Master Planner | Production Planning & Forecasting Lead

Jora New Zealand will close on 9th September 2026. Thank you for being with us, we are cheering you on as you continue your career journey. Are you an experienced Production Planner, Master Scheduler, Demand Planner, Forecast Analyst, or Supply Chain Planning professional looking for your next challenge? McKechnie Aluminium is New Zealand's leading, fully integrated Aluminium Extrusion, Finishing and Fabrication specialist. We believe in delivering a quality product to our customers. Our way of thinking is one of trust, safety and wellbeing. We're seeking a highly capable Master Planner to play a pivotal role in driving operational performance across our manufacturing business. This is more than a scheduling role. It's an opportunity to take ownership of production planning, capacity management, forecasting, inventory optimisation, and service delivery performance in a complex manufacturing environment. Working closely with operations, logistics, commercial teams, and production leaders, you'll be at the centre of ensuring customer demand, manufacturing capability, inventory levels, and supply chain performance are aligned to deliver exceptional outcomes. About the Role As our Master Planner, you will be responsible for developing and managing the master production schedule while ensuring materials, resources, capacity, and logistics work together seamlessly to achieve outstanding customer service and DIFOT (Delivery In Full, On Time) performance. This role combines strategic planning with hands‑on operational decision‑making and will suit someone who enjoys balancing data, forecasting, problem‑solving, and stakeholder engagement. Key responsibilities include: Developing and maintaining integrated production and capacity plans Building and optimising master production schedules Forecasting demand and production requirements using analytical and statistical techniques Managing inventory planning and replenishment strategies Monitoring production performance and adjusting schedules as conditions change Identifying constraints, bottlenecks, and improvement opportunities Driving continuous improvement initiatives across planning processes Providing reporting and insights on key operational KPIs Supporting business‑wide capacity planning strategies and policies Working collaboratively with manufacturing, logistics, procurement, and commercial teams to improve service and productivity outcomes. Your Skills and Experience To be successful in this role, you'll bring: Strong experience within a manufacturing, supply chain, or production planning environment Advanced analytical and problem‑solving capability Strong Excel and ERP/MRP system experience Experience working with forecasting methods and statistical analysis Knowledge of manufacturing planning principles including capacity planning and inventory management Experience interpreting data and turning insights into practical action Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills The ability to manage competing priorities in a fast‑paced production environment A continuous improvement mindset focused on service, efficiency, and operational excellence. What's in It for You? A high‑impact planning role with genuine influence on business performance Opportunity to lead and shape capacity planning processes Strategic and operational responsibilities in equal measure Exposure to advanced planning, forecasting, and manufacturing systems A collaborative and improvement‑focused culture The opportunity to make a measurable difference to customer service, inventory performance, and manufacturing efficiency Please note: Applicants must have the legal right to work in New Zealand. #J-18808-Ljbffr