Senior Production Planner

Job Title: Senior Production Planner/Scheduler

Location: Benton, Kentucky

Reports To: Materials Manager/Supply Chain Manager

Direct Reports: None

Job Type: Full-Time Exempt

About 3A Composites:

3A Composites USA specializes in the manufacturing of leading substrates for the graphic display, architectural and framing markets in North America, South America and Central America. With manufacturing facilities in Benton, KY, Statesville, NC, and Glasgow, KY, and sales and marketing offices in Davidson, NC, our industry leading brands include: FOME-COR®, SINTRA®, GATOR®, DISPA®, DIBOND®, LUMEX® G and ALUCOBOND® PLUS. 3A Composites is part of the international 3A Composites Group, which belongs to the listed company Schweiter Technologies headquartered in Steinhausen, Switzerland. At 3A Composites we share common values of integrity and accountability, teamwork, trust & transparency that guide us in our dealings with customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders. More information about 3A Composites can be found at http://www.3acompositesusa.com.

Purpose of this role:

The purpose of this role is to develop and manage production schedules that align customer demand with production capacity, material availability, and inventory objectives. This position coordinates production and material requirements across multiple functions to support efficient operations, accurate inventory and planning data, and on-time delivery to customers.

In this position, you will…

• Requires strong attention to detail, sound judgment, and the ability to manage changing priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment while maintaining accurate planning and inventory data within SAP.
• Develop, maintain, and communicate detailed production schedules for the production line(s) based on customer orders, inventory levels, raw material availability, production capacity, and business priorities.
• Review and acknowledge sales orders, confirm material requirements, and create purchase requisitions for raw materials needed to support production schedules and customer commitments.
• Convert planned orders into production orders in SAP and establish realistic lead times for customer orders in coordination with Customer Service and Production.
• Monitor schedule progress daily, identify material or capacity constraints, and adjust production plans as needed to support on-time delivery and minimize disruption to operations.
• Coordinate with Purchasing and suppliers to expedite raw materials, custom color matches, and other critical items required for production.
• Maintain accurate SAP transactions related to production orders, material setup, inventory movements, purchase requisitions, and other planning activities in accordance with business standards.
• Support inventory accuracy by assisting with physical inventory counts, cycle count reconciliation, raw material availability reviews, and finished goods inventory control.
• Process shipping and production-related documentation as required to support customer orders, internal reporting, and operational workflow.
• Partner with Production, Customer Service, Technical Services, IT, Purchasing, and other departments to resolve scheduling issues, material constraints, SAP concerns, and customer order priorities.
• Provide guidance and recommendations to improve scheduling practices, material planning processes, inventory utilization, and overall production flow across assigned lines.

The knowledge, skills, and abilities you will bring…

• Associate degree in Business, Supply Chain, Operations, or a related field preferred; equivalent production planning, scheduling, inventory control, or manufacturing experience will be considered.
• Minimum of five years of experience in production planning, scheduling, inventory control, materials management, or a related manufacturing function preferred.
• Experience planning and scheduling production in a manufacturing environment, preferably across multiple production lines.
• Preferred SAP experience, including transactions related to production planning, inventory control, material setup, production orders, purchase requisitions, and sales order acknowledgement.
• Preferred Power BI experience, including the ability to review, interpret, and utilize dashboards or reports to support production planning, scheduling, inventory analysis, and operational decision-making.
• Ability to review sales orders, determine raw material requirements, create purchase requisitions, and coordinate material availability to support customer commitments.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications, especially Excel, with the ability to analyze schedules, inventory data, and production requirements.
• Strong communication, problem-solving, organization, and follow-up skills with the ability to manage changing priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Ability to work cross-functionally with Production, Customer Service, Purchasing, Technical Services, Inventory Control, IT, and external suppliers as needed.
• Ability to effectively manage multiple priorities, adapt to changing production needs, and maintain accuracy in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

What you can expect in your work environment…

• This position primarily works in an office environment within a manufacturing facility and may require regular interaction on or near the production floor.
• Must be able to sit, stand, walk, use a computer, communicate effectively, and review detailed information for extended periods of time.
• May occasionally be required to walk through production areas where all applicable safety requirements must be followed, including the use of required personal protective equipment (PPE).

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

3A Composites is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.