Master Production Scheduler
Reports To: Plant General Manager
About the Opportunity
This is not a traditional scheduling role.
Our client is looking for an operational leader who can transform production planning within a highly complex, precision manufacturing environment. As the business continues to grow and expand partnerships with leading OEMs across power generation, defense, heavy industrial, mining, and infrastructure markets, the plant has reached a point where historical scheduling practices must evolve into a disciplined, data-driven planning process.
This position offers the opportunity to build and lead a world-class Master Production Scheduling function that directly impacts customer delivery, operational performance, asset utilization, and future plant growth.
Position Overview
The Master Production Scheduler will serve as the central planning leader responsible for optimizing production flow across a high-mix, low-volume manufacturing operation consisting of approximately 80–100 machining centers.
Working closely with plant leadership, production, engineering, materials, and supply chain teams, this individual will develop finite-capacity production schedules, balance demand against available resources, identify bottlenecks, and drive continuous improvement throughout the planning process.
This role is highly visible and will play a key part in helping the organization transition from reactive scheduling toward proactive operational planning.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and maintain finite-capacity production schedules that maximize throughput and improve on-time delivery.
- Balance customer demand with machine, labor, and material constraints.
- Lead the evolution of the plant's Master Production Scheduling process.
- Analyze capacity constraints and recommend improvements to production flow.
- Drive schedule adherence while improving visibility across manufacturing operations.
- Utilize ERP, MRP, and Advanced Planning & Scheduling (APS) tools to optimize production performance.
- Partner with operations, engineering, materials, shipping, and inventory teams to align production priorities.
- Identify root causes of scheduling challenges and implement long-term process improvements.
- Create meaningful production metrics, dashboards, and reporting to support operational decision-making.
- Use data and analytics to influence decisions and challenge legacy planning practices when appropriate.
- Support continuous improvement initiatives focused on operational efficiency and customer delivery.
What Success Looks Like
The successful candidate will:
- Build a structured, sustainable Master Production Scheduling process.
- Improve schedule accuracy and execution.
- Increase on-time delivery performance.
- Improve utilization of critical manufacturing assets.
- Reduce firefighting and reactive scheduling.
- Establish stronger planning discipline across the organization.
- Become a trusted advisor to plant leadership on production planning and capacity management.
Qualifications
Required
- 7+ years of experience in production planning, master scheduling, manufacturing operations, or supply chain.
- Experience in complex manufacturing environments.
- Strong understanding of finite-capacity scheduling methodologies.
- Experience with ERP and MRP systems.
- Proven ability to analyze production data and solve complex scheduling challenges.
- Excellent communication and cross-functional leadership skills.
Preferred
- Experience in precision machining, CNC machining, gear manufacturing, metalworking, or other engineered-to-order manufacturing environments.
- High-mix, low-volume manufacturing experience.
- Experience with APS or finite scheduling software.
- Knowledge of routings, multi-level BOMs, and shop floor execution systems.
- Experience working within a union manufacturing environment.
Leadership Profile
This role requires more than technical scheduling expertise.
The ideal candidate is:
- A change agent who enjoys building systems and processes.
- Data-driven and analytical.
- Comfortable influencing leaders without direct authority.
- Able to respectfully challenge assumptions using facts and operational insight.
- Collaborative, adaptable, and focused on continuous improvement.
- Passionate about solving complex manufacturing planning challenges.
Organizational Relationships
Reports To
Key Partnerships
- Operations Leadership
- Production Supervisors
- Engineering
- Materials Management
- Inventory Control
- Shipping
- Finance
- Human Resources
Direct Reports
- Materials leadership resource
Why This Opportunity?
- Highly visible role with direct access to plant leadership.
- Opportunity to build and modernize the scheduling function rather than simply maintain existing processes.
- Growing business focused on critical infrastructure, defense, power generation, and advanced industrial manufacturing.
- Complex, technically challenging manufacturing environment.
- Significant opportunity for career advancement into operations, supply chain, or plant leadership.
- Stable organization with a long history of engineering excellence and continued investment in future growth.
If you're passionate about solving complex manufacturing challenges, driving operational improvement, and leading change within a sophisticated production environment, this role offers an outstanding opportunity to make a lasting impact.