Master Scheduler

Viant•Wheeling, IL

1d•$95,000 - $115,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Master Scheduler is the site’s primary owner of production scheduling, responsible for developing and maintaining schedules that align customer demand, production capacity, and material availability. This role serves as the key liaison between production output and the supply of goods and services, ensuring efficient material flow and timely fulfillment of scheduling requirements. To maximize operational efficiency and meet customer expectations, the Master Scheduler provides leadership and direction to the scheduling and planning team, influencing daily priorities, coordinating cross-functional activities, and driving execution of production plans.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and/or 3–5 years of experience in production and capacity planning, scheduling, or manufacturing operations.
Strong MRP/ERP system knowledge (Oracle, SAP, JDE, or similar).
Excellent communication, organizational, and decision-making skills with the ability to influence outcomes.
Strong analytical skills and proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Word.
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment and adapt quickly to new systems and processes.
Advanced understanding of ISO13485 standard (or equivalent), OSHA/Safety, Lean Six Sigma or Six Sigma Methodologies, PFMEA, Minitab, Oracle Configuration (or equivalent), Process/Equipment Validation, NPI (New Product Introduction), Root Cause Analysis and Solidworks
Good Manufacturing Practices
Designs of Experiments (DOE)
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Software
Project Management and Lean Manufacturing experience
Excellent knowledge of statistical tools, ability to manage multiple tasks and appropriate use of Design of Experiments (DOE) when developing recommendations
Must be flexible and adapt to changing environments and priorities
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

Nice To Haves

Purchasing/procurement experience preferred.
APICS certification preferred.
Previous experience of leading or influencing teams in a manufacturing environment preferred.
SPC (Statistical Process Control) knowledge preferred.

Responsibilities

Develop, maintain, and optimize the Master Production Schedule (MPS) to balance customer demand, inventory objectives, available capacity, and business priorities.
Translate forecasted and actual customer demand into executable production plans that support service, inventory, and operational performance targets.
Manage schedule stability while responding effectively to changing customer requirements, supply constraints, and production priorities.
Release and manage manufacturing orders to support schedule execution and production flow.
Evaluate production capacity, labor availability, material supply, and equipment constraints to support achievable production plans.
Identify capacity bottlenecks and develop mitigation strategies to minimize risk to customer commitments and operational performance.
Lead scenario planning and contingency analysis to support changes in demand, capacity, supply chain conditions, or operational disruptions.
Coordinate recovery plans related to material shortages, equipment downtime, supplier issues, and other production constraints.
Maintain planning parameters within ERP/MRP systems, including lead times, lot sizes, safety stock levels, planning calendars, and capacity assumptions.
Ensure planning data integrity and drive continuous improvement of system-generated planning outputs.
Serve as the subject matter expert for scheduling processes, planning tools, and ERP/MRP functionality.
Monitor and drive performance against key metrics, including on-time delivery, schedule attainment, inventory turns, forecast accuracy, backlog management, capacity utilization, and production efficiency.
Analyze demand trends, inventory positions, production performance, and forecast accuracy to identify risks, opportunities, and improvement actions.
Prepare and communicate planning performance reports, forecasts, and operational insights to leadership teams.
Partner with Sales, Customer Operations, Purchasing, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and Operations to align production plans with customer requirements and business objectives.
Lead production planning and scheduling meetings to communicate priorities, risks, constraints, and recovery actions.
Facilitate decision-making by providing data-driven recommendations regarding demand, capacity, inventory, and production trade-offs.
Train, mentor, and support planners, schedulers, and operational stakeholders on planning processes, systems, and best practices.
Drive initiatives that improve planning accuracy, schedule adherence, inventory performance, manufacturing throughput, and customer service levels.
Develop and standardize planning processes, reporting tools, and scheduling best practices across the organization.
Support strategic business goals through ongoing optimization of planning, scheduling, and supply chain processes.