Planning Engineer (Production Planning Automotive Division)

Job Purpose

The Planning Engineer (Production Planning – Automotive Division) is responsible for developing, implementing and managing production planning processes to ensure timely, cost-effective and quality delivery of automotive products. This role optimises production schedules, coordinates material and capacity planning, and interfaces with Engineering, Production, Supply Chain, Procurement and Quality to meet customer demand and company targets.

Key Responsibilities

Production Planning & Scheduling

• Develop and maintain short, medium and long‑term production plans aligned with demand forecasts, sales orders and capacity constraints.

• Create detailed shop floor schedules, prioritise work orders and manage release of production jobs to meet delivery schedules and minimise lead times.

• Monitor schedule adherence, identify bottlenecks and implement corrective actions to improve throughput and on‑time delivery.

• Coordinate with production supervisors and planners to balance workloads across shifts and lines.

Material & Component Planning

• Prepare and maintain material requirement plans (MRP) to ensure availability of components, sub‑assemblies and raw materials for production.

• Work closely with Procurement and Supplier Management to expedite critical parts, manage lead times and reduce stockouts.

• Forecast consumables and critical spare requirements and collaborate with Warehouse to maintain optimum inventory levels.

• Manage safety stock policies, reorder points and lot sizing to balance inventory cost and service levels.

Capacity & Resource Management

• Assess production capacity, machine availability and labour requirements to support production plans.

• Identify capacity constraints and propose solutions such as overtime, shift adjustments, line rebalancing or outsourcing.

• Coordinate maintenance windows and tool changeovers to minimise disruption to scheduled production.

Demand Forecasting & Sales Collaboration

• Support demand planning by analysing historical sales, order patterns and market intelligence to generate accurate forecasts.

• Collaborate with Sales and Customer Service to review order changes, delivery priorities and customer commitments.

• Maintain master production schedule (MPS) and communicate changes to stakeholders in a timely manner.

Process Improvement & Continuous Improvement

• Lead and participate in continuous improvement initiatives (Lean, Kaizen, 5S) to improve planning accuracy, reduce lead times and eliminate waste.

• Analyse planning performance metrics and drive corrective actions to improve forecast accuracy, schedule attainment and inventory turns.

• Document planning processes, work instructions and best practices to ensure consistency and knowledge transfer.

Systems & Reporting

• Operate and optimise ERP/MRP systems (Oracle, SAP or equivalent) to manage demand, supply, orders and inventory records.

• Prepare regular reports and dashboards on production status, inventory levels, schedule adherence, backlog and key planning KPIs.

• Ensure data integrity in planning systems and drive automation to reduce manual intervention.

Cross‑functional Collaboration & Stakeholder Management

• Work closely with Design & Engineering to incorporate new product introductions (NPI) into production plans and manage phase‑in/out activities.

• Coordinate with Quality to address production hold items, non‑conformances and rework scheduling.

• Engage with Suppliers, Logistics and Customer Service to ensure end‑to‑end alignment and timely deliveries.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Production Management or a related discipline.

• Relevant professional qualifications in Supply Chain, Production Planning or Lean/Continuous Improvement are desirable.

Experience

• Minimum 5 years' experience in production planning, material planning or supply chain roles within the automotive or manufacturing industry.

• Experience with high‑mix, high‑volume automotive production environments and knowledge of vehicle assembly processes is highly desirable.

• Proven track record using ERP/MRP systems to manage planning activities and drive improvements.

• Experience liaising with suppliers, production teams and cross‑functional stakeholders to deliver customer orders on time.

Technical Competencies

• Production Planning & Scheduling

• Material Requirements Planning (MRP)

• ERP Systems (Oracle, SAP or equivalent)

• Capacity Planning & Line Balancing

• Inventory Management & Control

• Demand Forecasting & S&OP support

• Lean Manufacturing & Continuous Improvement

• Data Analysis & KPI Reporting

• Production Control & Shop Floor Coordination

Leadership Competencies

• Effective Communication

• Collaboration & Stakeholder Management

• Problem Solving & Decision Making

• Customer‑Centric Mindset

• Continuous Improvement Orientation

• Time Management & Prioritisation

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Schedule Attainment (%) | On‑Time Delivery | Inventory Turns | Forecast Accuracy | Lead Time Reduction | Order Fulfilment Rate | Work‑in‑Progress (WIP) Levels | Capacity Utilisation | Supplier On‑Time Delivery | Production Throughput | Stockout Rate | Days of Inventory