Production Scheduler / Planner

Flagstone Foods•Robersonville, NC

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Production Scheduler & Planner is responsible for developing and executing production schedules while ensuring the timely availability of raw materials to support manufacturing operations. This role collaborates closely with Purchasing, Operations, Customer Service, Quality, and suppliers to balance customer demand, production capacity, and inventory objectives. Using analytical and quantitative methods, the position monitors inventory levels, forecasts material requirements, resolves supply chain constraints, and drives continuous improvement initiatives to support operational excellence, customer service, and company performance metrics.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Operations, Engineering, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
Minimum of 3 years of experience in production planning, material planning, supply chain, demand planning, purchasing, or production scheduling within a manufacturing environment.
Experience using SAP for production planning, inventory management, and material requirements planning (MRP) is required.
Experience supporting plant manufacturing operations and working with cross-functional teams.
Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly advanced Excel skills.
Solid understanding of supply chain management, inventory control, production scheduling, purchasing, and material requirements planning (MRP).
Excellent communication and relationship-building skills with internal stakeholders and external suppliers.
Ability to prioritize multiple projects, manage competing deadlines, and adapt quickly in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
High attention to detail, strong organizational skills, and the ability to work independently while supporting cross-functional teams.
Self-motivated, results-oriented, and committed to continuous improvement and operational excellence.

Nice To Haves

Food or consumer packaged goods (CPG) manufacturing experience preferred.
APICS CPIM certification and/or Lean, Six Sigma, or Theory of Constraints (TOC) experience is preferred.
Strong analytical, quantitative, and problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret production, inventory, and demand data.

Responsibilities

Develop, maintain, and adjust daily production schedules using the ERP system to meet customer demand, production capacity, and inventory objectives.
Plan and procure raw materials by reviewing lead times, minimum order quantities, shelf life, usage trends, and forecasted demand to maintain lean inventory levels.
Analyze inventory targets, production capacity, and forecasted demand to ensure adequate material availability and efficient production scheduling.
Make purchasing recommendations and material replenishment decisions based on inventory levels, production schedules, and sales forecasts.
Monitor actual production volumes versus forecasts and budgets; identify variances and recommend corrective actions.
Coordinate with Purchasing, Customer Service, Production, Quality, and Warehouse teams to resolve material shortages, schedule changes, system corrections, and production constraints.
Communicate production schedules, material status, shortages, and recovery plans across cross-functional teams.
Build and maintain strong supplier relationships while monitoring supplier performance, delivery reliability, pricing changes, and material availability.
Manage material transitions related to new product introductions, reformulations, redesigns, and product discontinuations.
Attend daily production meetings to communicate schedule status, material availability, production issues, and recovery plans.
Develop reports, metrics, dashboards, procedures, and documentation to support production planning, inventory management, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Analyze operational data and trends to identify opportunities to improve inventory turns, customer fill rates, schedule attainment, and overall supply chain performance.
Investigate production and material issues, determine root causes, and implement corrective actions.
Participate in Lean, Continuous Improvement, and process optimization initiatives to improve planning efficiency and eliminate waste.
Serve as a key point of communication between production, quality, customer service, purchasing, and management regarding work in progress and schedule performance.
Provide scheduling and material planning support during critical production events or after-hours situations as needed.
Comply with all food safety requirements, training, policies, and procedures.
Perform other duties as assigned.