Production Planner

Sontara Production Planner

The Sontara Production Planner is responsible for planning/scheduling the three Sontara manufacturing lines in Old Hickory, TN to support customer sales orders and downstream converting operations. Additional responsibilities include planning external converters and import planning of finished goods from Sontara sister plant in Asturias, Spain. Establishing the production plans will involve working closely with operations leaders, and others to coordinate manufacturing plans that achieve the company objectives relative to customer service, efficient resource/capacity utilization and inventory management.

Job Duties & Responsibilities

• Translates customer orders and downstream converter (both internal and external) requirements into a detailed production plan.
• Balance production plans against business objectives and on-time delivery requirements.
• Enters SAP process orders for production execution.
• Enters SAP purchase orders for external converter execution.
• Maintains daily and open communication with supply chain colleagues to ensure production plans for mainlines and converters are aligned with customer requirements.
• Partners with Manufacturing, Warehouse, R&D, Purchasing, and Customer Service to coordinate production with all other aspects of the distribution process.
• Leads weekly scheduling meeting with manufacturing, maintenance, and purchasing to ensure schedule can be supported and incorporates any downtime required by other departments.
• Partners with SAP data governance team to manage accurate master data and set up new materials.
• Provides timely updates to Customer Service for any customer inquiries as well as if an order is delayed.
• Updates weekly open order report and issues report on behalf of supply chain team to commercial/customer service/leadership.
• Provides disposition for aged inventory as part of routine aged inventory review / available to sell process.
• Interacts with manufacturing personnel and management as needed to resolve issues regarding manufacturing efficiencies/delays or additional information requested from manufacturing, customer service or sales.
• Monitors mainline actual line performance against plan to manage priorities and understand operational delays.
• Initiates prioritization of customer demands with sales team when required due to changes in plans or customer requirements.
• Provides relief for other Planner/Schedulers within Supply Chain team.
• Performs other duties, as requested or required by the Supply Chain Manager

Qualifications

• Minimum Associate Degree; preferred Bachelor's Degree in a technical, business, or other related discipline (Supply Chain, Operations, Manufacturing, Production/Planning Management)
• 3 5 years relevant experience in supply chain, production planning or operations preferred
• Experience in SAP ERP system is preferred.
• Advance Excel user experience (formulas, pivot tables, graphs)
• Thorough understanding of production and procurement processes
• Ability to collaborate effectively across multiple disciplines.
• Strong analytical capabilities.
• Strong interpersonal skills and independent problem resolution.
• Data access/retrieval skills with experience in data analysis, data manipulation using MS Excel and/or other tools as provided.
• Function within a team effort with personal attitude and approach.
• Highly organized and detail oriented
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.

Competencies:

Decision Making - Ability to assess the scope, urgency and level of risk associated with a situation. Includes the ability to take measures, in a timely manner, to solve problems involving levels of complexity and ambiguity.

Client Focus - Ability to know the needs of internal and external customers as well as how to work in collaboration with them to meet current and future needs.

Partnership - Ability to establish and maintain effective and productive working relationships, partnerships or networks of contacts with people who can contribute to achieving objectives.

Physical Demands/Work Environment

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical demands: While performing the duties of this job in an office environment, the employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; the employee must periodically lift and/or move up to 35 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The employee will be required to travel occasionally.