Master Scheduler

Job Title:

Master Scheduler

The Master Scheduler is a senior manufacturing planning leader responsible for bringing discipline, realism, and credibility to the Master Production Schedule (MPS) within a complex manufacturing environment. This role owns end-to-end schedule governance and serves as the single point of accountability for aligning customer demand, material availability, production capacity, and inventory objectives. Beyond technical scheduling, this position is a planning leadership role.

The Master Scheduler leads and develops a team of Planner Buyers, drives cross-functional decision-making, and acts as a trusted operational authority across Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Engineering, Quality, and Commercial teams. Success in this role requires the confidence to challenge assumptions, surface risks early, and make data-driven decisions under pressure. This is not a transactional planning position. It is a senior execution role critical to delivery performance, inventory health, and operational credibility.

Important Notice:
Applicants must have legal authorization to work in the United States.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree
• 7+ years of hands-on experience in Master Scheduling and Production Planning within complex manufacturing environments
• Proven leadership experience managing and developing planner, buyer, or supply chain teams
• Direct supervisory experience with accountability for performance and results
• Strong working knowledge of ERP/MRP systems in manufacturing
• Advanced Excel and data analysis capabilities
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional decision-making in fast-paced operations
• Excellent communication and influence skills at both shop-floor and leadership levels

Required Knowledge and Technical Expertise:

• Master Production Scheduling (MPS) and capacity planning
• Production planning, materials planning, and procurement alignment
• Manufacturing workflows, lead times, and constraint management
• Inventory management and demand planning principles
• Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) fundamentals
• KPI-driven environments including OTIF, schedule adherence, inventory turns, and capacity utilization
• BOM structures and engineering change management

Key Objectives of the Role:

• Establish and maintain a stable, executable Master Production Schedule that manufacturing can trust
• Create clear alignment between demand, capacity, materials, and inventory strategy
• Transition the planning and buying organization from reactive firefighting to proactive execution
• Bring ownership, accountability, and structure to scheduling and procurement activities

Primary Responsibilities:

• Master Scheduling and Execution
• Own, develop, and govern the Master Production Schedule (MPS), ensuring it is realistic, achievable, and aligned with operational constraints
• Identify and proactively resolve capacity, material, labor, or engineering constraints before they impact delivery
• Maintain high data integrity and planning accuracy within ERP/MRP systems
• Ensure production plans reflect real-world conditions, not theoretical assumptions
• Leadership and Team Development
• Lead, coach, and supervise a team of four Planner Buyers
• Establish clear priorities, performance expectations, and accountability
• Develop team capability in forward planning, decision-making, and execution discipline
• Drive a culture of ownership: "This is our schedule, and we stand behind it."
• Cross-Functional Leadership
• Act as a key operational authority across Manufacturing, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and Sales
• Lead fact-based discussions to align competing priorities and resolve conflicts
• Represent scheduling and procurement leadership in S&OP, capacity reviews, and operational meetings
• Support new product introductions (NPI) and engineering changes, ensuring planning and material readiness
• Performance and Continuous Improvement
• Monitor and drive improvement across key KPIs, including schedule adherence, on-time delivery (OTIF), inventory turns, and capacity utilization
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives across scheduling, planning, and buying processes
• Surface risks early with clear recommendations, not excuses

Leadership Competencies and Behavioral Traits:

• Strong people leadership with a coaching and development mindset
• Strategic thinker with a bias for execution
• High accountability and ownership orientation
• Confident decision-maker under pressure
• Analytical, structured, and solutions-oriented
• Comfortable challenging misaligned demand, capacity, or priorities
• Continuous improvement mindset focused on measurable results

Work Environment and Expectations:

• Hybrid role, with on-site presence driven by operational needs
• Requires high visibility and engagement with manufacturing and supply chain teams
• Best suited for leaders who prefer being close to the operation, not managing from a distance

What the Company Offers:

• Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package
• Opportunity to work in an international, growing, and innovative manufacturing organization
• Professional development and…