Production Planner, Custom Products

Production Planner

We are seeking a highly organized and detail-oriented Production Planner to coordinate and manage production planning activities within a custom manufacturing environment. This role is responsible for releasing, scheduling, monitoring, and managing work orders to ensure products are manufactured efficiently, accurately, and delivered on time. The Production Planner works closely with manufacturing, purchasing, inventory, and customer service teams to balance production capacity, material availability, and customer demand.

The ideal candidate possesses strong analytical and problem-solving skills, experience working with ERP systems (SAP preferred), and a solid understanding of production scheduling, inventory control, and lean manufacturing principles. Success in this role requires the ability to prioritize multiple projects, maintain accurate production data, and proactively identify opportunities to improve workflow efficiency and on-time delivery performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the full lifecycle of production work ordersfrom creation to completionensuring data accuracy, timely release, and alignment with production goals.
• Maintain and update the production schedule based on demand forecasts, capacity constraints, and material availability.
• Act as a liaison between Production, Customer Service, Project Management, Sales, and other departments to coordinate production plans and resolve scheduling issues.
• Track production progress and order status in SAP; provide committed dates and identify potential delays or bottlenecks.
• Analyze demand planning and inventory data to optimize schedules and ensure efficient resource utilization.
• Collaborate with Purchasing and Supply Chain to forecast material requirements and mitigate potential disruptions.
• Apply lean manufacturing practices to streamline workflow and minimize waste.
• Generate and maintain reports on production status, rates, and key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Provide backup support to the Production Control Supervisor and Operations Manager as needed.
• Use ERP tools for demand planning, forecasting, production scheduling, inventory, and materials management.
• Analyze MRP and Material Master data for accuracy; adjust system settings to optimize outcomes.
• Develop build schedules using ERP data, capacity management, and lead times to meet customer demand.
• Monitor and balance work center capacity/load while considering customer and internal priorities
• Regularly update manufacturing due dates to keep production plans current.
• Prepare analytical reports to support business decision-making.
• Support inventory level management, backlog monitoring, and product availability analysis.
• Review and recommend changes to standard lot sizes, safety stock levels, and forecast parameters.
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams to address urgent orders, material shortages, or capacity issues.
• Communicate BOM and routing requirements with Engineering.
• Continuously seek improvements in planning, scheduling, and inventory control processes.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, or a related field preferred.
• APICS (CPIM) certification preferred.
• 13 years of experience in production planning or scheduling in a manufacturing environment.

Technical Skills

• Proficiency in ERP/MRP systems; SAP experience strongly preferred.
• Skilled in Microsoft Office,
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, specifications, and bills of materials (BOMs).

Soft Skills

• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; collaborative mindset.
• Proactive problem-solver with a focus on continuous improvement.
• Solid understanding of lean manufacturing and inventory control principles.

Salary Range: $65,000 - $75,000 Per Year + Bonus