Production Planner

The Production Planner is responsible for planning, scheduling, and coordinating manufacturing activities to ensure customer demand is met while optimizing production capacity, material availability, and inventory levels. This position develops and maintains production schedules, monitors inventory performance, utilizes ERP/MRP systems, and collaborates with Manufacturing, Purchasing, Engineering, Customer Service, and Warehouse to support efficient operations and continuous improvement.

The Production Planner may be hired at either a Level I or Level II based on the candidate's education, experience, demonstrated competencies, and ability to perform the responsibilities outlined below.

• Develop, execute, and maintain production schedules based on customer demand, capacity, labor availability, and material constraints.
• Monitor production progress and adjust schedules to address changing priorities, supply issues, and operational disruptions.
• Balance customer demand with manufacturing capacity to optimize workflow and on-time delivery.
• Coordinate production priorities with Manufacturing, Purchasing, Engineering, Customer Service, and Warehouse.
• Identify and resolve or appropriately upset scheduling conflicts, production constraints, and delivery risks.
• Support capacity planning by identifying bottlenecks and recommending schedule adjustments.

• Monitor and manage inventory levels to ensure material availability while minimizing excess inventory and obsolescence.
• Review inventory usage trends, planning parameters, and replenishment signals to improve material planning.
• Partner with Purchasing and Warehouse to resolve material shortages and improve material flow.
• Support and maintain inventory accuracy through transaction validation, root cause analysis, and corrective actions.
• Maintain and optimize inventory buffers, stocking strategies, and planning parameters.
• ERP / MRP Planning
• Utilize ERP/MRP systems to support production planning, scheduling, inventory management, and material planning.
• Maintain accurate Bills of Material (BOMs), routings, planning parameters, and production data.
• Analyze MRP recommendations and planning outputs to improve scheduling accuracy and material availability.
• Identify opportunities to improve ERP data integrity, planning logic, and system performance.
• Monitor and analyze key planning metrics, including schedule adherence, inventory levels, inventory turns, on-time delivery, planning accuracy, and material availability.
• Identify and implement improvements that increase planning efficiency, inventory performance, and production effectiveness.
• Participate in Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Support planning process documentation, standardization, and best practices.
• Provide guidance and knowledge sharing to other planners and team members as experience allows.

• ERP / MRP Systems
• Working knowledge of ERP/MRP systems.
• Understanding of production planning, scheduling, inventory management, Bills of Material (BOMs), routings, and inventory transactions.
• Ability to learn, maintain, and optimize planning system functionality.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to prioritize multiple tasks in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Sound judgment and decision-making.
• Ability to analyze production schedules, inventory requirements, and capacity constraints.

• Utilize Lean principles to improve safety, quality, delivery, and operational efficiency.
• Identify opportunities to improve planning processes, inventory performance, and production flow.

• Build collaborative working relationships throughout the organization.
• Communicate scheduling changes, production risks, and planning recommendations clearly and professionally.

• Proficient with Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Project, and Planner.
• Ability to interpret production schedules, reports, workflows, and manufacturing data.
• Familiarity with quality systems and manufacturing…