Production Planner - Plant 4

Howmet Aerospace•Whitehall, MI

About The Position

The Production Planner position is located at Plant 4 in Whitehall, Michigan. The role manages customer orders and requirements, coordinates production schedules with internal departments, monitors delivery performance, and resolves issues that may delay manufacturing or shipment. The planner serves as a liaison between customers and the plant, aligning customer priorities with plant capabilities and resources. The role requires anticipating and forecasting demand, tracking schedule attainment and operational outcomes, maintaining accurate order and inventory information, and adjusting plans when conditions change. The planner works across stakeholders to keep workflow on track, communicate status and expectations, and support customer satisfaction and plant performance.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution.
Legally authorized to work in the United States; employment eligibility will be verified at hire. Visa sponsorship is unavailable.
Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.
Ability to manage multiple projects and work as a self-starter.
Competent use of an automated order system.
Solid foundational knowledge of manufacturing processes and material flow.
Strong quantitative analysis skills, including use of Microsoft Excel.
Ability to develop and use planning strategies.

Nice To Haves

APICS Certification.

Responsibilities

Communicate with regular and prospective customers about requirements and customer-service concerns, and answer questions.
Respond promptly to customer inquiries about key project status, open orders, and unresolved issues.
Check and audit scheduling rules and coordinate with other departments to support plant on-time delivery targets.
Track open items, secure purchase order coverage, and resolve contractual issues that delay order input or shipment of customer requirements.
Process orders for assigned accounts, including order entry and maintenance, placement with outplant vendors, order review, customer acknowledgment, and resolution of items delaying manufacturing release or shipment.
Address customer complaints about service failures and refer them to designated departments for investigation.
Coordinate with the Master Scheduler to plan and schedule departmental and operational workflow according to manufacturing sequences and lead times.
Confer with department supervisors to determine the status of assigned projects.
Expedite operations that delay schedules and adjust schedules to address unforeseen conditions.
Reconcile shipments daily.
Review and communicate customer demand and help prioritize and schedule work.
Track schedule attainment, throughput, on-time delivery, revenue-related measures, customer satisfaction, and finished and shipped goods; plan according to customer-provided information and internal capability and capacity, adjusting as needed.
Act as a liaison between customers and the plant, communicate customer priorities, and coordinate stakeholders to achieve goals.
Monitor inventory and information accurately, follow through on details, and develop repeatable processes and systems in response to issues or opportunities.
Coordinate internal resources and develop plans to restore schedules when necessary, including in response to short-notice customer demands.
Represent plant interests and capabilities to customers, manage expectations, communicate difficult news, and gain commitment from internal and external stakeholders.