Position Summary
The Production Planner serves as the planning hub between Demand Planning, Procurement, and Operations by translating approved forecasts into an executable Master Production Schedule and forward-looking material requirements. This role is accountable for producing accurate, timely, and decision-ready planning outputs that provide the Director of Planning with visibility into plan quality, risks, and tradeoffs; enable procurement to consolidate and prioritize purchasing across states; and support operations with a feasible, capacity-aligned production plan. While this role influences decisions through data, analysis, and scenario planning, it does not execute purchasing transactions.
Essential Functions & Responsibilities
- Production & Capacity Planning
o Own the development, maintenance, and communication of the Master Production Schedule (MPS), ensuring alignment with approved demand forecasts and operational constraints.
o Translate demand plans into a feasible production plan and provide clear, role-specific planning outputs to the Director of Planning, VP Supply Chain & Operations, and Facility Director.
o Partner with the VP Supply Chain & Operations, and Facility Director to review the MPS, highlight risks to execution, and support successful adherence to the plan.
o Continuously evaluate production capacity, labor availability, and sequencing constraints, escalating issues and recommendations to the Director of Planning and the VP Supply Chain & Operations.
o Support cross-functional planning cadence (e.g., S&OP, MPS reviews) by preparing scenarios, assumptions, and tradeoff analysis.
o Convert the approved MPS into raw material and packaging requirements and serve those requirements to the centralized procurement team for ordering and consolidation across states.
o Provide procurement with forward-looking visibility into material demand, risks, and priority changes to enable proactive sourcing decisions.
o Maintain and periodically review planning parameters (lead times, safety stock targets, reorder triggers) and present recommendations to the Director of Planning for approval.
o Support ERP system setup, data integrity, and continuous improvement related to material planning and planning outputs.
o Identify material availability risks and clearly communicate timing, impact, and options to planning, procurement, and operations.
- Inventory & Risk Management
o Develop inventory planning views that support decision-making for the Director of Planning, procurement, and operations, including exposure, aging, and working capital impacts.
o Monitor inventory health and serve actionable insights related to excess, expiry, slow-moving inventory, and stockout risk.
o Assess and communicate inventory and material impacts resulting from reforecasts, schedule changes, cancellations, and rework.
o Proactively identify supply, capacity, and labor risks and surface them with recommended mitigations to planning and operations leadership.
- Reporting & Continuous Improvement
o Prepare and maintain planning reports and dashboards that provide visibility into plan quality, risks, and tradeoffs.
o Serve tailored planning outputs to procurement (material requirements, timing, priorities) and operations (production volumes, sequencing assumptions, capacity risks).
o Track and report on key planning metrics including inventory levels, working capital, material availability, schedule reliability, and MPS adherence.
o Support continuous improvement by analyzing planning performance and recommending process, data, or system enhancements
Qualifications
Education and Experience
o Bachelor’s degree in business management, operations, plant science, or a related field – Required
o Minimum 5 years of progressive leadership experience in cannabis production, manufacturing, or a regulated industry, with at least 3 years in a senior supervisory or managerial role – Required
o Demonstrated track record of successfully leading teams and achieving operational goals in a fast-paced, compliance-driven environment
- Minimum Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
o Strong leadership abilities with proven success in team development, performance management, and fostering a positive, high-accountability culture.
o Deep knowledge of cannabis cultivation, processing, manufacturing, and regulatory compliance (state-specific regulations, seed-to-sale tracking).
o Excellent organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills; ability to prioritize and adapt in a dynamic environment.
o Skilled at conflict resolution, employee relations, and handling escalated issues with integrity and fairness.
o Proficient in production/inventory management software, seed-to-sale systems (e.g., Metrc or equivalent), Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), and other relevant tools.
o Must pass federal and state-mandated background checks.
o Operates with high integrity; trustworthy, reliable, and committed to ethical standards.
o Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook
o Proficient with inventory systems and office equipment
o Knowledge of plant tracking software; state-mandated
Compensation and Benefits
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Annual compensation commensurate with experience
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Full suite of medical, dental, and vision insurance
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Paid parental leave
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401(k)
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Paid Time Off
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Long-Term Disability
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Employee Assistance Program
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Employee life insurance and supplemental life
- Spouse and child life and AD&D
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Pet insurance
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FSA and HSA available
