Production Planner

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain short-term and long-term production schedules for operations.
• Coordinate production plans based on customer demand, forecasts, inventory levels, equipment capacity, and workforce availability.
• Monitor production progress and adjust schedules to address changing priorities, equipment downtime, material shortages, or customer requirements.
• Work with Purchasing to ensure availability of raw materials.
• Analyze production capacity and identify constraints impacting output and delivery performance.
• Maintain accurate production data, inventory records, and planning parameters within the ERP/MRP system.
• Coordinate with department managers to optimize workflow and achieve production objectives.
• Track key performance indicators (KPIs) including schedule attainment, inventory accuracy, on-time delivery, and production efficiency.
• Support inventory management efforts through cycle counts, inventory analysis, and stock level optimization.
• Generate and distribute production reports, schedules, and performance metrics.
• Participate in daily production meetings and communicate scheduling priorities to operations teams.
• Collaborate with Quality Assurance to ensure production schedules accommodate inspection and testing requirements.
• Assist with new product introductions and production process changes.
• Identify opportunities to improve planning processes, reduce lead times, and increase productivity.
• Ensure compliance with company safety policies, environmental regulations, and quality standards.
• Other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications

• Associates or Bachelors degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, Business Administration, or related field and/or equivalent work experience in production planning, scheduling, or manufacturing experience.
• Experience in a manufacturing environment; process manufacturing experience preferred.
• Proficiency with ERP/MRP systems and Microsoft Excel.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced production environment.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong attention to detail and data accuracy.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in graphite, carbon materials, refractory products, metals, ceramics, or similar industrial manufacturing.
• APICS/ASCM certification (CPIM, CSCP, or equivalent).
• Experience with capacity planning and inventory optimization.
• Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement principles.
• Familiarity with production reporting and data analysis tools.