Manufacturing Planning & Control Manager

This is an exciting opportunity to join the UK Manufacturing team in Greater Manchester, supporting the successful delivery of multiple customer programmes across both New Product Introduction (NPI) and production environments.

The company are a multi-national group, being No 1 in Europe for what they do! With a number of awards and recognitions, with great career progression and opportunities across the business!

Important: All applicants must be able to obtain Security Clearance and must hold British Nationality as their primary nationality.

Working: The role is 5 days a week on a secure site where SC clearance is needed.

Join a business at the forefront of innovation, with a lot to offer! A company backed by a record multi-year order book, offering long-term stability and sustained investment, with years of secured work ahead!

Company Highlights:

• Be part of an organisation that invests in its people and their long-term success:
• Join a company who are a global leader in defence innovation, known not only for its technological excellence but also for its outstanding workplace culture.
• A reputable business who, have a number of awards and recognitions, including Sunday times 'Best Places to Work 2024'. Recognised as a 'Most Loved Organisation'
• A organisation passionate about it's people with accreditations such as 'Investors in People 'We Invest in People' (Gold) & Investors in People 'We Invest in Wellbeing' (Platinum) - the highest level of accreditation.
• Passionate advocates for Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, with 10+ employee networks.
• Committed employer of veterans and service leavers, awarded as one of the Top 15 Great British Employers of Veterans in the Forces in Business Awards 2025 and Gold member of 'The 5% Club'. Armed Forces Covenant (Gold).

We are seeking an experienced Manufacturing Planning & Control (MP&C) Manager to lead the planning function within a key business unit. Reporting directly to the Head of Operations, you will be responsible for managing and developing a high-performing team, ensuring effective planning processes that enable the delivery of the Manufacturing Production Schedule (MPS) to agreed cost, quality and delivery targets.

As a key member of the operations leadership team, you will drive planning excellence, support continuous improvement initiatives, and work collaboratively across manufacturing and supply chain functions to ensure efficient end-to-end planning and delivery.

Responsibilities:

• Lead, coach and develop the Manufacturing Planning & Control team, fostering a culture of high performance and continuous improvement.
• Develop and maintain the MPS in line with agreed production plans and business priorities.
• Manage MPS activities within SAP, ensuring the timely creation and execution of production and material orders.
• Collaborate closely with Supply Chain and Manufacturing teams to ensure robust end-to-end planning and validation of material supply plans.
• Support the development and implementation of manufacturing and supply chain strategies across the planning cycle.
• Act as the subject matter expert for MP&C, driving process improvements and enhancing supply chain performance.
• Champion the introduction of new tools, systems, KPIs and best practices that improve planning effectiveness.
• Provide key inputs into the Sales & Operations Planning process to support business objectives.
• Drive SAP system enhancements, ensuring MRP integrity and the effective automation of planning and performance reporting.
• Take ownership of planning processes and system improvements, ensuring adherence to established MRP principles and standards.
• Partner with system analysts and subject matter experts to develop reporting capabilities and streamline business planning processes.
• Support Manufacturing Operations teams in achieving accurate customer commitments, improving On-Time Delivery performance and maintaining effective planning throughout the supply chain.

Essential Skills & Experience:

• Degree qualified or equivalent.
• Proven supply chain planning experience within a manufacturing environment.
• Strong experience using SAP or a comparable MRP/ERP planning system.
• Demonstrated leadership capability, with experience managing and developing teams.
• Strong decision-making skills with the ability to drive performance and achieve business objectives.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills and the ability to influence and lead change across functions.
• A proactive mindset with a passion for continuous improvement and operational excellence.

Desirable Experience:

• Experience in the Defence / Aerospace or safety regulated environment would be advantageous.
• APICS Supply Chain certification would be advantageous but is not essential.

Even If you feel like you don't meet every requirement, we encourage you to reach out and apply.