Master Planning Manager

Canadian Solar Inc.•Mesquite, TX

About The Position

The Master Planning Manager develops, coordinates, and executes integrated master planning strategies across U.S. manufacturing operations. The role connects Sales, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Procurement, and Logistics to align demand and supply, optimize production capacity, improve inventory efficiency, and support on-time customer deliveries. It requires experience in manufacturing planning, Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP), capacity management, and cross-functional coordination in a complex manufacturing environment. The manager leads master production planning and S&OP, assesses capacity and resource needs, supports inventory and supply chain optimization, and establishes planning systems and processes across U.S. operations. The role also coordinates integrated planning across functions, leads planning-related continuous improvement, and provides senior management with planning updates, risk assessments, and recommendations.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field.
At least 10 years of experience in production planning, supply chain planning, manufacturing operations, or related functions.
Proven experience in Master Production Scheduling, S&OP, demand planning, and capacity planning.
Strong understanding of manufacturing planning processes, production capacity management, and supply chain operations.
Proficiency in ERP and advanced planning systems, such as SAP, Oracle, or equivalent platforms.
Advanced Excel skills.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities.
Ability to manage competing priorities in a dynamic manufacturing environment.
Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
Strong organizational and project management capabilities.
Ability to translate complex operational data into actionable business recommendations.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree or MBA.
At least 3 years of experience in a planning leadership or management role.
Experience in a multi-site manufacturing environment.
Experience in solar, battery, electronics, automotive, or other complex manufacturing industries.
Experience with Power BI or other data analytics tools.

Responsibilities

Develop and maintain an integrated Master Production Schedule based on customer demand, sales forecasts, production capacity, and material availability.
Coordinate production planning across multiple manufacturing facilities and translate forecasts and customer orders into executable production plans.
Monitor performance against production plans and address scheduling conflicts, capacity constraints, and material shortages.
Establish short-, medium-, and long-term planning horizons.
Lead and coordinate the S&OP process to align demand forecasts, supply capabilities, inventory targets, and business priorities.
Partner with Sales and Commercial teams on customer demand, order pipelines, and forecast changes.
Work with Manufacturing and Supply Chain teams to evaluate capacity, material availability, and delivery commitments.
Identify supply-demand gaps and recommend solutions; facilitate cross-functional planning meetings and provide actionable recommendations to management.
Evaluate manufacturing capacity, equipment utilization, labor availability, and production constraints; develop capacity planning models.
Collaborate with manufacturing leadership to identify bottlenecks and improvement opportunities, and support resource allocation and production prioritization.
Partner with Procurement, Material Planning, and Logistics to align material availability and inventory with production requirements.
Monitor inventory levels, material lead times, and supply risks; support inventory optimization and improve planning efficiency and supply chain responsiveness.
Develop and standardize master planning processes, reporting mechanisms, and planning tools across U.S. operations.
Use ERP systems and planning tools to improve demand visibility, production scheduling, and inventory management; establish dashboards and performance reporting.
Identify opportunities for process automation, data accuracy, and operational efficiency; support planning-process integration across facilities and business units.
Coordinate integrated planning among Sales, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Procurement, and Logistics, and communicate production capabilities and delivery commitments.
Lead planning-related continuous improvement initiatives and support organizational integration and process standardization across U.S. manufacturing operations.
Provide senior management with regular planning updates, risk assessments, and recommendations.