Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks

Expeditor
Inventory Control Specialist
Material Requirements Planner (MRP)
Materials Coordinator
Materials Planner
Production Assistant
Production Clerk
Production Controller
Production Planner
Production Scheduler

What is a Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks?

Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks are essential professionals in manufacturing and production environments who coordinate the flow of materials and information to ensure that production processes run smoothly and efficiently. They are responsible for monitoring inventory levels, scheduling production runs, and expediting the delivery of materials to prevent any delays in the manufacturing process. Their work involves analyzing production schedules, communicating with suppliers and production teams, and updating inventory records. These clerks play a critical role in optimizing production operations, maintaining quality control, and ensuring that customer orders are fulfilled on time. They often utilize various software tools and applications to track production metrics and to prepare reports for management. With strong attention to detail and organizational skills, Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks help companies meet their production goals while minimizing costs and maximizing efficiency.

Career Assessment
Job Outlook

Projected salary and job growth

$36640.0 - $81410.0

New job opportunities are likely in the future. : Average

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Assessment

Related assessments and tests

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Career Assessment

Tasks

  • Distribute production schedules or work orders to departments.
  • Revise production schedules when required due to design changes, labor or material shortages, backlogs, or other interruptions, collaborating with management, marketing, sales, production, or engineering.
  • Review documents, such as production schedules, work orders, or staffing tables, to determine personnel or materials requirements or material priorities.
  • Arrange for delivery, assembly, or distribution of supplies or parts to expedite flow of materials and meet production schedules.
  • Confer with establishment personnel, vendors, or customers to coordinate production or shipping activities and to resolve complaints or eliminate delays.

Technology Skills

Tools Used

  • Scanners
  • Notebook computers
  • Desktop computers
  • Personal computers

Knowledge

  • Production and Processing

    Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

  • Customer and Personal Service

    Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

  • English Language

    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

  • Administrative

    Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

  • Administration and Management

    Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

0 Active Jobs in South Africa
Avg Salary: R17,916pm

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Industry Analysis: The Future of Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks in South Africa

Key Market Statistics

  • Average Monthly Salary: R17,916
  • Current Active Job Openings: 0 (Market Saturation Snapshot)
  • Primary Employment Sectors: Manufacturing, Automotive, FMCG, and Logistics
  • Core Competency Shift: Transition from manual record-keeping to ERP-integrated data management

Market Trends and Patterns

The landscape for production and planning clerks in South Africa is undergoing a significant transformation. While current snapshots show a temporary lull in active vacancies, this reflects a broader consolidation within the manufacturing sector rather than a decline in relevance. Companies are moving away from traditional "clerking" roles toward more integrated "planning and coordination" functions.

One of the most notable patterns is the shift toward Supply Chain Resilience. Given the ongoing logistical challenges at South African ports and the volatility of the national power grid, the role of an expediting clerk has evolved from simple tracking to complex risk mitigation. Professionals in this space are now required to organise alternative transport routes and manage inventory levels with much higher precision to avoid production downtime.

Furthermore, the "Just-in-Time" (JIT) manufacturing model is being re-evaluated in the local context. To realise consistent output, South African firms are increasingly adopting "Just-in-Case" strategies, which demand more robust planning and higher-level administrative oversight to manage larger safety stocks and diverse supplier bases.

Industry Changes and Digital Evolution

Digitalisation is no longer a future prospect; it is the current reality. The traditional paper-based logbooks and simple spreadsheets are being replaced by sophisticated Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems such as SAP, Syspro, and Sage. This change requires clerks to possess a higher level of digital literacy than was necessary a decade ago.

The focus has shifted toward Data Integrity. In a modern South African production facility, a planning clerk’s primary value lies in their ability to ensure that the digital twin of the factory matches the physical reality. This involves real-time data entry and the ability to interpret analytics to predict bottlenecks before they occur.

Future Outlook and Emerging Opportunities

The future for this career path lies in specialisation. As South Africa seeks to bolster its local manufacturing capabilities—particularly in the renewable energy and automotive sectors—there is an emerging need for clerks who understand specific industrial programmes. For instance, the transition to Electric Vehicle (EV) component assembly will create a demand for planners who can manage complex, high-tech bills of materials.

While the average salary sits at R17,916, there is a clear upward trajectory for those who bridge the gap between clerical work and data analysis. We anticipate a hybridisation of roles where production clerks will eventually take on responsibilities currently held by junior supply chain analysts, leading to better career longevity and higher earning potential.

Actionable Recommendations

  • Upskill in ERP Systems: To remain competitive, seek certification or formal training in Syspro, SAP, or Oracle. Mastery of these platforms is often more valuable than a general degree.
  • Develop Soft Skills: Expediting is largely about relationship management. Developing the ability to negotiate with suppliers and communicate effectively with floor managers is essential for career progression.
  • Focus on Lean Manufacturing: Familiarise yourself with Six Sigma or Lean principles. Understanding how to reduce waste will make you an indispensable asset to any production team.
  • Monitor Local Industry Hubs: Focus your job search on industrial growth points like Coega in the Eastern Cape or the Dube TradePort in KwaZulu-Natal, where infrastructure investment is driving demand for logistics and planning staff.

Are you ready to navigate the evolving South African industrial landscape? Take the first step toward securing your future in production and logistics.

Start Your Career Assessment Today

Skills

  • Reading Comprehension

    Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

  • Speaking

    Talking to others to convey information effectively.

  • Active Listening

    Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

  • Time Management

    Managing one's own time and the time of others.

  • Critical Thinking

    Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Abilities

  • Information Ordering

    The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

  • Oral Comprehension

    The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

  • Oral Expression

    The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

  • Problem Sensitivity

    The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.

  • Near Vision

    The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Education

How much education does a new hire need to perform a job in this occupation?

  • High school diploma or equivalent
    37 %

    or: GED, High School Equivalency Certificate

  • Some college, no degree
    21 %
  • Less than high school diploma
    19 %

Work Activities

  • Working with Computers

    Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates

    Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

  • Getting Information

    Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

  • Processing Information

    Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events

    Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Detailed Work Activities

  • Provide information to coworkers.
  • Confer with coworkers to coordinate work activities.
  • Schedule operational activities.
  • Read work orders to determine material or setup requirements.
  • Coordinate operational activities.

Work Interests

  • Conventional

    Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

  • Enterprising

    Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

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This page incorporates data from O_NET OnLine, courtesy of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), under the CC BY 4.0 license. O_NET is a registered trademark of USDOL/ETA. Assessify has adapted and modified the original content. Please note that USDOL/ETA has neither reviewed nor endorsed these changes.