Production Planning & Scheduling Specialist

POSITION SUMMARY

The Production Planning & Scheduling Specialist develops and maintains production plans, capacity models, and manufacturing schedules for assigned facilities. The position coordinates cross-functionally to align customer demand, material readiness, production resources, and operational priorities; maintains accurate planning data in SAP BatchMaster and related systems; and provides reliable capacity and scheduling information to support management and Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) decisions.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES

Production Planning and Capacity Management

Develop and maintain short- and medium-term production plans based on customer demand, manufacturing requirements, material availability, and production capacity.

Evaluate manufacturing capacity by process cell, equipment, available production time, and operational constraints.

Maintain accurate capacity models and planning assumptions for assigned facilities.

Identify current and future capacity limitations, production bottlenecks, and resource constraints.

Analyze demand against available manufacturing capacity and recommend feasible production alternatives.

Coordinate with Manufacturing, Inventory Operations, Procurement, and Quality to confirm production readiness.

Monitor planned versus actual production performance and recommend improvements.

Support continuous improvement initiatives that improve capacity utilization, scheduling reliability, and production efficiency.

Production Scheduling and ERP Maintenance

Develop, maintain, and continuously review daily and weekly production schedules for assigned manufacturing facilities.

Update schedules promptly in response to changing customer priorities, material availability, equipment downtime, labor constraints, and other operational requirements.

Maintain accurate production scheduling records, dates, and work-order information in SAP BatchMaster and associated planning systems.

Coordinate production sequencing to support operational efficiency and manufacturing commitments.

Ensure production schedules reflect current approved manufacturing plans and operational conditions.

Communicate schedule changes promptly to affected departments.

Identify and escalate significant scheduling conflicts or risks to customer commitments.

Maintain scheduling documentation, standard work, and process controls.

Maintain schedule accuracy, attention to detail, and consistent schedule updates as fundamental responsibilities of the position.

Management and S&OP Reporting

Own the accuracy and presentation of capacity information for assigned facilities during management and Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) meetings.

Present available and utilized manufacturing capacity, production bottlenecks, and resource limitations.

Maintain forward-looking capacity forecasts and identify projected demand-versus-capacity gaps.

Explain capacity assumptions, scheduling variances, and operational risks.

Develop practical planning scenarios and recommendations to support management decisions.

Ensure information presented to management is current, validated, and consistent with production schedules.

Cross-Functional Coordination

Collaborate with Manufacturing leadership to align schedules with available production resources.

Coordinate with Inventory Operations and Procurement regarding material readiness, availability, and supplier constraints.

Work with Quality to account for material release status, production holds, and other quality-related requirements.

Coordinate with Logistics on inter-site transfers and material movement requirements.

Participate in IOP discussions and support established production-prioritization decisions.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Business Administration, Industrial Engineering, or a related discipline; equivalent relevant manufacturing experience may be considered.

Experience and Skills

Three or more years of relevant experience in manufacturing operations, production planning, production scheduling, inventory control, or related functions.

Strong proficiency with ERP systems and production data management.

Intermediate to advanced Microsoft Excel skills.

Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and maintain accurate information in a fast-paced environment.

Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving abilities.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to data accuracy.

Ability to work collaboratively with multiple manufacturing facilities and departments.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Experience in dietary supplement, pharmaceutical, food, or other regulated manufacturing environments.

Experience with SAP BatchMaster or comparable manufacturing ERP systems.

Direct experience with production capacity planning, manufacturing scheduling, and resource allocation.

Familiarity with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) requirements and manufacturing documentation controls.

Experience supporting multi-site manufacturing operations.

Knowledge of Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) or Integrated Operations Planning (IOP) processes.

ASCM CPIM certification, Lean Six Sigma training, or equivalent professional development.

CERTIFICATION OR LICENSE

APICS CPIM (Certified in Production and Inventory Management) or CSCP (Certified Supply Chain Professional) certification is preferred but not required.