Production Scheduler I

Position Title: Production Scheduler

Department: Planning & Scheduling

Location: Lenoir, NC

FLSA Status: Exempt

Reports To: Scheduling Manager

Position Summary

The Production Scheduler plays a vital role in supporting manufacturing efficiency and ensuring raw materials and finished goods are available on time, making the team's contribution essential to our success.

The role is accountable for production planning, demand forecasting, inventory management, capacity planning, materials requirements planning (MRP), and schedule execution. The Production Scheduler drives continuous improvement efforts that improve service levels, reduce waste, enhance inventory accuracy, and increase plant profitability while maintaining compliance with all food safety, quality, and regulatory standards.

Key Areas of Accountability

• Production Scheduling
• Demand Planning & Forecasting
• Capacity Planning
• Raw Material Requirements Planning
• Inventory Optimization
• KPI Reporting & Analysis
• MRP System Management
• Food Safety & Quality Compliance
• Continuous Improvement
• Cross-Functional Communication
• Waste Reduction & Yield Management
• Customer Service Support

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Production Planning & Scheduling

• Explain how developing and maintaining production schedules directly supports operational objectives, reinforcing the importance of this duty.
• Coordinate production requirements with Operations, Maintenance, Quality Assurance, Procurement, Warehousing, and Logistics teams to foster teamwork and shared success.
• Review sales forecasts, customer orders, inventory positions, and production capacities to develop achievable manufacturing schedules.
• Identify potential production bottlenecks, labor constraints, equipment limitations, and capacity issues.
• Recommend schedule adjustments to optimize throughput, labor utilization, equipment efficiency, and customer service performance.
• Monitor schedule attainment and communicate deviations, risks, and recovery plans to plant leadership.
• Ensure accurate communication of production schedules to operational teams in advance of shift startup activities.
• Balance production priorities while minimizing downtime, changeovers, inventory exposure, and product aging.

Demand Planning & Forecasting

• Collaborate with Sales, Customer Service, Supply Chain, and Operations teams to develop accurate demand forecasts.
• Analyze historical trends, promotional activity, seasonal variability, and customer demand patterns.
• Translate forecasted demand into production and inventory requirements.
• Support the Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process through data analysis and production planning recommendations.
• Proactively identify supply or production risks that may negatively affect customer service levels.

Materials Management & Inventory Control

• Ensure sufficient raw materials, packaging materials, ingredients, and finished goods inventory are available to support production schedules.
• Monitor inventory levels and adjust replenishment requirements based on customer demand and production needs.
• Analyze inventory trends and identify opportunities to optimize inventory investment.
• Coordinate with Procurement to ensure timely acquisition of required materials.
• Investigate and resolve material shortages, stock discrepancies, and supplier delays.
• Support inventory accuracy through cycle counts, reconciliation activities, and process improvements.
• Maintain proper inventory rotation and FIFO compliance.

Capacity Planning

• Evaluate production capacity requirements based on demand forecasts and operational constraints.
• Analyze staffing levels, equipment availability, processing capabilities, and shift capacity.
• Develop recommendations to optimize operational throughput and resource allocation.
• Communicate capacity concerns and scheduling conflicts to leadership proactively.
• Support strategic planning initiatives involving line expansion, production growth, and capital improvement projects.

KPI Management & Reporting

• Develop and maintain key performance indicator reporting systems and dashboards.
• Prepare daily, weekly, and monthly operational reports for management review.
• Monitor and report:

Scheduling KPIs

• Schedule Attainment
• Production Plan Compliance
• Capacity Utilization
• Customer Order Fill Rate

Inventory KPIs

• Inventory Accuracy
• Inventory Turns
• Days on Hand
• Raw Material Availability

Operational KPIs

• Production Efficiency
• Labor Productivity
• Yield Performance
• Waste and Shrink
• Downtime Impact
• Analyze KPI trends and recommend corrective actions.
• Present operational analysis and recommendations to plant leadership.

Materials Requirements Planning (MRP) Management

• Maintain the integrity and accuracy of ERP and MRP planning systems.
• Ensure Bills of Material (BOMs), work centers, routings, item masters, production yields, and planning parameters remain up to date.
• Monitor system-generated demand signals and purchasing requirements.
• Validate inventory transactions to ensure system accuracy.
• Lead efforts to improve planning system effectiveness and reporting capabilities.
• Support implementation and optimization of ERP/MRP enhancements.

Food Safety & Quality Compliance

• Ensure planning and scheduling activities comply with all company food safety and quality requirements.
• Support compliance with USDA, FDA, HACCP, SQF, GMP, and customer-specific standards where applicable.
• Coordinate with Quality Assurance regarding product holds, quality concerns, and production restrictions.
• Ensure traceability requirements are maintained through proper lot control and material tracking.
• Participate in internal audits, customer audits, regulatory inspections, and corrective action initiatives.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities to improve scheduling processes, material utilization, inventory management, and production efficiency.
• Participate in root cause analysis investigations and corrective action implementation.
• Utilize Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and Continuous Improvement methodologies to improve business performance.
• Lead or participate in projects focused on waste reduction, process standardization, and operational excellence.
• Support plant cost reduction initiatives through improved planning practices.

Waste Management & Yield Improvement

• Monitor raw material utilization and production yields.
• Analyze waste streams, yield losses, inventory shrinkage, and unknown variances.
• Provide reporting and recommendations to Operations leadership.
• Collaborate with Operations to identify opportunities for material recovery and process improvements.
• Support profitability improvements through effective inventory and yield management.

Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Develop effective working relationships across all departments.
• Maintain ongoing communication with Operations Managers, Shift Managers, Team Leaders, Procurement personnel, Customer Service, and Supply Chain partners.
• Facilitate planning meetings and communicate critical schedule changes.
• Promote accountability, teamwork, and collaboration throughout the organization.
• Support departmental and company objectives through professional leadership and example.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position does not typically have direct supervisory responsibility but may provide functional leadership, training, guidance, and coordination to cross-functional teams and operational stakeholders.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's Degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Business Administration, Industrial Engineering, Logistics, or related field; equivalent experience may be considered.
• Minimum three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in production scheduling, production planning, supply chain planning, or manufacturing operations.
• Experience in a food manufacturing or consumer packaged goods environment.
• Experience working with ERP and MRP systems.
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

Preferred

• Experience within protein processing, meat manufacturing, refrigerated foods, poultry, or further-processing operations.
• APICS/ASCM certifications (CPIM, CSCP) or equivalent professional certifications.
• Experience supporting high-volume manufacturing environments.
• Experience with SAP preferred.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Advanced knowledge of production scheduling and capacity planning.
• Strong understanding of inventory management principles.
• Knowledge of MRP/ERP planning systems.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Power BI, and reporting tools.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
• Excellent organizational and project management skills.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to influence decisions across multiple departments.
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement principles.
• Understanding of food safety, traceability, regulatory compliance, and quality systems.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described below are representative of those required to perform the essential functions of this position successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made for qualified individuals with disabilities.

• Ability to sit, stand, and walk for extended periods throughout the workday.
• Ability to frequently move throughout office, warehouse, production, refrigerated, and freezer environments.
• Ability to climb stairs and access elevated platforms when necessary.
• Ability to occasionally bend, stoop, kneel, crouch, twist, and reach.
• Ability to lift, carry, push, and pull up to 25 pounds occasionally.
• Ability to use computers, keyboards, and office equipment for extended periods.
• Sufficient visual acuity to review reports, schedules, inventory records, and operational data.
• Ability to hear and communicate effectively in office and manufacturing environments.
• Ability to work in environments with varying temperatures, including hot, cold, humid, refrigerated, and freezer conditions.
• Ability to wear all required personal protective equipment (PPE).

Working Conditions

• Combination of office and manufacturing environments.
• Frequent interaction with production, warehouse, procurement, quality, and leadership personnel.
• Exposure to manufacturing noise, moving equipment, and food production operations.
• May require occasional weekend, holiday, and extended-hour support based on business demands.
• Travel between facilities may be required on an occasional basis.

Success Metrics

Performance in this position may be measured by:

• Schedule Attainment
• Service Level Performance
• Inventory Accuracy
• Raw Material Availability
• Waste Reduction
• Yield Improvement
• Capacity Utilization
• Forecast Accuracy
• Inventory Turns
• Customer Fill Rates
• ERP/MRP Data Integrity
• Continuous Improvement Results

The applicant who fills this position will be eligible for the following compensation and benefits: 

• Benefits: Vision, Medical, and Dental coverage begin after 60 days of employment;
• Paid Time Off: sick leave, vacation, and 6 company-observed holidays;
• 401(k): company match begins after the first year of service and follows the company vesting schedule;
• Base salary range of $49,000 - $55,000
• Incentive Pay: This position is eligible to participate in the Company’s annual bonus plan; the amount of bonus varies and is subject to the standard terms and conditions of the incentive program
• Career Development: Our company is dedicated to supporting professional growth by offering continuous learning opportunities and a focus on career growth through various learning and development programs.

For individuals assigned and/or hired to work in states where it is required by law to include a reasonable estimate of the compensation for any given position, compensation ranges are specific to those states and take into account various factors that are considered in making compensation decisions, including but not limited to a candidate’s relevant experience, qualifications, skills, competencies, and proficiencies for the role. 

This position does not have an application deadline. We will continue to recruit until the position has been filled. 

 The Company is dedicated to ensuring a safe and secure environment for our team members and visitors. To assist in achieving that goal, we conduct drug, alcohol, and background checks for all new team members post-offer and before the start of employment. The Immigration Reform and Control Act requires that verification of employment eligibility be documented for all new employees by the end of the third day of work. 

 About us: 

JBS USA is a leading global provider of diversified, high-quality food products, including a portfolio of well-recognized brands and innovative, easy-to-use food solutions. We process, prepare, package, and deliver fresh and value-added premium meat, poultry, and retail-ready food products for customers in approximately 100 countries on six continents. We are also the majority shareholder of Pilgrim’s, the largest poultry company in North America. JBS USA employs more than 100,000 team members, and our corporate office is located in beautiful Greeley, Colorado, where our 1,200 team members onsite enjoy more than 300 days of sunshine a year.  

Our mission: To be the best in all that we do, completely focused on our business, ensuring the best products and services to our customers, a relationship of trust with our suppliers, profitability for our shareholders, and the opportunity of a better future for all of our team members. 

Our core values are: Availability, Determination, Discipline, Humility, Ownership, Simplicity, Sincerity. 

EOE/Vets/Disability  

  Unsolicited Assistance: JBS and its companies do not accept unsolicited assistance from any recruitment vendors for any of our open jobs. All resumes or candidate profiles submitted by recruitment vendors or headhunters to any employee at JBS and its companies or via the applicant tracking system, in any form without a valid written request and search agreement previously approved by HR, will be solely owned by JBS and its companies. No fees will be paid should JBS and its companies hire the candidate because of an unsolicited referral.