Production Planner

Company Overview

Why Choose Us?

Novolex is a leading manufacturer of food, beverage, and specialty packaging that supports multiple industries including foodservice, restaurant delivery and carryout, food processing, grocery and retail, and industrial sectors. Novolex manufacturing and sourcing expertise spans a diverse range of substrates including resin, paper, molded fiber, aluminum and more. We provide customers a broad array of stock and customized solutions with 120 product categories, 250 brands and over 39,000 SKUs.

Our Sustainability Commitment

The Novolex sustainability vision is built upon three pillars: our products, our operations and our people. Each is critically important to our growth and future as a business. These pillars form the foundation of our company-wide commitment to sustainability, helping us achieve our ambitious goals through our wide-ranging initiatives.

Job Description

Production Planner

Meriden, CT

Compensation Includes

• Starting Pay Rate of $27.88 - $31.25/hour - depending on experience

Overview

The Production Scheduler is responsible for developing and maintaining production schedules that optimize manufacturing efficiency, meet customer delivery requirements, and maximize the use of available resources. This position serves as a key liaison between Operations, Customer Service, Warehouse, and Supply Chain functions to ensure accurate production planning, effective communication, and achievement of operational objectives.


Essential Functions & Key Responsibilities

Production Scheduling & Planning

• Develop, maintain, and distribute daily and weekly production schedules to support customer demand and production capacity
• Balance customer requirements, machine capacity, labor availability, and inventory need when creating production schedules
• Sequence production orders to maximize efficiency and minimize downtime, changeovers, and waste
• Adjust schedules as necessary to address equipment downtime, material shortages, staffing changes, or changing customer priorities
• Monitor schedule attainment and communicate production priorities to supervisors and operations leadership
• Coordinate with Operations, Customer Service, and Supply Chain teams to ensure alignment between production schedules and customer delivery commitments
• Review production requirements and available capacity to identify potential bottlenecks and recommend solutions
• Create and maintain production work orders and job packets for manufacturing operations
• Track production progress throughout the shift and updating schedules as needed to ensure efficient workflow
• Analyze production performance against schedule and identify opportunities for improvement
• Maintain accurate production planning data within the ERP/MRP system
• Communicate schedule changes, delays, and production concerns to appropriate stakeholders in a timely manner
• Support continuous improvement efforts related to scheduling accuracy, production flow, capacity utilization, and operational efficiency
• Generate reports regarding schedule performance, machine downtime, production output, and schedule attainment
• Participate in production meetings and provide scheduling recommendations to support operational goals

Coordination & Communication

• Serve as the primary point of contact for production schedule-related questions
• Work closely with Production Supervisors, Operations Management, Warehouse, Customer Service, and Procurement to resolve scheduling conflicts
• Escalate material shortages, capacity constraints, and production delays that may impact customer commitments
• Ensure timely communication of schedule changes to all affected departments

Compliance & Food Safety

• Follow all company safety policies, GMP requirements, SQF requirements, and food safety procedures
• Ensure production schedules support compliance with established quality, food safety, and operational standards

Education & Experience

• High school degree required, some college preferred
• 3+ years in a manufacturing environment utilizing a computerized MRP system or equivalent combination of experience and education required

Skills & Competencies

Technical Skills

• Proficiency in production scheduling, capacity planning, and manufacturing operations
• Strong working knowledge of ERP/MRP systems and production planning software
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including data analysis, reporting, and forecasting
• Ability to analyze production data, identify trends, and make data-driven scheduling decisions
• Understanding of manufacturing processes, production workflows, and machine capabilities
• Knowledge of inventory management principles and material flow within a manufacturing environment

Analytical & Problem-Solving Skills

• Strong analytical skills with the ability to evaluate multiple variables and competing priorities
• Ability to identify scheduling conflicts, production constraints, and capacity limitations and develop effective solutions
• Demonstrated ability to anticipate potential disruptions and proactively adjust production schedules
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to data accuracy

Communication & Collaboration

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to effectively communicate production priorities, schedule changes, and operational concerns to all levels of the organization
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build productive working relationships across Operations, Customer Service, Warehouse, Maintenance, and Supply Chain teams
• Ability to facilitate discussions and resolve scheduling conflicts in a professional and collaborative manner

Organizational & Time Management Skills

• Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced manufacturing environment with changing priorities and deadlines
• Strong follow-up skills to ensure timely completion of action items and resolution of issues
• Ability to maintain accuracy and effectiveness under pressure

Core Competencies

• Planning and Scheduling Excellence
• Customer Focus
• Critical Thinking
• Decision Making
• Problem Solving
• Attention to Detail
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Accountability and Ownership
• Collaboration and Teamwork
• Continuous Improvement Mindset
• Sense of Urgency
• Results Orientation
• Initiative and Self-Motivation

Preferred Competencies

• Experience in a high-volume manufacturing environment
• Familiarity with Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement principles
• Knowledge of SQF, GMP, and food packaging manufacturing requirements
• Experience supporting production scheduling in a multi-shift operation
• Ability to influence without direct authority and drive cross-functional alignment

Working Conditions

• Manufacturing environment with exposure to noise, heat, dust, and industrial equipment
• Frequent plant floor presence is required

Physical Requirements include, but are not limited to:

• Sitting, Standing, Walking
• Lifting and Carrying: 0-25 lbs
• Pushing, Pulling, Twisting, Climbing, Balancing, Stooping, Kneeling, Reaching, Grasping
• Repetitive Motions
• May be exposed to heat, cold, dust, dirt, fumes, and noise due to factory settings

Company Benefits

What You'll Get From Us
Benefits

With safety as our top priority and a commitment to employee well-being an important focus, we offer comprehensive and competitive benefits that include medical, dental and vision insurance as well as a variety of other well-being resources focused on mental, physical and financial health. Specific benefits and well-being programs may vary depending on where you work.
Community Engagement

At Novolex, giving back to the local communities that support us is important. Our Focused Giving Program prioritizes support for organizations whose missions promote sustainability initiatives or address food and hunger needs. We also encourage facility level support of activities in the communities where our employees live and work.
Training and Development

We offer constant opportunities for advancement. From skills development to advanced education programs, training and development programs and courses are available through MyLearning. Programs include company and industry training curricula, support for formal education through the Tuition Reimbursement Program (Non-Union), and a Learning Management System that supports and enhances employee skills at all levels of the organization.

Novolex is committed to providing equal employment opportunity in all employment practices, including but not limited to selection, hiring, promotion, transfer, and compensation to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to age, race, color, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, handicap or disability, genetics, citizenship status, service member or veteran status, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law. Any individual who, because of his or her disability, needs an accommodation in connection with an aspect of the Company's application process should contact View email address on click.appcast.io.

Formerly Pactiv Evergreen