Associate Manager, Production & Material Planning

Associate Manager, Production & Material Planning

At Cesium Astro, we are developers and pioneers of out-of-the-box communication systems for satellites, UAVs, launch vehicles, and other space and airborne platforms. We take pride in our dynamic and cross-functional work environment, which allows us to learn, develop, and engage across our organization. If you are looking for hands-on, interactive, and autonomous work, Cesium Astro is the place for you.

We are actively seeking passionate, collaborative, energetic, and forward-thinking individuals to join our team.

We are looking to add an Associate Manager, Production & Material Planning to our team. In this role, you will be responsible for coordinating and overseeing production scheduling, material requirements planning (MRP), and demand/supply alignment to support program execution and on-time delivery. This role manages a team of planners and works cross-functionally to ensure accurate forecasts, material availability, planning discipline, and alignment between manufacturing capacity and program needs.

Operating within a regulated aerospace and defense environment, this leader ensures compliance, drives data-driven decision-making, and supports operational efficiency and continuous improvement.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

• Oversee the development, maintenance, and execution of the master production schedule.
• Ensure production plans align with capacity, labor availability, material readiness, and customer/program requirements.
• Monitor schedule performance, identify constraints, and develop mitigation plans to prevent delays.
• Support engineering changes, configuration control, and production readiness activities.
• Lead coordination with Operations to level-load production and resolve scheduling conflicts.
• Manage daily/weekly MRP execution to ensure accurate demand signals, planned orders, and material flow.
• Review and validate BOM accuracy, planning parameters, lead times, and lot sizing.
• Monitor material shortages and drive cross-functional recovery plans to maintain schedule adherence.
• Collaborate with Procurement to resolve supplier delays, expedite needs, and strategic material risks.
• Ensure planning data integrity to support forecast accuracy, inventory health, and system reliability.
• Lead, coach, and develop a team of Production Planners and Material Planners.
• Provide clear direction, workload prioritization, and performance feedback.
• Work closely with Operations, Engineering, Procurement, Quality, and Program Management to support program success.
• Communicate planning risks, material constraints, and schedule updates to leadership and stakeholders.
• Support new product introduction (NPI), ramp-up planning, and operational readiness.
• Ensure planning and scheduling practices align with AS9100 requirements, internal policies, and customer standards.
• Maintain audit-ready documentation and data accuracy within ERP/MRP systems.
• Identify opportunities to streamline processes, improve forecast accuracy, and enhance material flow.
• Support root cause analysis and corrective actions for planning, scheduling, or material-related issues.
• Reinforce standard work, process discipline, and planning performance metrics (OTD, schedule adherence, accuracy).

Job Requirements and Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Industrial Engineering, or related field.
• 4-7 years with BS - Degree focus in supply chain planning or procurement experience, including 2–5 years in leadership roles.
• Ability to prioritize workload, multitask, and meet deadlines in a dynamic environment.
• Strong understanding of production planning, material planning, scheduling principles, and MRP logic.
• Familiarity with aerospace/defense manufacturing processes, lead times, and configuration control.
• Working knowledge of BOM structure, routings, capacity planning, and shop floor workflows.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, planning parameters, and manufacturing documentation.
• Problem-solving skills using root cause analysis and corrective action methodologies.
• Experience with ERP/MRP systems (SAP, Oracle, Net Suite).
• Understanding of FAR/DFARS and AS9100 requirements as…