Senior Production Scheduler - Buyer - Estimator

Job Description

Job Description

Position Summary

We are seeking a highly experienced, detail-oriented professional to join our team as a part-time Production Scheduler, Buyer, and Estimator. This is a hands-on, multifaceted role that also includes customer service and account support for a small number of key customers.

The right person will be comfortable balancing multiple priorities, making sound decisions independently, and building strong relationships with suppliers, customers, and coworkers. Our business environment is fluid rather than rigid. Customer requirements, order volumes, schedules, and production plans can change frequently, sometimes with limited notice. Success in this role requires someone who can adapt quickly, maintain accuracy, communicate clearly, and thrive as priorities evolve.

Key Responsibilities

Production Scheduling and Coordination

• Develop, maintain, and adjust production schedules based on customer demand, available capacity, material availability, staffing, and changing priorities.
• Monitor production schedules and proactively address potential delays, material shortages, capacity constraints, and competing requirements.
• Coordinate with production, purchasing, customer service, sales, and leadership to keep work moving efficiently.
• Follow orders through the production process and help ensure that customer commitments are met.
• Communicate schedule changes and their potential impact clearly to customers and internal team members.
• Reprioritize work confidently as customer needs, order volumes, and production plans change.
• Identify potential scheduling issues early and work with the appropriate team members to develop practical solutions.

Purchasing and Supplier Management

• Purchase materials, components, supplies, and outside services needed to support production and customer requirements.
• Obtain and evaluate supplier pricing, availability, lead times, quality, and service levels.
• Issue and maintain purchase orders and ensure purchasing records remain complete and accurate.
• Follow up on open purchase orders, shortages, late deliveries, and supplier-related concerns.
• Develop and maintain productive supplier relationships.
• Balance inventory needs, cost, lead times, and operational requirements when making purchasing decisions.
• Identify potential supply risks early and develop practical alternatives or solutions.

Estimating and Quoting

• Prepare accurate and timely estimates and customer quotations.
• Review drawings, specifications, material requirements, labor needs, outside services, and historical information.
• Identify missing information, special requirements, potential risks, and cost considerations.
• Coordinate with suppliers and internal team members to obtain the technical, pricing, and lead-time information needed to complete estimates.
• Maintain accurate and organized estimating records.
• Follow up on outstanding quotations as appropriate.
• Help improve estimating accuracy and consistency by comparing estimates with actual results and applying lessons learned to future quotations.

Customer and Key Account Support

• Serve as a dependable point of contact for a small number of key customer accounts.
• Build strong, professional relationships by being responsive, accurate, practical, and easy to work with.
• Assist customers with quotations, order status, scheduling, delivery expectations, and changing requirements.
• Manage customer expectations while balancing operational realities and company priorities.
• Communicate changes, concerns, or potential delays promptly and professionally.
• Coordinate with internal team members to resolve customer questions and concerns.
• Develop strong relationships with both internal and external customers.

Qualifications

• Minimum of three to five years of relevant experience in production scheduling, purchasing, estimating, customer account support, or a combination of similar roles within a successful organization.
• Manufacturing or production-related experience is strongly preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree in business, operations, supply chain management, or a related field is preferred but not required. Equivalent practical experience will be considered.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and take ownership of responsibilities.
• Exceptional attention to detail, organization, accuracy, and follow-through.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities in a frequently changing environment.
• Ability and willingness to adapt when customer requirements, order volumes, schedules, and production plans change.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to build productive relationships with customers, suppliers, and coworkers.
• Strong problem-solving, analytical, and decision-making skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and general business software.
• Experience with ERP, MRP, production scheduling, purchasing, or estimating systems is strongly preferred.
• Collaborative, team-oriented attitude with a willingness to assist where needed.

Key Attributes

The ideal candidate will be:

• Highly organized, accurate, and attentive to detail.
• Comfortable working independently without constant direction.
• Flexible and adaptable when priorities change.
• Proactive in identifying and resolving potential problems.
• Calm and professional when managing competing demands.
• Responsive and relationship-oriented when working with customers and suppliers.
• Able to balance urgency with accuracy and sound judgment.
• A dependable and supportive teammate.
• Comfortable working in an environment that values flexibility and practical problem-solving over rigid processes.

What Success Looks Like

The successful candidate will:

• Keep production schedules, purchasing activities, estimates, and customer commitments accurate and organized.
• Anticipate issues and take action before they become larger problems.
• Remain calm, flexible, and productive when priorities change.
• Communicate promptly and clearly with customers, suppliers, and coworkers.
• Work independently while remaining aligned with the broader team.
• Develop a strong understanding of our customers, suppliers, products, and production capabilities.
• Be viewed as a knowledgeable and reliable partner by both internal and external customers.
• Contribute positively as a capable, supportive, and dependable teammate.

Schedule

• Approximately 30 scheduled hours per week.
• Monday–Thursday: 8:30 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
• Friday: 8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
• The Monday–Thursday schedule includes a 30-minute unpaid lunch and a 15-minute company-paid break.
• Work from home three out of four Fridays per month, based on business needs.
• During slower periods, there may be an option to take Fridays off, allowing for a four-day weekend.
• Some scheduling flexibility may be needed to respond to changing customer and business requirements.

Compensation and Benefits

• $30–$40 per hour, depending on experience.
• Paid company holidays.
• Flexible hybrid schedule with regularly scheduled Friday work from home.
• Potential for four-day workweeks during slower periods.
• Opportunity to play an important role in a small, collaborative company where experience, initiative, and sound judgment are valued.
• Combined Profit Sharing & Performance Bonuses Paid Quarterly when applicable!

Ideal Candidate

This role is best suited for an experienced professional who enjoys meaningful responsibility and does not require a rigid or highly structured environment. The ideal candidate is comfortable shifting between scheduling, purchasing, estimating, customer support, and problem-solving throughout the day.

You will do well in this position if you are highly organized, adaptable, relationship-oriented, and able to keep important details from falling through the cracks. You should be capable of working independently while also being a supportive and dependable member of the team.

\nCompany Description

The hiring company is a well-established, privately owned precision manufacturing company in the Akron area that has been in business for more than 70 years. We are a growing, approximately 35-person organization that manufactures highly engineered components for customers throughout the United States.

We combine modern CNC manufacturing technology with hands-on mechanical skills and craftsmanship. Our size allows employees to be more than just a number, and we take pride in providing a stable workplace, excellent benefits, quarterly performance bonuses and profit sharing, and a good work-life balance.

Most importantly, we invest in people and are willing to train employees who have the mechanical ability and desire to learn. Our employee retention reflects that commitment — the average machine operator has been with the company for more than 12 years.

For someone mechanically inclined who wants to learn a skilled trade and build a long-term career, this is an excellent opportunity to join a growing American manufacturer.

Company Description

The hiring company is a well-established, privately owned precision manufacturing company in the Akron area that has been in business for more than 70 years. We are a growing, approximately 35-person organization that manufactures highly engineered components for customers throughout the United States.\n\nWe combine modern CNC manufacturing technology with hands-on mechanical skills and craftsmanship. Our size allows employees to be more than just a number, and we take pride in providing a stable workplace, excellent benefits, quarterly performance bonuses and profit sharing, and a good work-life balance.\n\nMost importantly, we invest in people and are willing to train employees who have the mechanical ability and desire to learn. Our employee retention reflects that commitment — the average machine operator has been with the company for more than 12 years.\n\nFor someone mechanically inclined who wants to learn a skilled trade and build a long-term career, this is an excellent opportunity to join a growing American manufacturer.