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Production Planner
Production planners build the schedules that tell a factory what to make, in what order and with what materials, so machines and people are working on the right job at the right time.
- Median salary*
- $73,800
4.4%vs last year, before tax
- People employed*
- 8,900
1.1%vs last year
- Projected growth*
- +2.1%
to 2035
- AI exposure*
- Moderate
- automation risk
- Average hours*
- 38/wk
−2h vs all jobs
- Shortage status*
- Not in shortage
national
Production planners work inside a manufacturing business, usually reporting into operations or supply chain, and spend most of the day in ERP and scheduling software rather than on the shop floor itself. The role sits a step back from a production manager, who runs the shift day to day, and focuses instead on turning sales orders, stock levels and machine capacity into a schedule the rest of the plant can work to. Most roles sit in sectors like food and beverage, motor vehicle or machinery manufacturing, where a wide product mix and tight lead times make the schedule genuinely hard to hold steady.
How much do production planners earn?
The median full-time salary for a production planner is $73,800 per annum, before tax, up $15,600 since 2018.
Pay moves with the sector and the size of the plant, so a planner in food and beverage or automotive manufacturing on an enterprise agreement will usually earn more than one in a small jobbing shop. Shift coverage or after-hours support can attract penalty rates, and planners who take on master scheduling or procurement responsibilities are paid for the extra scope. ERP experience counts as well, because a planner who can query and configure SAP or Oracle is harder to replace than one who only reads a report.
What does a production planner do day to day?
The list below is what fills most weeks; the exact mix shifts with seniority and whatever stage the current work is at.
- Building the production schedule around demand forecasts, machine capacity and stock on hand
- Chasing procurement and suppliers when a component is going to arrive late
- Reworking the plan on the fly when a breakdown, shortage or rush order throws it out
- Sitting across production, warehouse and sales teams to keep everyone working off the same numbers
- Reporting on capacity utilisation and where the plan is falling behind
What skills do production planners need?
Employers look for operations management, data analysis, process improvement, backed by SAP or Oracle ERP systems fluency and strong problem solving.
Specialist skills
- Operations management
- Data analysis
- Process improvement
- Project management
Software and tools
- SAP or Oracle ERP systems
- Advanced Production Scheduling Software (e.g. Fishbowl, Dassault)
- Microsoft Excel
- Tableau or Power BI
- MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems)
General skills
- Problem solving
- Time and deadline management
- Stakeholder management
- Attention to detail
Is the job growing?
About 8,900 people work as production planners in Australia, and employment is projected to grow 2.1% over the decade to 2035. That's modest growth: demand is steady rather than booming.
How do you become a production planner?
Here's the path most production planners take, step by step.
- 1Build a foundation in maths and business at school
Year 12 maths is the useful starting point, and any subject involving spreadsheets, logistics or business gives you a head start. If you leave school early, a warehouse or production line role is a realistic way in.
- 2Study supply chain or operations management
A Certificate IV or diploma in supply chain operations from TAFE, or a bachelor degree in logistics, operations or business, covers demand planning, inventory and scheduling. Among current production planners, Bachelor degree is the most common qualification, held by about 38% of the workforce.
- 3Learn the planning systems
Employers expect familiarity with an ERP such as SAP or Oracle, plus Excel and often a dedicated scheduling package. Vendor training, short TAFE courses or a junior role that uses the system daily all count for more than a certificate on its own.
- 4Move into planning from a nearby role
Purchasing officers, warehouse storepeople and administration officers all move across, bringing supplier or stock knowledge and picking up scheduling methods on the job. Many manufacturers prefer to promote someone who already knows the product.
- 5Specialise as you go
Experienced planners take on master scheduling, become the site's ERP super user, or move into production management or continuous improvement. Extra study in lean manufacturing or project management supports those steps.
Ready to apply as a production planner?
Whether you're working toward becoming a production planner or already are one and want a hand with the next step (sharpening your resume for ATS screening, tightening your cover letter, or knowing what you'll actually be asked at interview), here are examples grounded in this specific role, not generic templates.
What jobs can a production planner move to?
Moving into Production Manager typically comes with the biggest pay rise, worth $45,700 a year more on average.
| Move to | Typical pay change | Overlap | Retraining |
|---|---|---|---|
| Production Manager Production planner's scheduling, workflow and material knowledge leads naturally to managing production teams, with some supervisory training needed.Known move | +$45,700 | 48% | short course |
| Maintenance Planner Production planner's planning and scheduling discipline transfers to maintenance planning, though asset and maintenance systems knowledge needs a short course. | +$26,000 | 62% | short course |
| Continuous Improvement Manager Production planner's process analysis and scheduling skills carry directly into continuous improvement, identifying waste and streamlining manufacturing workflows. | +$22,400 | 88% | minimal |
| Office Manager Production planner's scheduling and coordination experience supports office management, though formal administration or management study may be needed.Known move | +$16,200 | 30% | reskill |
| Purchasing Officer Production planner's material planning and supplier coordination skills suit purchasing, though procurement systems and contract knowledge require further study.Known move | +$7,000 | 26% | reskill |
Moves are chosen from Jobs and Skills Australia's Data on Occupation Mobility, which follows income tax records between 2011-12 and 2020-21, together with entry requirements and skill overlap. A known move is one people were seen making in that data. Pay change compares median full-time pay for the two roles.
Who works as a production planner?
The typical production planner is 42 years old; 72% are men, 92% work full-time, and full-timers average 38 hours a week.
- 42
- Median age
- 28%
- Female share
- 92%
- Full-time
- −2h
- vs all-jobs avg
What's it like being a production planner?
The work has a steady rhythm of system time and short meetings, broken regularly by whatever went wrong overnight. Planners move between the schedule on screen and the people who have to deliver it, which suits someone who likes seeing how the whole plant fits together but does not mind being the first person asked when an order slips.
What people like
- You see the whole operation. Planning touches sales, procurement, the shop floor and despatch, so you learn how a manufacturing business actually works, often faster than people in narrower roles.
- The puzzle changes every week. Fitting demand, capacity and stock into a sequence that will actually run is a real problem to solve, and the constraints shift with every order, breakdown and delivery.
- Results show up on the floor. When a schedule holds, the plant runs and the trucks leave on time, which is more immediate feedback than most office jobs give.
- You spot problems early. Because you see the whole plan, you often notice a looming parts shortage before production does, and heading it off is one of the satisfactions of the role.
What people find hard
- Plans rarely survive the week. Breakdowns, late deliveries and rush orders mean the schedule you built on Monday is often rewritten by Wednesday, and some people find that frustrating rather than interesting.
- You are the first call when something slips. Production, sales and warehouse all want an answer from you when an order is at risk, so mornings can arrive with several people already waiting.
- Chasing is part of the job. A good slice of the week goes on emails and phone calls confirming dates and pushing jobs through, which is less strategic than the title suggests.
Based on our synthesis of professional-body surveys and public accounts of the role, not first-person verified reviews.
Which industries employ production planners?
Motor Vehicle Manufacturing employs the largest share of production planners, followed by Food & Beverage Manufacturing.
Top employing industries
- 1Motor Vehicle Manufacturing
- 2Food & Beverage Manufacturing
- 3Machinery & Equipment Manufacturing
- 4Chemicals, Plastics & Rubber Products
- 5Fabricated Metal Products
Ranked by employment share; the source doesn't publish an exact percentage per industry.
| Bachelor degree | 38% | |
|---|---|---|
| Diploma / Advanced Diploma | 24% | |
| Certificate III/IV | 20% | |
| Postgraduate | 10% | |
| Other | 8% |
Will AI replace production planners?
Production planning sits in the middle: ERP and scheduling software already generate much of the plan, and forecasting tools keep improving at proposing what to make and when. What they cannot do is weigh which customer to disappoint, judge whether a machine will really be ready on Thursday, or get the shop floor to agree to a change. The role is exposed on the data side and protected on the judgement and negotiation side.
Share of typical working time by exposure level
- Building and reworking the production scheduleScheduling engines can propose a sequence from demand and capacity data, but the planner still adjusts it for changeovers, maintenance windows and orders the system treats as equally urgent.35%moderate
- Analysing demand, capacity and inventory dataForecasting and reporting tools do much of this arithmetic now, so the planner's value lies in questioning the numbers, such as a sales forecast that assumes a machine runs flat out all month.25%high
- Expediting parts and chasing suppliersThis is phone and email work: confirming a delivery date, finding out why a component has not arrived and working out what to run in its place.25%low
- Agreeing priorities with production, sales and warehouseDeciding which job goes first is a negotiation between people with different targets, and it usually happens in a short meeting rather than in software.15%low
Common questions about becoming a production planner
Straight answers to the questions people ask most.
How much does a production planner earn?
Production planners earn a median of $73,800 per year before tax, with full-time hours averaging about 38 a week. Pay moves with the sector, the size of the plant and the scope of the role, and planners who take on master scheduling or procurement tend to earn more than those who only run the base schedule.
How do you become a production planner?
Most planners come in through a supply chain or operations qualification and then learn scheduling on the job. A Certificate IV or diploma in supply chain operations, or a degree in logistics or operations management, is the usual starting point, and manufacturers often promote warehouse, purchasing or administration staff who already know the systems.
Are production planners in demand?
Production planners are currently not in shortage, and employment is projected to grow 2.1% over the decade to 2035. The largest employers are food and beverage, motor vehicle and machinery manufacturers, so that is where openings tend to appear and where systems experience is most transferable.
Will AI replace production planners?
Automation already handles much of the arithmetic, and forecasting and scheduling tools are getting better at proposing a plan, so the routine side of the role is exposed. What is harder to automate is deciding which customer gets the short order, negotiating with suppliers and the shop floor, and knowing when the plan on screen no longer matches what the plant can do.
What can production planners move into?
Planning sits close to several roles that share the same systems and process knowledge. Production manager is a common step up, paying $45,700 more, and continuous improvement manager is a close fit because both roles analyse workflows and hunt for waste. Purchasing officer and maintenance planner are also reachable, though each needs some extra study in procurement or asset management.
Do you need a degree to be a production planner?
No. A diploma or Certificate IV in supply chain operations (TLI40324) is enough for many roles, and manufacturers regularly promote warehouse and purchasing staff who know the product and the planning systems. A degree helps more in larger manufacturers and in roles that involve master scheduling across several sites.
Related roles
- Production Manager
- Continuous Improvement Manager
- Purchasing Officer
- Maintenance Planner
- Office Manager
- Purchasing Officer
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