PRODUCTION PLANNING MANAGER LF

LaFrance Corp•Concord Township, PA

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

LaFrance Corp is seeking an experienced Supply Chain professional to lead the Production Planning department. This role involves supporting a subset of accounts to maintain deep operational understanding and requires a strong combination of leadership, systems thinking, and analytical capability. The ideal candidate is intellectually curious, takes ownership, and is persistent in achieving complex results, with a motivation to continuously improve processes and team performance. This is a hybrid role.

Requirements

5-10 years experience in a Supply Chain related role
Prior leadership experience managing or mentoring a team
Strong expertise in inventory management in a global environment
Strong understanding of domestic and international logistics
Hands-on experience with Microsoft Dynamics NAV or Business Central
Advanced Excel knowledge including complex formula creation and data modeling with Power Query
Experience with Power BI or similar reporting tools
Ability to analyze data and present findings clearly
Strong understanding of databases, data structures, and data-driven decision making
Ability to set goals and devise strategic plans to accomplish results
Excellent organizational and time management skills
Excellent communication skills
High attention to detail and ownership of outcomes
Ability to be on-site in Concordville, PA approximately 1-4 times per month
Ability to travel to Asia and domestic manufacturing locations (Sarasota, FL) approximately once per year
Strong intellectual curiosity and drive for continuous learning
Proven ability to design and improve systems and processes
Comfort operating in ambiguity and building structures where it does not exist
Self-motivated with high level of accountability

Nice To Haves

Basic programming or scripting experience preferred

Responsibilities

Lead and develop the Production Planning team, aligning responsibilities to team strengths.
Assess team capacity and ensure appropriate workload distribution.
Establish accountability for performance and results across planning activities.
Oversee production planning activities to meet customer demand and on-time delivery targets.
Maintain direct involvement in planning for a subset of key accounts.
Drive daily communication with LaFrance Asia production teams regarding manufacturing and shipping requirements.
Ensure alignment between forecast, production schedules, and inventory positions.
Escalate operational non-performance issues to management and help drive recovery plans.
Own and continuously improve MRP processes and planning methodologies.
Develop deep expertise in Business Central and supporting systems.
Lead enhancements related to inventory management structures.
Analyze forecast, inventory, and production data to optimize planning parameters.
Build and enhance data models using Excel, Power Query, and Power BI.
Deliver clear, concise reporting and insights to support quick decision-making.
Translate complex data into actionable narratives for leadership and cross-functional teams.
Partner with Customer Service, Account Management, Project Management, and Global operations teams to ensure shared visions of business results.
Communicate production schedules, delivery updates, and non-performance risks to internal stakeholders.
Maintain strong working relationships with cross-team department leads.
Analyze existing workflows to identify gaps, inefficiencies, and documentation needs.
Lead projects related to system enhancements and process improvements.
Apply structured change management to ensure successful implementation of improvements.