Production Planner

SchedulerThe Scheduler is responsible for translating the plant's order book into a daily production schedule that maximizes corrugator utilization, minimizes setup churn, and delivers on customer commit dates. This role sits at the intersection of customer demand, corrugator capacity, and converting line availability — and the decisions made here directly determine whether the plant runs efficiently or reactively.ND PKG operates a 110" BHC corrugator with full converting lines. Corrugator scheduling is the highest-leverage scheduling function in the plant: run sequence, board combination efficiency, and setup frequency have a direct impact on utilization, waste, and on-time delivery. The Scheduler reports directly to the Plant Manager and coordinates daily with Customer Service, Production, and Shipping.Compensation:The actual base pay offered to the successful candidate will be based on multiple factors, including but not limited to job-related knowledge/skills, experience, geographical location, and internal equity. At ND Paper, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at the high end of the range for their role, and compensation decisions are dependent upon the facts and circumstances of each position and candidate.About UsND Paper is a leading manufacturer of high-quality pulp, paper, and packaging products in the United States, generating over half a billion dollars in annual sales. As a wholly owned subsidiary of Nine Dragons Paper (Holdings) Limited – the largest containerboard producer in the world – ND Paper is part of a global network committed to excellence and innovation. With two integrated pulp and paper mills in Rumford, Maine and Biron, Wisconsin, a packaging plant in Sturtevant, Wisconsin, and two sheeting facilities in Langhorne, Pennsylvania and Fairmont, West Virginia, the ND Paper family produces nearly one million tons of products annually. Our 1,100 dedicated employees are the heart of our operations, and we are committed to fostering positive work environments where individuals can advance and thrive. At ND Paper, we are investing in our future, and that starts with our staff.Key Responsibilities & Expected ResultsCorrugator SchedulingBuild and release the daily corrugator schedule with sufficient lead time for the shift supervisor to prepare — target release before shift startupSequence corrugator orders to maximize run length, minimize setup count, and optimize board combinations across flute profile, liner, and medium changesManage corrugator capacity against order demand — flag capacity constraints to the General Manager before they become delivery missesBalance short-run and long-run orders across the week to prevent setup fragmentation on any single shiftAdjust schedule in real time when corrugator downtime, quality holds, or order changes disrupt the plan — communicate changes immediately to Production and Customer ServiceCoordinate reworks into the production scheduleConverting ScheduleSchedule converting lines (flexo folder gluers, die cutters, stitcher, bundler, bander) in coordination with corrugator output and converting line capacitySequence converting orders to minimize changeover time and maintain flow from corrugator to finished goodsEnsure converting schedule aligns with customer ship dates and Shipping's daily load planCoordinate with Production supervisors on converting line availability, downtime, and priority changesCoordinate reworks into the production scheduleOrder Management & Customer Commit DatesOwn the commit date for every order in the system — if a date is at risk, the Scheduler identifies it first and escalates proactivelyCoordinate daily with Customer Service on new orders, expedites, and customer-driven date changesProvide Customer Service with realistic lead times for new orders based on current capacity and backlog — do not allow unrealistic commitments to be made without scheduling inputFlag orders that cannot be met on current commit without schedule disruption; escalate to General Manager with options, not just problemsExpedite ManagementEvaluate all expedite requests for feasibility before Customer Service commits to the customerIdentify the schedule displacement caused by each expedite — what order moves out to accommodate the pull-in, and who needs to knowTrack and reason-code all expedites: customer-driven, plant-driven (quality), plant-driven (downtime), carrier-drivenReport expedite volume and drivers to the General Manager on a weekly basisMetrics & ReportingTrack corrugator utilization, setup count, average run length, and schedule attainment on a daily basisMaintain a weekly scheduling report for the General Manager covering utilization trend, expedite rate, and schedule stabilityIdentify patterns in scheduling fragmentation — excessive setups, short average run lengths, or repeat expedites on the same accounts — and surface them with root cause analysisProvide data to Quality and Production to support waste reduction efforts tied to setup and run-length optimizationSystem & Data IntegrityMaintain order data accuracy in KIWI — ship dates, quantities, specifications, and board combinations must be current at all timesEnsure the scheduling system reflects actual production status — completed orders closed, partial completions updated, holds flaggedIdentify gaps or workarounds in KIWI that reduce scheduling effectiveness; escalate system issues to the General ManagerCross-Functional CoordinationOwns ordering of roll stockOrdering temps as needed, with GM approvalParticipate in daily production standup — communicate schedule priorities, anticipated constraints, and any changes from prior dayCoordinate with Maintenance on planned downtime windows — build PM and repair windows into the schedule rather than reacting to unplanned outagesCoordinate with Shipping on daily load plan and outbound priorities — schedule must align with carrier pickup windowsSupport Quality's waste reduction efforts by optimizing run sequencing to reduce setup waste and trim lossKey Performance Indicators (KPI’s)Formal targets will be established after a 60–90 day baseline data collection period. Corrugator utilization data from prior shift reports must be reason-coded before KPIs are actionable for performance management.KPI - Definition - Target / NoteSchedule Attainment - % of scheduled orders completed on the day planned - Baseline TBD — 60–90 day data collection period required before targets are setCorrugator Utilization - Net footage run as % of available corrugator capacity - Baseline TBD; healthy range typically 65–75% — plant-specific baseline requiredSetup Count per Shift - Number of corrugator setups per shift by day - Baseline TBD; excessive setups are primary driver of utilization lossAverage Run Length - Average footage per corrugator run - Baseline TBD; short average run length indicates scheduling fragmentationExpedite Rate - % of orders requiring schedule pull-in after original release - Baseline TBD; reason coding required — customer-driven vs. plant-drivenSchedule Stability - % of orders that ship on original committed date without rescheduling - Baseline TBDLead Time Accuracy - Quoted lead time vs. actual days from order to ship - Baseline TBD; tracked in coordination with Customer ServiceQualifications and SkillsRequired2+ years of production scheduling experience in corrugated, folding carton, or comparable sheet-fed or web manufacturing environmentWorking understanding of corrugator operations — flute profiles, liner and medium combinations, setup types, and how scheduling decisions drive utilization and wasteDemonstrated ability to manage a dynamic schedule in real time — downtime, quality holds, and expedites are daily realities, not exceptionsStrong analytical skills — able to identify scheduling patterns, quantify their impact, and propose sequencing improvementsProficiency with Microsoft Office; advanced Excel skills for scheduling analysis and reportingClear, direct communicator — able to deliver difficult capacity news to Customer Service and Sales without creating unnecessary alarm or false confidencePreferredExperience with KIWI or comparable corrugated scheduling/ERP systemFamiliarity with corrugator board combination optimization and waste minimization principlesExperience scheduling multiple converting lines simultaneously with interdependent constraintsBilingual English/Spanish — supports communication