Position Overview
Summary: The Planning & Scheduling Manager is a key operational leader responsible for developing and managing all capacity planning and fine-detail scheduling activities within manufacturing. This role ensures that customer demand is met on time, in full, while optimizing product flow and the utilization of plant resources — including labor, machinery, materials, and facilities. The Planning & Scheduling Manager works cross-functionally with production, procurement, engineering, quality, and sales to drive a reliable and efficient manufacturing schedule aligned with business objectives.
Essential Functions
Production Planning and Master Scheduling
- Develop, publish, and maintain a master production schedule based on demand forecasts, customer orders, and available capacity
- Translate sales and operations plans (SIOP) into actionable weekly and daily production schedules for all manufacturing work centers
- Manage fine detail scheduling ensure effective product flow to balance machine and labor capacity against order priority and due dates
- Identify, communicate, and resolve scheduling conflicts, bottlenecks, and constraints before they impact production output
- Maintain schedule integrity and manage engineering change orders and product transitions with minimal disruption
Capacity and Resource Management
- Conduct capacity planning analyses (rough-cut and detailed) to identify current and future constraints across production lines
- Coordinate with plant management to plan overtime, shift adjustments, temporary labor, and outsourcing (subcontracting) as needed
- Manage work-in-progress (WIP) levels and production queue prioritization to maintain flow and minimize cycle time
- Optimize equipment utilization and minimize changeover and setup time through intelligent scheduling sequences
Materials and Inventory Coordination
- Collaborate with procurement and materials management to ensure raw material and component availability aligns with the production schedule
- Manage MRP (Material Requirements Planning) parameters including lead times, safety stock levels, and lot sizing rules within the ERP system
- Monitor inventory levels for raw materials, WIP, and finished goods to avoid shortages and excess stock
- Organize inventory counts and periodic cycle counts to ensure raw materials, WIP and finished goods levels are accurately maintained in ERP
- Coordinate with warehouse and logistics teams to align inbound material receipts with production schedule requirements
Performance Monitoring and Continuous Improvement
- Track and report key planning KPIs including schedule adherence, on-time delivery (OTD), plan attainment, and delivery performance to promise
- Lead root cause analysis on schedule misses and implement corrective and preventive actions
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives in planning processes using Lean, Six Sigma, or other methodologies
- Evaluate and implement enhancements to scheduling tools, ERP modules, and advanced planning systems
Cross-Functional Collaboration and Communication
- Facilitate daily/weekly production meetings, SIOP forums, and scheduling reviews with operations, sales, and supply chain leadership
- Act as the primary interface between sales/customer service and the plant floor for order status, expediting, and schedule change requests
- Partner with engineering and quality teams to incorporate new product introductions (NPI), trials, and qualification builds into the schedule
- Provide scheduling input to capital expenditure (CapEx) planning and capacity expansion projects
Team Leadership and Development
- Lead, coach, and develop the Production Control & Inventory Specialist and any future members of the production planning and scheduling team
- Set clear performance expectations, conduct regular reviews, and support career development for direct reports
- Establish and enforce planning policies, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and work instructions
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Incentives
- Benefits offered the first of the month following 30 days of employment, include: medical, dental, life insurance, long term disability, paid time off (sick and vacation), 10 company holidays, 401(k) with company match, etc.
- Referral Rewards program
Requirements/ Training and Experience
- Bachelor's degree in supply chain management, manufacturing, business administration or a related field (or equivalent experience).
- Proven experience (3-5 years) as a Planner, Scheduler or similar role in a manufacturing environment. (Schedule Adherence).
- Strong understanding of manufacturing processes and inventory management.
- Certification in logistics or supply chain management e.g. APICS, CPIM, CIPS preferred (or studying towards qualification).
- Working knowledge of lean manufacturing tools and six sigma e.g. kanban, JIT, 5S, kaizen.
- Previous demonstrable experience in dealing with customers and suppliers.
- Good knowledge of ISO 9001 and total quality management concepts.
- Proficiency in using scheduling software e.g. MRP/ERP systems, MS Excel.
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills to effectively collaborate with stakeholders at all levels.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple priorities.
- Project management experience with manufacturing engineering projects.
- Experience working with cross-functional teams, managing budgets and resources, and ensuring projects are completed on time and within scope.
- Flexibility to adapt to changing business needs and willingness to take on additional responsibilities.
- Ability to maintain a professional, positive attitude.
- Ability to successfully pass an e-Verify background check.
- Carry out other duties/projects as required and/or assigned.