Production Planner

We are partnering with a manufacturing organization in the Mebane area seeking a Production Planner to support plant operations through effective production scheduling, inventory management, and cross-functional coordination. This role is responsible for balancing customer demand, material availability, production capacity, and operational efficiency to ensure on-time delivery and optimal plant performance.

The ideal candidate will bring strong analytical skills, ERP experience, and the ability to collaborate across production, procurement, warehouse, and customer-facing teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain daily and weekly production schedules based on customer demand, inventory levels, and manufacturing capacity.
• Monitor production performance and adjust schedules to address changing priorities, material shortages, or operational constraints.
• Coordinate with procurement and supply chain teams to ensure timely availability of raw materials and packaging components.
• Analyze inventory levels and support initiatives to improve inventory turns while maintaining target service levels.
• Utilize ERP/MRP systems to manage production orders, planning parameters, and material requirements.
• Collaborate with manufacturing, warehouse, logistics, and customer service teams to ensure seamless execution of production plans.
• Track key planning and inventory metrics and identify opportunities for process improvement.
• Support S&OP, forecasting, and capacity planning activities.
• Investigate planning and inventory discrepancies and implement corrective actions.
• Participate in continuous improvement initiatives focused on efficiency, customer service, and cost reduction.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Operations Management, Engineering, Business, or a related discipline preferred.

Experience

• 5+ years of production planning, materials planning, scheduling, or supply chain experience within a manufacturing environment.
• Experience working with ERP/MRP systems such as SAP, Oracle, JD Edwards, Microsoft Dynamics, or similar.
• Experience in food, consumer products, packaging, chemical, automotive, or industrial manufacturing environments is a plus.

Technical Skills

• Strong understanding of production scheduling and inventory management principles.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including pivot tables, lookups, and data analysis.
• Ability to analyze data and make informed decisions in a fast-paced environment.
• Knowledge of forecasting, capacity planning, and inventory control processes.

Competencies

• Strong problem-solving and analytical abilities.
• Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and adapt to changing business needs.
• Results-driven mindset with a focus on customer service and operational excellence.