Planner

Summary

The Planner is responsible for developing and managing production and material plans that support customer demand, operational efficiency, and inventory objectives. This role serves as a critical link between Sales, Supply Chain, Operations, Engineering, and Procurement to ensure the right materials, capacity, and resources are available at the right time.

The Planner analyzes demand, inventory levels, lead times, capacity constraints, and scheduling requirements to create and maintain achievable production plans while proactively identifying and mitigating risks that could impact delivery performance. Successful candidates will possess strong analytical skills, excellent organizational abilities, and the capability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic manufacturing environment

What You'll Be Doing

Production & Supply Planning

- Develop and maintain production schedules aligned with customer demand, inventory requirements, and operational capacity.

- Review sales orders, forecasts, and inventory levels to ensure accurate planning decisions.

- Translate demand requirements into executable production plans.

- Monitor schedule adherence and adjust plans as needed to accommodate changing priorities.

- Identify and communicate potential capacity, material, or schedule constraints.
Inventory Management

- Monitor inventory levels and support inventory optimization initiatives.

- Analyze inventory trends and recommend actions to reduce excess, obsolescence, and shortages.

- Ensure appropriate inventory levels are maintained to support customer demand while achieving working capital objectives.

- Support cycle count investigations and inventory accuracy improvement efforts.

ERP/MRP Management

- Utilize ERP/MRP systems to generate, review, and maintain planning information.

- Validate planning parameters, lead times, and inventory settings for accuracy.

- Maintain data integrity related to planning, scheduling, and inventory transactions.

- Analyze planning data and generate reports to support operational decision-making.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

- Partner closely with Operations, Procurement, Engineering, Customer Service, and Sales to ensure alignment on priorities and delivery commitments.

- Participate in planning and scheduling meetings to review demand, capacity, and material availability.

- Coordinate resolution of material shortages and schedule conflicts.

- Escalate risks and recommend solutions to minimize business impact.

Continuous Improvement

- Identify opportunities to improve planning processes, scheduling effectiveness, and inventory performance.

- Support implementation of planning tools, reporting enhancements, and process improvements.

- Develop and maintain planning metrics and KPIs.

- Participate in Lean and continuous improvement initiatives.

What You'll Need to Be Successful

Required Qualifications

- Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Operations Management, Engineering, or a related field; or equivalent work experience.

- Minimum 3 years of experience in planning, production scheduling, materials management, supply chain, or a related manufacturing environment.

- Experience working with ERP/MRP systems.

- Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.

- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Office applications.

- Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining attention to detail.

Preferred Qualifications

- APICS CPIM or CSCP certification.

- Experience with demand planning, production scheduling, and inventory optimization.

- Experience supporting manufacturing operations.

- Knowledge of lean manufacturing principles and continuous improvement methodologies.