Position summary:
The Production Planner is responsible for developing, maintaining, and optimizing the company’s weekly production schedule to support customer demand, inventory targets, operational efficiency, and business objectives. This role works cross-functionally with Operations, Purchasing, Warehouse, Quality, Customer Experience, and Production teams to maintain schedule stability, support OTIF goals, and proactively identify risks related to raw materials, capacity, labor, or equipment constraints while maintaining compliance with applicable quality and regulatory standards.
The Production Planner monitors production performance, identifies risks to schedule attainment, and proactively adjusts plans to support on-time delivery and efficient operations.
Essential functions and responsibilities:
· Develop and maintain weekly production schedules to support customer demand, inventory levels, and operational priorities.
· Translate forecasts, sales demand, and business priorities into executable production plans.
· Sequence production runs to maximize throughput and minimize downtime, changeovers, and inefficiencies.
· Monitor schedule adherence and adjust plans as business conditions change.
· Coordinate production timing with labor availability, equipment capacity, and material readiness.
· Balance production priorities while maintaining service levels and operational goals.
· Partner cross-functionally to ensure material availability and support inventory optimization while minimizing shortages, excess, and waste.
· Identify production or material constraints and recommend solutions to maintain schedule continuity.
· Collaborate with Operations, Production, Quality, Warehouse, Procurement, and Customer Service to align production execution with business priorities.
· Communicate schedule updates, production risks, and operational recommendations in a timely manner.
· Track and analyze KPIs including schedule attainment, throughput, inventory levels, capacity utilization, OTIF, and production efficiency to drive continuous improvement.
· Generate reports and identify opportunities to improve planning processes, scheduling accuracy, and operational performance.
· Support implementation and optimization of ERP/MRP systems and planning tools.
· Support compliance with company policies and applicable regulatory requirements including FDA and cGMP standards and maintain accurate production planning documentation.
· Perform all other duties as assigned.
Success factors/job competencies:
· Time and change management
· Financial Skills/Business Acumen
· Sense of Urgency
· Decision Making/Problem Solving
· Quality Orientation
· Safety Orientation
Physical demands and work environment:
· Must be able to walk, stand, sit, see, hear, and speak for extended periods of time.
· Ability to occasionally lift up to 25 pounds.
· Position regularly requires time in manufacturing, warehouse, and office environments.
· Work involves exposure to known allergens including but not limited to peanuts.
Work Days and Shifts:
· Position is on-site at the Pittsburgh facility.
· Position works primarily Monday through Friday.
· Position may occasionally require evening, weekend, and overnight travel as business needs dictate.
Education/Certification(s)/License(s) required:
· Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Operations Management, Business, Industrial Engineering, or related field preferred.
· PMP certification preferred.
· Equivalent manufacturing planning experience may be considered.
Experience/Other required:
· 2-5 years of production planning, scheduling, supply chain, manufacturing operations, or related experience preferred.
· Experience in manufacturing environments required.
· Experience in regulated manufacturing environments preferred (FDA, cGMP, food, supplements, pharmaceutical, consumer packaged goods, etc.).
Experience with ERP/MRP systems preferred.
Pay: From $65,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Employee discount
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Application Question(s):
Work Location: In person
