VP of Planning

Race Winning Brands•Mentor, OH

About The Position

The VP of Planning in a manufacturing environment leads long-range planning, production planning, capacity forecasting, and cross-functional alignment to ensure the company achieves operational efficiency, customer service, quality, and cost targets. This role bridges strategic planning with plant-floor execution—integrating supply chain, production, engineering, and continuous improvement initiatives into a cohesive operational strategy

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Operations Management, or related field; MBA preferred.
8–10+ years of manufacturing leadership experience
Proven leadership in production planning, capacity planning, supply chain, or operations.
Strong background in Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement methodologies.
Deep understanding of manufacturing systems, MRP/ERP, production scheduling, and supply chain planning.
Excellent analytical, forecasting, and problem-solving abilities.
Strong communication, leadership, and cross-functional influence skills.
Demonstrated ability to manage complex planning processes in fast-paced environments.
Improved forecast accuracy and planning reliability.
Reduction in lead times, downtime, and operational bottlenecks.
Improved OEE, productivity, and on-time delivery rates.
Strong alignment between production capacity and commercial demand.
Successful integration of new technologies and continuous improvement initiatives.

Responsibilities

Strategic & Capacity Planning
Develop long-term manufacturing capacity plans that align with business growth, market demand, and financial objectives.
Forecast resource requirements for materials, equipment, technology, and workforce to meet production targets while maintaining budget constraints.
Collaborate with R&D to plan for new product introductions and manufacturing integration.
Production Planning & Scheduling Oversight
Oversee production scheduling processes to ensure cost-effective, efficient output meeting quality and delivery targets.
Optimize planning systems such as MRP/ERP to improve accuracy of demand planning, scheduling, and inventory control.
Implement Lean, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methodologies to improve flow, reduce waste, and increase throughput.
Supply Chain & Materials Planning
Partner with procurement and supply chain leaders to ensure timely sourcing of materials, negotiating cost-effective contracts while maintaining supplier reliability.
Improve material planning accuracy and reduce stockouts, excess inventory, and lead times.
Integrate supply chain optimization practices that support manufacturing efficiency and cost reduction.
Operational Excellence & Process Innovation
Drive continuous improvement initiatives using Lean Manufacturing principles to exceed benchmarks in safety, quality, delivery, and cost.
Lead cross-functional teams to evaluate planning performance, resolve bottlenecks, and refine processes.
Adopt emerging manufacturing technologies and automation strategies to enhance capacity and competitiveness.
Performance Management & Analytics
Develop and track planning-related KPIs such as OEE, throughput, scrap, service levels, and forecast accuracy.
Analyze downtime trends, capacity utilization, and equipment performance to inform strategic decisions.
Provide executive leadership with performance dashboards, scenario modeling, and recommendations.
Leadership & Cross-Functional Alignment
Lead planning, scheduling, and analytics teams, building strong talent pipelines and fostering a high-performance culture.
Serve as a strategic partner to Operations, Supply Chain, Engineering, and Finance to ensure alignment across production and commercial demand.
Ensure integration of safety and regulatory compliance into all planning activities.
Other tasks as assigned