Scheduler/Production Planning

ND Paper • Sturtevant, WI

6d • Onsite

About The Position

The Scheduler is responsible for translating the plant's order book into a daily production schedule that maximizes corrugator utilization, minimizes setup churn, and delivers on customer commit dates. This role sits at the intersection of customer demand, corrugator capacity, and converting line availability — and the decisions made here directly determine whether the plant runs efficiently or reactively. ND PKG operates a 98" Fosber corrugator with full converting lines. Corrugator scheduling is the highest-leverage scheduling function in the plant: run sequence, board combination efficiency, and setup frequency have a direct impact on utilization, waste, and on-time delivery. The Scheduler reports directly to the General Manager and coordinates daily with Customer Service, Production, and Shipping.

Requirements

• 2+ years of production scheduling experience in corrugated, folding carton, or comparable sheet-fed or web manufacturing environment
• Working understanding of corrugator operations — flute profiles, liner and medium combinations, setup types, and how scheduling decisions drive utilization and waste
• Demonstrated ability to manage a dynamic schedule in real time — downtime, quality holds, and expedites are daily realities, not exceptions
• Strong analytical skills — able to identify scheduling patterns, quantify their impact, and propose sequencing improvements
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office; advanced Excel skills for scheduling analysis and reporting
• Clear, direct communicator — able to deliver difficult capacity news to Customer Service and Sales without creating unnecessary alarm or false confidence

Nice To Haves

• Experience with KIWI or comparable corrugated scheduling/ERP system
• Familiarity with corrugator board combination optimization and waste minimization principles
• Experience scheduling multiple converting lines simultaneously with interdependent constraints
• Bilingual English/Spanish/Mandarin — supports communication with floor supervisors and operators
• Exposure to lean scheduling concepts: run-length discipline, sequence optimization, changeover reduction

Responsibilities

• Build and release the daily corrugator schedule with sufficient lead time for the shift supervisor to prepare — target release before shift startup
• Sequence corrugator orders to maximize run length, minimize setup count, and optimize board combinations across flute profile, liner, and medium changes
• Manage corrugator capacity against order demand — flag capacity constraints to the General Manager before they become delivery misses
• Balance short-run and long-run orders across the week to prevent setup fragmentation on any single shift
• Adjust schedule in real time when corrugator downtime, quality holds, or order changes disrupt the plan — communicate changes immediately to Production and Customer Service
• Coordinate reworks into the production schedule
• Schedule converting lines (flexo folder gluers, die cutters, stitcher, bundler, bander) in coordination with corrugator output and converting line capacity
• Sequence converting orders to minimize changeover time and maintain flow from corrugator to finished goods
• Ensure converting schedule aligns with customer ship dates and Shipping's daily load plan
• Coordinate with Production supervisors on converting line availability, downtime, and priority changes
• Coordinate reworks into the production schedule
• Own the commit date for every order in the system — if a date is at risk, the Scheduler identifies it first and escalates proactively
• Coordinate daily with Customer Service on new orders, expedites, and customer-driven date changes
• Provide Customer Service with realistic lead times for new orders based on current capacity and backlog — do not allow unrealistic commitments to be made without scheduling input
• Flag orders that cannot be met on current commit without schedule disruption; escalate to General Manager with options, not just problems
• Evaluate all expedite requests for feasibility before Customer Service commits to the customer
• Identify the schedule displacement caused by each expedite — what order moves out to accommodate the pull-in, and who needs to know
• Track and reason-code all expedites: customer-driven, plant-driven (quality), plant-driven (downtime), carrier-driven
• Report expedite volume and drivers to the General Manager on a weekly basis
• Track corrugator utilization, setup count, average run length, and schedule attainment on a daily basis
• Maintain a weekly scheduling report for the General Manager covering utilization trend, expedite rate, and schedule stability
• Identify patterns in scheduling fragmentation — excessive setups, short average run lengths, or repeat expedites on the same accounts — and surface them with root cause analysis
• Provide data to Quality and Production to support waste reduction efforts tied to setup and run-length optimization
• Maintain order data accuracy in KIWI — ship dates, quantities, specifications, and board combinations must be current at all times
• Ensure the scheduling system reflects actual production status — completed orders closed, partial completions updated, holds flagged
• Identify gaps or workarounds in KIWI that reduce scheduling effectiveness; escalate system issues to the General Manager
• Owns ordering of roll stock
• Ordering temps as needed, with GM approval
• Participate in daily production standup — communicate schedule priorities, anticipated constraints, and any changes from prior day
• Coordinate with Maintenance on planned downtime windows — build PM and repair windows into the schedule rather than reacting to unplanned outages
• Coordinate with Shipping on daily load plan and outbound priorities — schedule must align with carrier pickup windows
• Support Quality's waste reduction efforts by optimizing run sequencing to reduce setup waste and trim loss

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance as well as voluntary benefits such as accident insurance, hospital indemnity, and critical illness for you and your family.
• Financial protection benefits, including life insurance, disability insurance, and business travel accident insurance.
• Tax advantaged accounts such as Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA).
• Paid holidays, personal days, and vacation days to support work-life balance.
• A 401K retirement plan with a company match and annual fixed contribution
• Wellness programs with incentives and an on-site clinic available at our Rumford and Biron location.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed