Production Controller

Openwork • Houston, TX

1d • Onsite

About The Position

Openwork is seeking an experienced Production Controller for a direct-hire opportunity with an established manufacturing organization in Houston, TX. This is a key operations role responsible for developing and maintaining the master production schedule, coordinating production priorities, and ensuring customer delivery commitments are met. The Production Controller will serve as a central point of communication between Sales, Engineering, Purchasing, Quality, and Manufacturing, helping align customer demand with materials, labor, equipment, and production capacity. This opportunity is ideal for an experienced manufacturing professional who is highly organized, analytical, proactive, and comfortable working across multiple departments.

Requirements

• 5+ years of production planning, scheduling, materials management, production control, or manufacturing operations experience.
• Advanced knowledge of ERP/MRP-driven manufacturing planning.
• Strong Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel; PivotTable experience is a plus.
• Knowledge of discrete and continuous manufacturing principles and operations.
• Strong planning, organization, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to interpret production data and make timely decisions.
• Strong communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to influence cross-functional teams and drive accountability without direct supervisory authority.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining a consistent planning cadence.
• Bachelor's degree in Operations, Engineering, or a related field, or additional relevant manufacturing production-control experience.

Nice To Haves

• Epicor experience strongly preferred.
• Experience in make-to-order, engineer-to-order, or low-volume/high-mix manufacturing preferred.
• Experience supporting fabrication, machining, welding, assembly, or vertically integrated manufacturing strongly preferred.
• APICS, Lean, or Six Sigma certifications are a plus.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain the master production schedule based on customer demand, materials, labor, equipment capacity, and engineering releases.
• Plan, schedule, coordinate, and release production orders to manufacturing.
• Maintain accurate customer promise dates and communicate production status.
• Monitor daily work-in-process (WIP) and address shortages, delays, and changing priorities.
• Lead weekly production backlog meetings with Operations, Sales, and Engineering.
• Identify capacity bottlenecks and coordinate corrective actions.
• Manage production reschedules and communicate changes across departments.
• Maintain accurate ERP/MRP planning data, routings, scheduling information, and reporting tools.
• Track schedule attainment, capacity utilization, backlog, and on-time delivery performance.
• Partner with Purchasing on material shortages, inventory, WIP aging, and outsourced machining or fabrication.
• Coordinate with Engineering on job costs, routings, and engineering release timing.
• Review work order closeouts and analyze labor, material, and routing variances.
• Identify opportunities to improve production planning processes, scheduling tools, and ERP data accuracy.
• Participate in daily Gemba walks and demonstrate strong safety leadership.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401(k).
• PTO/Vacation.
• Long-Term Disability (LTD).
• Life insurance.
• Professional growth opportunities.
• Collaborative manufacturing environment.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level