Production Planner

The Production Planner is responsible for developing and executing a 10–12 week rolling Master Production Schedule within a hybrid manufacturing environment that includes both Build-to-Order (BTO) engineered steel fabrication and Assemble-to-Order (ATO) standardized product lines.

This role ensures on-time delivery, optimized capacity utilization, disciplined job release, and effective inventory management. The Planner partners cross-functionally with Sales, Engineering, Procurement, and Fabrication to align backlog execution with capacity constraints while maintaining control of working capital and service levels.

What You’ll Do

• Master Production Scheduling & Forecast Management
  • Own and maintain a live 10–12 week rolling Master Production Schedule.
  • Schedule confirmed customer orders with approved submittals and validated data.
  • Establish and manage frozen scheduling zones to protect execution stability.
  • Balance backlog demand with labor and equipment capacity.
• Capacity Planning & Constraint Management
  • Model labor hours and machine capacity across key work centers (laser, press brake, machining, weld, coating, assembly, shipping).
  • Allocate shared capacity between BTO and ATO product families.
  • Protect bottleneck operations, particularly welding and coating.
  • Monitor and prevent excess WIP ahead of constraint areas.
  • Adjust capacity allocation based on backlog mix and demand trends.
• Inventory & ATO Replenishment Planning
  • Manage replenishment planning for standardized product lines.
  • Establish and maintain safety stock levels, min/max parameters, batch sizing, and inventory turn targets.
  • Coordinate production runs to support inventory needs without disrupting BTO commitments.
  • Optimize working capital while maintaining target fill rates and avoiding stockouts.
• Job Release Governance (BTO)
  • Enforce disciplined release criteria ensuring:
  • Approved submittals
  • Validated BOMs and routings
  • Secured long-lead materials
  • Confirmed coating/galvanizing plans
  • Allocated capacity within the schedule
  • Material availability
  • Prevent partial or premature job releases that create instability.
• Sales & Operations Alignment
  • Participate in weekly production and S&OP meetings.
  • Validate delivery commitments prior to customer promise dates.
  • Provide realistic ship dates during quoting.
  • Model capacity impact of major pending bids and backlog changes.
• KPI & Performance Ownership
  • Monitor and report performance metrics, including:
  • BTO Metrics:
    • On-time delivery
    • Schedule adherence within frozen zone
    • Constraint utilization
    • WIP aging
    • Expedite frequency
  • ATO Metrics:
    • Inventory turns
    • Fill rate and stockout rate
    • Replenishment cycle time
    • Working capital tied to inventory
• Continuous Improvement
  • Improve forecast accuracy and planning discipline.
  • Reduce lead times and WIP levels.
  • Enhance ERP data integrity (BOMs, routings, lead times).
  • Develop scalable planning systems to support growth.

What You’ll Bring

• Strong understanding of steel fabrication processes and workflow sequencing.
• Demonstrated experience managing rolling production forecasts in complex manufacturing environments.
• Proficiency in ERP/MRP systems and capacity modeling.
• Analytical mindset with the ability to balance service, throughput, and working capital objectives.
• Ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders and enforce scheduling discipline.
• Advanced Excel and data analysis capabilities.

Education | Experience

• 5-7 years of production planning or scheduling experience in steel fabrication or heavy manufacturing.
• Experience in hybrid BTO and ATO production environments.
• Proven experience managing 8–12 week rolling production schedules.
• Strong capacity planning and constraint management expertise.
• APICS CPIM certification or equivalent supply chain credential preferred .
• Experience in heavy steel fabrication operations.
• Experience supporting large-scale manufacturing operations ($100M revenue).
• Ability to work in the United States without sponsorship.