Production Planner

Production Planner Department: Production Employment Type: Full Time Location: Waikato (6) Reporting To: Planning Team Lead Description Real Steel has opened a brand-new, purpose-built factory in Hautapu. The site has been designed from day one for high-speed processing, smart material flow, modern machinery, safe workspaces, and future automation. This is a chance to join our Hautapu team from the very start and help shape how the factory runs. About Real Steel Real Steel is a family-owned New Zealand business with a long history in steel processing and distribution. We supply steel solutions nationwide and operate sites in Upper Hutt, Ashburton, and now Hautapu. We’re known for consistent standards, strong customer relationships, and looking after our people. Many of our team build long-term careers here. Once people join Real Steel, they tend to stay. Find out more at www.realsteel.co.nz About the Role As a Production Planner, you’ll help make sure the right jobs are scheduled at the right time, with the right information and materials ready to go. You’ll work closely with our design, production, and commercial teams to keep work flowing smoothly through the site. Some people in this role come from a production planning background. Others come from manufacturing admin, design support, scheduling, or technical coordination roles. If you’re organised, practical, comfortable with systems, and enjoy bringing structure to busy environments — we’d love to hear from you. What you’ll be doing Building and maintaining production schedules and plans that support production targets, customer commitments, and efficient workflow across multiple product streams. Proactively review and manage planning schedules, identifying potential issues and implementing adjustments to ensure delivery of overall operational objectives. Monitor lead times and resource availability, adapting plans and priorities to maintain schedule performance and customer commitments. Collaborate closely with design, production, and sales teams to resolve issues early and minimise any impact on delivery timelines. Creating and maintaining job information in our systems (including BOMs and routings) Generating and issuing clear production documentation, drawings, and work instructions Keeping ERP/MRP transactions up to date so materials, jobs, and traceability are accurate, ensuring production administration activities are completed accurately and on time Processing machine programming and nesting to maximise material utilisation and machine efficiency Helping improve how we plan, schedule, and structure work as the site grows What you’ll bring A proactive, go-getter mindset with a willingness to learn and take initiative Experience in planning, scheduling, manufacturing admin, technical support, or similar roles Confidence working with systems and detailed information Strong organisational skills and attention to detail The ability to manage multiple priorities in a busy environment Clear communication and a team-first attitude Experience with ERP/MRP systems or CAD software is helpful — but not essential. We’re open to training the right person with the right attitude. Why join Real Steel? Be part of the founding team at a brand-new factory Modern machinery and a purpose-built production environment A company that invests in its people and long‑term careers Real opportunities to grow as the site expands A supportive team culture within a family‑owned New Zealand business #J-18808-Ljbffr