Master Planner

Description

Master Planner

Plan the work. Align the network. Keep production moving.

We are seeking a Master Planner to lead integrated production planning across a complex flexible packaging manufacturing network, including poly extrusion, printing, converting, inline paper mailer operations, and paper mills .

This role is ideal for a manufacturing planner who understands that a strong production plan is more than a schedule - it's the connection point between customer demand, capacity, materials, labor, equipment, inventory strategy, and operational execution.

You will own the monthly and forward-looking production plans, partner closely with Demand Planning, Supply Chain, Operations, Engineering, and Analytics teams, and ensure our manufacturing network is aligned, accurate, and ready to respond as conditions shift.

This is a high-impact role for someone who enjoys solving complex planning puzzles, building reliable models, improving systems, and communicating clearly across plant and executive teams.

What You'll Do

Own the Integrated Production Plan

• Develop and maintain monthly and weekly production plans across extrusion, printing, converting, paper mills, and inline paper mailer operations.

• Translate demand signals into feasible production plans that reflect capacity, materials, labor, equipment availability, and inventory goals.

• Lead production allocation decisions based on capacity, capability, and customer priorities.

Improve Planning Accuracy and Automation

• Partner with Analytics and BI teams to enhance planning tools, reporting, and system logic.

• Validate planning inputs, MPS/MRP outputs, system parameters, and data accuracy.

• Identify manual work that can be automated, simplified, or standardized.

Lead Long-Lead-Time & Strategic Inventory Planning

• Run forward-looking plans for long-lead-time materials, components, and paper grades.

• Maintain stocking policies, MOQ logic, safety stock targets, and risk-adjusted inventory strategies.

• Support risk mitigation tied to supply availability, lead times, and demand variability.

Align Planning With Engineering & Throughput

• Ensure production plans reflect equipment capability, throughput assumptions, tooling availability, and maintenance windows.

• Incorporate commissioning schedules and ramp-up curves for new assets.

• Adjust the master schedule proactively as equipment or capacity changes.

Model Capacity & Manage Constraints

• Maintain and improve the division's capacity model with input from cross-functional teams.

• Identify bottlenecks and support debottlenecking initiatives.

• Provide data-driven insights to support capital planning and operational decisions.

Communicate With Clarity & Discipline

• Deliver regular updates to Supply Chain, Operations, and Executive leadership.

• Communicate risks, recovery paths, capacity utilization, and what-if scenarios.

• Ensure plan changes are aligned, understood, and executed across the organization.

What You Bring

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Operations, Engineering, or related field.

• 5+ years in production planning, master scheduling, or supply chain roles within manufacturing.

• Experience in flexible packaging, converting, paper, or related environments preferred.

• Strong understanding of MPS/MRP, capacity planning, inventory management, and scheduling.

• Proficiency with ERP systems; D365 preferred.

• Advanced Excel and experience with planning, reporting, or analytics tools.

• Ability to interpret complex data and communicate insights clearly.

• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage frequent scenario updates.

• Demonstrated cross-functional collaboration in fast-paced manufacturing environments.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in extrusion, printing, converting, paper mills, or multi-stage manufacturing.

• Familiarity with throughput modeling and equipment capability analysis.

• Experience partnering with Analytics, BI, or IT to automate planning processes.

• APICS/ASCM certification (CPIM or CSCP).

Key Competencies for Success

Analytical Rigor

Comfortable working with complex data, validating assumptions, and guiding decisions with facts.

Systems Thinking

Understands how demand, supply, capacity, materials, labor, and constraints interact across a network.

Cross-Functional Leadership

Communicates clearly, influences without authority, and builds alignment across teams.

Detail Orientation

Maintains accuracy in multi-step planning processes where small changes have big impacts.

Continuous Improvement Mindset

Looks for ways to automate, simplify, standardize, and improve planning processes.

Operational Discipline

Ensures plans are published, communicated, understood, and followed with consistency.

Why This Role Matters

The Master Planner plays a critical role in keeping manufacturing aligned and customer commitments on track. Your work will strengthen production plan accuracy, capacity visibility, inventory strategy, operational execution, and cross-functional decision-making across a complex manufacturing network.

If you are a data-driven manufacturing planner who enjoys connecting the dots between demand, capacity, materials, equipment, and execution, this role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact!

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