Director, Planning and Production Control

AeroVironment•Simi Valley, CA

5d•$163,000 - $261,000

About The Position

The Director, Planning and Production Control oversees and optimizes production planning, inventory management, and material flow across the organization. The role ensures production schedules align with customer demand, resources are effectively utilized, and materials are available to meet production goals. The Director leads planning professionals and collaborates across departments to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and support on-time delivery. The position develops production planning strategies, oversees master schedules and inventory control, leads process improvement, manages departmental budgets, and tracks performance indicators. It works closely with manufacturing, procurement, engineering, sales, and local supply chain teams, using advanced planning and scheduling (APS), enterprise resource planning (ERP), and analytics systems. The role also monitors production and materials risks and ensures compliance with applicable industry regulations, quality standards, and safety protocols. This role requires work in office and manufacturing environments and may occasionally require travel within the Continental U.S. Applicants must meet the stated U.S. person eligibility requirements for ITAR/EAR access; some positions may require current U.S. citizenship due to contract requirements.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Engineering, or a related field, or 12+ years of equivalent combined education, training, and experience.
At least 5 years in a leadership role.
Deep understanding of SIOP, MRP, master scheduling, and capacity planning.
Ability to work closely with local supply chain teams to develop Planning BOMs, S&OP metrics, and inventory plans.
Proficiency with manufacturing software and tools, including ERP systems, APS, and data analytics platforms.
In-depth knowledge of manufacturing principles, processes, and technologies, including lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, and continuous-improvement methodologies used in lean and aerospace and defense manufacturing.
Strong project-management skills, including experience managing large-scale production projects.
Thorough understanding of policies and practices.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Excellent organizational and managerial skills.
Ability to set long-term goals and communicate them to others.
Ability to motivate and organize multiple efforts to accomplish goals.
Must meet the stated U.S. person eligibility requirements for ITAR/EAR access; some positions require current U.S. citizenship due to contract requirements.
Ability to work in an office and manufacturing environment; sit and stand for long periods, talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone keyboard.
Occasional travel within the Continental U.S. may be required.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree preferred.
Certification in APICS, Lean Six Sigma, or another relevant supply chain or production control area.
Uses vision to think beyond the immediate situation, explore potential paths, and adapt decision-making to circumstances.
Inspires, motivates, and empowers people to deliver organizational goals while delivering value to employees.
Brings organizational values to life through personality, uniqueness, and creation of a shared vision.
Champions change and promotes quick adaptation while helping others manage its effects.
Develops and maintains trusting, professional internal and external relationships.
Assesses risk and opportunity in plans or actions and takes appropriate steps to mitigate risk or build on opportunity.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement production planning strategies aligned with organizational goals and effective use of resources, labor, and materials.
Oversee master production schedules to align them with demand forecasts, capacity, and material availability.
Direct inventory control for raw materials, work-in-progress, and finished goods, minimizing excess inventory while meeting production needs.
Identify and implement continuous-improvement practices to improve efficiency and reduce lead times.
Lead, mentor, and develop planning and production control professionals and foster a high-performance culture.
Coordinate with manufacturing, procurement, engineering, and sales teams to support seamless production operations.
Monitor and mitigate risks related to production delays, material shortages, and capacity constraints.
Establish and track KPIs and provide regular reports to senior leadership.
Manage the departmental budget and control costs related to production planning, inventory, and material handling.
Use APS and ERP tools to improve production-planning accuracy and efficiency.
Ensure compliance with industry regulations, quality standards, and safety protocols in production-planning activities.
Perform other duties as assigned.