Job Description

Position Summary:

As the Senior Production Planning Manager, you will play a pivotal role in spearheading the planning and execution of production schedules that will propel us to new heights. You will lead a team of planning professionals and will be responsible for all aspects of scheduling, planning and inventory activities that impact on timely delivery of orders to customers. Additionally, this role serves as the key liaison between Operations and Sales to expedite orders and ensure priorities are clearly communicated and addressed. The primary responsibilities include Production Planning, Processing Line Scheduling, Capacity Planning, Inventory Management in support of OTD, Material Requirement Planning (MRP), Team Management, Budget and Cost Control, and Demand Forecasting.

Duties and Responsibilities

Production Planning & Execution

o Develop and execute comprehensive work order execution plans to ensure timely and cost-effective manufacturing aligned with company objectives and customer requirements.

o Oversee planning workflows, production schedules, and materials management activities; follow up with Procurement, Manufacturing, Quality, and Packaging to ensure on-time delivery.

Order Expediting & Customer Interface

o Take ownership of expedited and high-priority orders, including direct interaction with customers to understand their priorities and timelines.

o Present visible, actionable updates in daily production meetings, and proactively recommend and coordinate contingency plans to resolve constraints or delays—such as escalating stalled quality control items for prioritization, suggesting schedule resequencing to work around bottlenecks, or flagging material shortages early to prompt procurement alternatives.

Reporting & Visibility

o Create and maintain clear reports and dashboards for upper management, providing real-time visibility into the status of open and expedited orders.

o Analyze data and provide strategic insights to support executive decision-making.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

o Work closely with Sales, Purchasing, Production, Quality, and Customer Service to ensure seamless communication, accurate resource allocation, and timely issue resolution.

o Identify potential roadblocks and implement innovative, budget-conscious solutions to keep projects on track.

Process Improvement

o Continuously evaluate and refine planning processes to increase efficiency, accuracy, and adaptability in a fast-paced, make-to-order environment.

o Drive improvements that support long-term growth, operational resilience, and customer satisfaction.

Team Leadership & Culture Building

o Lead, mentor, and empower a team of planners, setting performance expectations and fostering professional development.

o Promote a collaborative, inclusive team environment that encourages accountability, communication, and results.

o Provide coaching, counseling, and talent development to build a strong, engaged planning team.

o Champion a culture of “can-do” problem solving and strategic execution across the department.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, Business, or Operations Management.
• Proven record of 10+ years as a Planning Manager in strategic planning, scheduling, inventory management, and project management in a GMP environment.
• Exceptional leadership and communication skills, inspiring trust, and motivating teams to achieve greatness.
• 10+ years of managing production planners.
• Proven cross functional communicational skills and managed well directed teams.
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to turn data into actionable strategies.
• Visionary thinking with a firsthand approach to problem-solving.
• Understanding of SOPs, 2-3 years of experience leading a team of planners.
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft Word & Excel (Pivot Tables, graphs, and VLOOKUPS).
• Experience working with MRP/ERP systems.
• Strong written and verbal business communication abilities with all levels of management.

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