Planning Manager

The Planning Manager is responsible for leading planning activities in an Engineered-to-Order (ETO) environment, ensuring alignment between customer demand, engineering deliverables, material availability, and manufacturing capacity. This role plays a critical part in translating project demand into executable plans while managing risk, long lead times, and frequent change. The Planning Manager is a key leader within the SIOP process and partners closely with Engineering, Project Management, Operations, Supply Chain, and Finance to drive predictable execution and on-time delivery.

• Lead project-based demand, supply, and production planning in a highly customized ETO environment
• Translate customer orders, engineering milestones, and project schedules into integrated material and capacity plans
• Manage planning complexity driven by long lead times, engineered BOMs, and configuration variability
• Partner closely with Engineering to align release timing, design maturity, and BOM accuracy with planning needs
• Coordinate with Project Management to support project schedules, milestones, and customer commitments
• Identify and mitigate risks related to engineering changes, late releases, or incomplete designs
• Own key pieces of the SIOP (execution) process for ETO programs, balancing backlog, capacity, material constraints, and financial targets
• Develop scenario plans to evaluate demand changes, project delays, and resource trade-offs
• Present risks, gaps, and recovery plans to leadership

• Balance inventory risk with service and schedule commitments
• Identify capacity constraints across engineering, manufacturing, and suppliers; develop mitigation plans
• Lead, coach, and develop a team of production planners
• Establish clear planning ownership, priorities, and accountability
• Build strong planning discipline while enabling flexibility required in an ETO environment

• Improve ETO planning processes, including project planning, MRP, and capacity modeling
  
  Partner with ERP and planning system teams to enhance configuration control, BOM accuracy, and visibility
• Drive standard work, planning governance, and continuous improvement initiatives

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Operations, Engineering, Business, or related field
• 7–10+ years of planning experience in an Engineered-to-Order or project-based manufacturing environment
• 3+ years of people leadership experience
• Strong understanding of ETO planning challenges: long lead times, engineering dependency, project scheduling
• Experience with ERP/MRP systems in complex manufacturing environments
• Advanced Excel and analytical skills

• Experience leading SIOP in ETO, capital equipment, or large project environments
• APICS/ASCM certification (CPIM, CSCP, or equivalent)
• Familiarity with project management tools and methodologies
• Strong executive communication and stakeholder management skills
• Ability to manage ambiguity and frequent change
• Strong cross-functional influence (Engineering, Projects, Operations)
• Risk identification and mitigation mindset
• Systems thinking and structured problem-solving
• Confident leader in complex, high-value execution environments