Poduction & Inventory Planner; End Plant

Brief Description

POSITION SUMMARY:

Our Waco, TX facility manufactures aluminum ends/lids for beverage cans commonly used for soft drinks, beers, energy drinks, teas and non-carbonated beverages. Using state of the art end-making technology, this high-speed environment provides rewarding manufacturing opportunities. We are seeking a highly analytical and process-oriented Production & Inventory Planner to optimize the flow of materials and finished goods within our high-volume Aluminum End Plant.

This role is responsible for developing, executing, and maintaining the Master Production Schedule (MPS) while providing rigorous oversight of raw material inventory. The specialist ensures that high-value assets—primarily aluminum coils and sealing compounds—are accurately tracked, systematically controlled, and strategically phased into production to meet customer delivery commitments. This role balances complex data-driven planning with the physical accountability of receiving raw materials.

• Develop and maintain the Master Production Schedule (MPS) for all manufacturing lines, translating sales forecasts and firm customer orders into a feasible production plan over a rolling 13-week window.
• Monitor production capacity (line hours, tooling availability) and identify potential bottlenecks or underutilized resources, proposing schedule adjustments to the Production Manager.
• Rapidly adjust the production schedule in response to unplanned events, such as machine downtime, urgent quality holds, or sudden changes in customer orders.
• Participate in the daily cross-functional production meeting, communicating the schedule priorities, material risks, and delivery status to Production, Quality, Sales, and Logistics teams.

• Work closely with Procurement to ensure timely ordering and delivery of critical raw materials, primarily aluminum coil and sealing compound, based on the production schedule demands.
• Monitor material inventory levels (raw, WIP, finished goods) to minimize stock-outs and excess holding costs, managing material shelf-life risks (especially for compounds).
• Track and report on raw material yield and scrap variance, identifying trends that impact material availability or financial performance.
• Manage and reconcile raw material and finished goods inventory, ensuring accuracy between physical stock and the ERP system (e.g., SAP).
• Establish and audit safety stock levels for key raw material and finished products and critical components based on lead times and demand variability.

• Analyze historical production trends and performance metrics (e.g., adherence to schedule, scrap variance) to improve forecast accuracy and scheduling efficiency.
• Drive continuous improvement in planning processes and utilize ERP system capabilities to maximize efficiency.

• High school diploma or equivalent
• 3+ years of experience in Production Planning, or advanced inventory control in high-speed automated machinery, preferably in metal forming, packaging, or can manufacturing industry.
• Strong working knowledge of MRP/ERP systems (e.g., SAP).
• Must be able to obtain a forklift operator certification (internal).
• 24/7 Operational Support:
  This role requires a commitment to a continuous shift rotation (including nights, weekends, and holidays).
• Emergency Response:
  Must be available for on-call emergencies regarding critical utility failures that threaten production continuity.

• A Technical degree or the equivalent experience, defined as greater than 4 years of experience in a technical manufacturing continuous improvement environment.

• Aptitude in spatial reasoning, attention to detail, and skilled craftsmanship.
• Mechanical aptitude and experience (work with machines and general tooling).
• Skilled in hand and power tool usage.
• Ability to operate heavy machinery.
• Ability to follow proper safety procedures.
• Use of precision measuring instruments.
• Working knowledge of all automation standard practices.
• Proactive and takes ownership to resolve problems and issues.
• Abi…