Planning Manager

POSITION SUMMARY

The Planning Manager is responsible for developing and managing the Master Schedule, balancing production capacity, resources, and inventory across one or more Business Units. This role acts as a liaison between Production, Engineering, Supply Chain, Business Development, and Program Management to ensure efficient scheduling and capacity planning. Additionally, this position supervises and coordinates the activities of material and production coordinators, ensuring the expeditious flow of materials and assemblies within the facility. The role requires both strategic planning and hands-on supervision to meet production goals.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Master Scheduling & Capacity Planning:

• Develops and maintains the Master Production Schedule, ensuring the balance of inventory, resources, and capacity planning.
• Integrates sales orders with the master schedule and coordinates the availability of raw materials, supplies, equipment, and staff to meet delivery dates.
• Participates in forecasting/planning meetings with Business Development, Finance, and other related departments to ensure accurate demand planning.
• Develop strategies and collaborate with the operations team on capacity and equipment utilization.
• Monitors material flow, identifies bottlenecks, troubleshoots issues to root cause, and implements corrective actions.

Production Control Management:

• Supervises material and production coordinators, ensuring efficient allocation and scheduling of parts, materials, machines, and operations and workflow sequences.
• Confers with production personnel to resolve issues impacting production schedules.
• Issues written and oral instructions, assigns duties and examines work for exactness and conformance to policies and procedures.
• Maintains harmony among workers, resolves grievances, and adjusts errors.
• Prepares composite reports based on subordinate feedback and maintains communication across departments.
• Studies and standardizes procedures to improve efficiency and workflow.

General Responsibilities:

• Process Improvement: Work to reduce and eliminate barriers and obstacles to improve overall cost and scheduling performance.
• Leadership Skills: Your leadership is expected to make it easier for employees to make quality products and make it easier for customers to do business with GSM.
• Professional Conduct: Demonstrates responsibility and accountability for creating a professional, safe, and clean environment evidenced by: being at work on time to perform assigned duties, following the policies of Granite State Manufacturing, always wearing safety glasses in designated areas, maintaining a neat and orderly work area, and following safety practices to prevent errors.
• Teamwork and Collaboration: Demonstrates commitment to teamwork by establishing effective relationships and networks with both managers/directors and staff, collaborating with them to accomplish shared purposes and goals.
• Ethics and Compliance: Abides by GSM Code of Ethics and Business Conduct standards and strictly observes all U.S. and foreign laws and regulations.

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Education: Bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent/relevant work experience.
• Experience: 5-10 years of related experience in Production Scheduling and/or Sales Inventory and Operations Planning; prior supervisory experience preferred.
• Certifications: APICS Certification is required or must be completed within the first year of employment.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency in ERP Systems (ECI - M1 experience is a plus) and advanced MS Excel skills (statistical analysis, pivot tables, VLOOKUP). Working knowledge of Microsoft Office, Windows-based programs, and ERP/MRP-based company-wide sales order systems.
• Communication Skills: Advanced oral and written communication skills, including writing technical reports and presenting information to senior leaders. Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to establish trust and lead cross-functional teams.
• Analytical Skills: Ability to understand complex manufacturing processes, perform root cause analysis, and implement practical corrective actions. Competence in reading and interpreting business periodicals, professional journals, and government regulations; ability to write reports and procedure manuals.
• Mathematical Skills: Proficiency in basic mathematical operations, including the ability to compute rates, ratios, and percentages and to interpret bar graphs.
• Problem-Solving Skills: Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form and to address problems involving multiple variables in standardized situations.
• Leadership: Capable of balancing and achieving positive results in safety, quality, productivity, cost, and employee relations.
• Supervisory Responsibility: Oversees the work of material and production coordinators within the Production Control department.
• Travel Requirements: Occasional travel may be required to support business needs.

AAP/EEO STATEMENT

Granite State Manufacturing (GSM) is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. GSM does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability or veteran status in its programs, activities or employment.

Benefits

Granite State Manufacturing offers a comprehensive benefits package to all GSM employees.

• Health & Wellness Programs
• Health Insurances (Medical, Dental, & Vision)
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Basic & Optional Life Insurance
• Short & Long Term Disability
• Employee Assistance Program
• Voluntary Worksite Benefits
• 401k Retirement Plan
• Paid Leave
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Workers Compensation

and much more.