5 years of experience in production planning, materials planning, or supply chain planning, preferably in pharmaceutical, chemical, or other regulated manufacturing environments.

Strong knowledge of environmental, health and safety, quality, and employment regulations is important, along with solid IT skills in SAP and Microsoft Office. Experience in operational excellence, Lean, Six Sigma, project management, and change management would be beneficial.

A full driving licence is required.

Skills and Behaviours

The role calls for a professional who follows site and corporate procedures, shows excellent attendance and punctuality, and consistently delivers on deadlines and responsibilities. Strong organisation, time management, communication, and reporting accuracy are important, along with the ability to build respectful working relationships.

You should be detail-oriented, proactive, self-motivated, adaptable, and willing to take on extra responsibility. The role also requires discretion, confidentiality, strong analytical thinking, practical problem-solving, structured decision-making, and the ability to support change and continuous improvement. A collaborative mindset and commitment to compliance and safety are also essential.

Additional Information

This position is initially offered as a contract role and may become permanent depending on performance and business needs.