Production Planning & Scheduling Consultant – Buckinghamshire – 3 Month Contract (Outside IR35)
Role: Production Planning & Scheduling Consultant
Location: Buckinghamshire (4 Days Per Week On-Site)
Contract: Initial 3-Month Contract (Outside IR35)
Overview
Our client is an innovative engineering and manufacturing business specialising in advanced UAV systems. Having successfully evolved from prototype development into low and medium-volume production over the past five years, the business is entering its next phase of growth and is seeking an experienced Production Planning & Scheduling Consultant to help establish greater structure and control across manufacturing operations.
This is a hands-on role focused on improving production planning, scheduling, production control, material flow and inventory management. The successful candidate will work closely with Engineering, Procurement, Stores and Production teams to create scalable processes that support efficient and repeatable manufacturing.
The ideal candidate will come from an aerospace, defence, UAV, automotive Tier 1, motorsport or similar advanced manufacturing environment and will be comfortable operating within a growing business where processes are still developing.
Responsibilities
Production Planning & Scheduling
- Develop and maintain master production schedules across prototype, pre-production and production programmes.
- Create and manage manufacturing work orders and build schedules.
- Coordinate production priorities to ensure delivery commitments are achieved.
- Monitor schedule adherence and proactively identify risks, delays and bottlenecks.
- Balance production demand against available capacity, resources and materials.
- Provide accurate production status reporting to key stakeholders.
Production Control
- Establish and improve production control processes across the manufacturing operation.
- Track work-in-progress and manufacturing performance against schedule.
- Ensure production documentation and manufacturing information are accurately maintained.
- Introduce practical planning tools and reporting mechanisms to improve visibility.
- Support the transition from prototype builds into repeatable production processes.
Materials & Inventory Management
- Work closely with Procurement to ensure materials are available in line with production requirements.
- Monitor component shortages and expedite critical items where required.
- Improve inventory visibility, stock accuracy and material traceability.
- Support the development and optimisation of stores processes.
- Coordinate material movement throughout the manufacturing process.
Continuous Improvement
- Identify opportunities to improve production efficiency and workflow.
- Develop scalable planning and scheduling processes to support future growth.
- Support ERP/MRP implementation and optimisation activities.
- Drive improvements in schedule adherence, inventory control and manufacturing performance.
Requirements
Essential
- Experience in Production Planning, Production Control, Manufacturing Scheduling or Operations Planning.
- Background within aerospace, defence, UAV, automotive Tier 1, motorsport, electronics manufacturing or similar complex assembly environments.
- Experience managing production schedules within a manufacturing environment.
- Strong understanding of production control principles and manufacturing workflows.
- Experience coordinating materials, inventory and production activities.
- Excellent organisational, analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to work effectively across Engineering, Procurement and Production functions.
Desirable
- UAV or drone manufacturing experience.
- Aerospace or defence industry experience.
- Experience supporting the transition from prototype development into repeatable production.
- ERP/MRP systems experience.
- Lean Manufacturing or Continuous Improvement experience.
- Exposure to high-mix, low-to-medium volume manufacturing environments.
Deliverables
During the engagement, the consultant will be expected to:
- Establish a structured and repeatable production planning process.
- Improve production schedule visibility and adherence.
- Introduce practical production control and reporting mechanisms.
- Improve inventory management and stores control processes.
- Reduce material shortages and production disruptions.
- Support the creation of a scalable manufacturing operation capable of supporting future growth.
Ideal Background
Candidates are likely to have held positions such as:
- Production Planner
- Master Scheduler
- Production Controller
- Production Planning Engineer
- Manufacturing Planner
- Operations Planner
- Materials Planner
- Supply Chain Planner
- Production Planning & Control Specialist
within aerospace, defence, automotive Tier 1, UAV, motorsport or advanced manufacturing environments.
If this is of interest please apply on LinkedIn or email george.taylor@everec.co.uk
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