Production Planner

Position Overview

The Production planner is responsible for managing the day-to-day and near-term production schedule across multiple facilities, translating demand forecasts and firm customer orders into executable, material-feasible production plans. This role works closely with Demand Planning, Procurement, Operations, Quality, and Warehousing and plays a critical role in the company’s Sales & Operations Execution (S&OE) and Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) processes.

The Planning Lead ensures the right products are produced in the right quantities at the right time while minimizing material shortages, unnecessary changeovers, production disruptions, and excess inventory.

Key Responsibilities

Build and maintain the master production schedule across the Vreeland, Madison, and Taft facilities, balancing customer demand with plant capacity, labor, equipment availability, and operational constraints.

Translate demand forecasts and firm sales orders into manufacturing orders (MOs), including bulk MOs and multi-level packaging MOs, within the Fishbowl ERP system.

Sequence production runs to minimize changeovers, optimize production capacity, and maximize line utilization.

Execute material requirements planning (MRP) by comparing gross requirements against on-hand inventory and open purchase orders.

Identify ingredient and packaging shortages and proactively communicate supply risks to Procurement, Operations, and leadership.

Participate in the company’s planning cadence, including weekly Sales & Operations Execution (S&OE), bi-weekly forecast reviews, and monthly Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) meetings, representing the supply and capacity perspective.

Coordinate the timing and availability of raw materials, packaging materials—including labels, cartons, plastics, containers, and lids—and finished goods with Procurement, Warehouse, Quality, and Operations teams.

Manage and coordinate co-packer production schedules to ensure production requirements and customer commitments are met.

Monitor inventory health, including aging inventory, on-hold inventory, pending Quality Control releases, and inventory accuracy, and drive corrective action when exceptions arise.

Track and report key planning metrics, including schedule adherence, capacity utilization, forecast versus actual production, and inventory levels.

Support root-cause analysis and corrective actions when actual production results differ from the established plan.

Support new SKU introductions, BOM changes, product transitions, and business-simplification initiatives by providing planning input and feasibility analysis.

Maintain accurate planning data and ensure production schedules are communicated clearly to all relevant stakeholders.

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, Operations, Industrial Engineering, Business, or a related field; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.

2–5 years of production planning or scheduling experience in a manufacturing environment; food or CPG experience strongly preferred.

Working knowledge of Material Requirements Planning (MRP), capacity planning, inventory management, and S&OP processes.

Hands-on experience with ERP systems; Fishbowl experience is a plus.

Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and the ability to analyze large sets of production, inventory, and BOM data.

Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.

Ability to manage multiple priorities and work effectively in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Ability to effectively coordinate with Operations, Procurement, Quality, Warehousing, and external co-packers.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience managing production planning across multiple manufacturing facilities.

Experience managing or coordinating co-packer relationships and production schedules.

Experience in food manufacturing, CPG, GMP, and food safety environments.

Experience with data analytics, SQL, business intelligence tools, or reporting platforms.

APICS/ASCM CPIM or CSCP certification.

What Success Looks Like – First 6 Months

Become proficient in Fishbowl manufacturing order structures and the daily production planning workflow across all three facilities.

Consistently develop and maintain stable, materials-feasible weekly production schedules.

Improve schedule adherence and proactively identify production, material, capacity, and inventory risks.

Establish strong working relationships with Operations, Procurement, Quality, Warehouse, and external co-packers.

Become a trusted contributor to the S&OE and S&OP processes by identifying and communicating supply and capacity risks early.