Position: Production Planner
Location: Calera, AL
Directly Reports to: Production Control Manager
We are seeking an experienced and highly organized Production Planner to collaborate with diverse stakeholders in a rapidly evolving, high-mix/low-volume manufacturing environment. The Production Planner will apply project management principles to initiate, plan, execute, monitor, and close projects, ensuring effective and successful planning processes. This position will analyze historical data for informed decision-making and to improve forecast accuracy while reducing stockouts and overproduction, ensuring a commitment to high-quality standards.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Ensure personal safety and the safety of your team members.
- Partner with Sales, Engineering, and Customer Service to understand and validate sales order demand (MTO) and forecasted demand (MTS); develop and maintain master production schedules (MPS for both MTO and MTS products
- Identify and define production planning requirements based on customer commitments, inventory levels, and capacity constraints.
- Initiate planning cycles in D365 to generate MRP outputs and align with business goals.
- Translate sales orders and forecasts into executable production plans using D365 MRP.
- Balance demand with available capacity, material availability, and lead times.
- Coordinate with Purchasing to ensure timely procurement of materials based on MRP outputs.
- Plan inventory levels, reorder points, safety stock, and lot sizes to support MTS strategy.
- Maintain planning parameters in D365 such as lead times, safety stock levels, min/max order quantities, and reorder points.
- Issue daily and weekly production schedules to the Shop Superintendent/Supervisor.
- Release work orders in D365 based on material availability and shop floor capacity.
- Ensure timely execution of production orders to meet customer ship dates and OTD (On-Time Delivery) targets.
- Coordinate with Quality to ensure production adheres to QMS standards and specifications.
- Communicate with Shipping to ensure timely dispatch of completed goods.
- Monitor production progress and adjust schedules as needed to respond to changes in demand, capacity, or material availability.
- Track and report key performance indicators (KPIs) such as OTD, backlog, and schedule adherence.
- Maintain accurate and current data in D365, including work order status, ship dates, and inventory levels.
- Use visual management tools (e.g., production boards, resource boards) to track daily goals and performance.
- Identify and resolve bottlenecks or constraints in production flow; coordinate with other MPI locations as needed.
- Ensure proper documentation and communication of scrap/rework processes in D365 and QT9.
- Ensure proper closure of work orders in D365 before shipment (RAF and Ended).
- Ensure materials and labor are allocated to the work order.
- Conduct post-production analysis to identify variances and opportunities for improvement.
- Complete transactions for variances from issued w/o to completion.
- Participate in continuous improvement initiatives related to planning, scheduling, and inventory management.