It’s not just about your career or job title… It’s about who you are and the impact you will make on the world. Because whether it’s for each other or our customers, we put People First. When our people come together, we Expand the Possible and continuously look for ways to improve what we create and how we do it. If you are constantly striving to grow, you’re in good company. We are revolutionizing the way the world moves for future generations, and we want someone who is ready to move with us.
Who will you be working with?
A Division of Wabtec UK Ltd, Northampton-based firm Bearward Engineering manufactures radiators for the power generation industry and is currently recruiting for a Production Planning Manager.
Role: Production Planning Manager
Salary: £Competitive
Location: Northampton, (NN4 8HJ)
Hours: Monday to Thursday, 08:00am to 16:30pm, and Friday 08:00am to 15:30pm
Contract Type: Permanent, Full-Time
How will you make a difference?
Highly organised and analytical approach to production planning, the Production Planning Manager will play a pivotal role in aligning operations with customer demand and capacity constraints. Leading a small team, you will optimise the master production schedule and ensure timely shipping of goods—driving efficiency, improving cross-departmental coordination, and ultimately enhancing customer satisfaction and business performance
What will your typical day look like?
- Develop and implement planning strategies to support short-, mid-, and long-term production needs
- Analyse and report on the orderbook to highlight trends and priorities
- Collaborate across procurement, manufacturing, logistics, and sales to meet customer demand
- Manage production schedules, adapting to changes in engineering, quality, or urgent requirements
- Lead weekly planning meetings and communicate updates to stakeholders
- Monitor capacity and resources, identifying constraints and recommending solutions
- Track and report KPIs including schedule adherence, capacity utilisation, and delivery performance
- Oversee finished goods inventory and ensure timely despatch to meet financial and customer targets
- Drive continuous improvement to enhance scheduling accuracy and reduce lead times
- Run weekly PSI and monthly SIOP reports for the Engine Cooling Group
- Lead daily operations of the despatch department, including logistics and courier management
- Maintain inventory accuracy and stock control in the despatch area
What do we want to know about you?
- Experienced in production planning within heavy manufacturing or engineered-to-order environments
- Proficient in Microsoft Office, especially Excel and Pivot reporting
- Strong understanding of MRP/ERP systems and planning principles
- Excellent analytical, organisational, and problem-solving skills
- Clear communicator with strong collaboration abilities
- Strategic mindset with the ability to define and deliver objectives
- Self-driven and capable of motivating others across the business
If you don’t have all the above criteria don’t worry, we would still like to hear from you as we live our values and always put people first and strive to expand what is possible.
Legal authorisation to work in the United Kingdom is required. We will not sponsor individuals for employment visas, now or in the future, for this job opening.
- Please note that we do not accept agency candidate submissions without a formalised agreement with Wabtec Talent Acquisition. If you are an agency/third party Recruiter and have not been engaged by Wabtec for this search, we do not owe you a fee if you submit a candidate to the applicant tracking system that is ultimately hired.
Apply today!
Who are we?
Wabtec Corporation is a leading global provider of equipment, systems, digital solutions, and value-added services for freight and transit rail as well as the mining, marine, and industrial markets. Drawing on nearly four centuries of collective experience across Wabtec, GE Transportation, and Faiveley Transport, the company has grown to become One Wabtec, with unmatched digital expertise, technological innovation, and world-class manufacturing and services, enabling the digital-rail-and-transit ecosystems.
Wabtec is focused on performance that drives progress and unlocks our customers’ potential by delivering innovative and lasting transportation solutions that move and improve the world. We are lifelong learners obsessed with making things better to drive exceptional results. Wabtec has approximately 27K employees in facilities throughout the world. Visit our website to learn more! http://www.WabtecCorp.com
Our Commitment to Embrace Diversity:
Wabtec is a global company that invests not just in our products, but also our people by embracing diversity and inclusion. We care about our relationships with our employees and take pride in celebrating the variety of experiences, expertise, and backgrounds that bring us together. At Wabtec, we aspire to create a place where we all belong and where diversity is welcomed and appreciated.
To fulfill that commitment, we rely on a culture of leadership, diversity, and inclusion. We aim to employ the world’s brightest minds to help us create a limitless source of ideas and opportunities. We have created a space where everyone is given the opportunity to contribute based on their individual experiences and perspectives and recognize that these differences and diverse perspectives make us better.
We believe in hiring talented people of varied backgrounds, experiences, and styles… People like you! Wabtec Corporation is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or expression, or protected Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.
