Master Planner

Job Description

Job Description

Force Motion Group (FMG) is seeking an experienced Master Planner to serve as the integrating function between sales, operations, and supply chain within the Hyson business. This role owns the full planning hierarchy — from demand signal through master production schedule, material requirements planning, and capacity — and is accountable for ensuring the business operates from a single, credible plan. The Master Planner designs and facilitates Hyson’s S&OP process, drives forecast accuracy and schedule adherence and provides the analytical foundation for supply chain and operational decision-making. Reporting directly to the General Manager, this is a high-visibility role with cross-functional reach and direct influence on customer service, inventory performance, and operational efficiency. 

Key Responsibilities

S&OP Process Ownership

• Design, own, and facilitate Hyson’s S&OP cycle, including demand review, supply review, and cross-functional S&OP meetings.
• Build and distribute the S&OP briefing package; translate operational complexity into clear choices and decision-ready information for leadership.
• Track and report S&OP performance metrics including forecast accuracy, schedule adherence, inventory turns, and supplier on-time delivery.
• Drive accountability across functions to the agreed plan; surface deviations early and facilitate resolution.

Demand Planning

• Develop and maintain a demand pipeline view in collaboration with Sales and Customer Service.
• Translate customer orders, pipeline data, quotes, and sales inputs into actionable planning assumptions; challenge and refine demand inputs with data.
• Identify demand trends, seasonality, and mix shifts that require supply chain or capacity response; communicate findings proactively to leadership.

Master Production Scheduling & MRP

• Maintain and publish the Master Production Schedule (MPS); balance customer demand, inventory targets, and available capacity to produce a realistic and executable plan.
• Run and manage MRP; release planned production and purchase orders in coordination with Procurement and Operations team.
• Monitor schedule performance daily; identify risks, shortages, and constraints and drive corrective action before they impact customer commitments.
• Own finished goods and WIP inventory targets; manage safety stock levels and reorder parameters to support service level goals without excess inventory.

Capacity Planning

• Evaluate medium and long-term capacity against the demand plan; flag constraints that require investment, outsourcing, or demand shaping decisions.
• Maintain a rolling capacity model by work center; provide leadership with visibility into utilization, bottlenecks, and available headroom.
• Partner with operations on production sequencing, shift planning, and changeover optimization to maximize output within available capacity.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Data Integrity

• Serve as the primary planning interface for Sales, Customer Service, Engineering, Operations, and Procurement; ensure all functions are operating from the same plan.
• Own planning master data integrity in ERP including lead times, safety stock levels, lot sizes, reorder points, and item master parameters.
• Partner with Procurement on supply risk identification and mitigation; align purchasing activity to MRP signals and supply plan requirements.
• Support new product introduction by establishing planning parameters and integrating new items into the MPS and MRP environment.

Perform other related duties as assigned.

Adhere to the Company Code of Ethics and Values.

Skills & Qualifications:

• Systems Thinking: Connects demand, supply, capacity, and inventory into a coherent plan; understands second-order effects before acting.
• Analytical Rigor: Comfortable with ERP data, spreadsheet modeling, and translating complex data into clear operational recommendations.
• Cross-Functional Influence: Earns credibility with Sales, Operations, and Finance; able to hold functions accountable to the plan without formal authority.
• Proactive Communication: Surfaces risks and gaps early; never lets a known problem become a surprise.
• Process Discipline: Builds repeatable, scalable processes and holds the organization to them.
• Decision-Ready Thinking: Frames problems with options and trade-offs so leadership can decide quickly.
• Continuous Improvement Mindset: Identifies planning breakdowns at their root cause and drives structural fixes, not workarounds.

Skills & Qualifications:

• 5+ years of progressive supply chain or planning experience in a manufacturing environment, with demonstrated ownership of master production scheduling and MRP.
• Proven experience designing or facilitating an S&OP or equivalent cross-functional planning process.
• Strong ERP proficiency — planning module experience including MPS, MRP, capacity planning, and item master management.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain a demand forecast in collaboration with commercial teams.
• Track record of driving measurable improvement in forecast accuracy, schedule adherence, or inventory performance.
• Strong analytical and data skills; able to build and interpret planning models in Excel or equivalent tools.
• Ability to lead cross-functional meetings and hold peers accountable to outcomes without direct authority.
• Experience in a make-to-order or configure-to-order precision manufacturing environment preferred.
• Exposure to Lean Manufacturing principles and continuous improvement methodologies a plus.
• Experience working in a multi-product, high-mix, lower-volume manufacturing environment a plus.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Business, Engineering, or a related field required.
• APICS CPIM or CSCP certification a plus, but not required.

Physical Demands: 

The characteristics listed below are representative of the physical demands required by an individual to successfully perform the essential duties of this position. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, and sit; use hands and fingers to handle paperwork, boxes, files, cabinets, or feel; and reach with hands and arms.
• The employee is frequently required to talk and/or hear.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment:

• The characteristics listed below are representative of the work environment typically encountered by an individual while performing the essential duties of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties. 
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee has exposure to a normal office environment.