Title:  Planner II

Prepare & execute new contracts or spare part production plans to support VACCO'S sales forecast, manufacturing capacity, inventory objectives and service level goals by scheduling and reporting the flow of hardware through the Machine shop, Purchasing, Quality and Assembly departments.  Provides leadership & supervision to Sr. Planners.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Participate in MRP system upgrades and implementations.  Participate in the redesign of the current scheduling processes to provide streamline schedule development through the elimination of non-value-added elements.

• Monitor the manufacturing floor and interface with the appropriate managers to status, forecast and build recovery plans.  Develop and disseminate recovery schedules and KPI/PI reporting as required.

• Analyze schedule data for variability, cohesiveness, and adequacy.  Maintain integrity of all related scheduling data.  Reviews forecast requirements prior to release into MRP system.

• Interface with Sales, R&D, Operations, Product Management, Quality, Engineering and other necessary departments to insure that demand/sales requirements are entered consistent with general sales order policies and are not loaded inside established lead-time fences, unless agreed to by affected organizations.  Ensure that sales requirements are achieved. 

• Review engineering plans and product specifications to determine raw material requirements to support manufacturing schedules.  Ensure that the “up-front” activities are done on time to support Operational lead-times. The up-front activities include Drawings, Routers, MBOM’s and all other product definition tasks that, if not completed on-time, will lead to late releases from our MRP system.

• Generate reports that provide management with necessary information to assist the financial review of sales, inventory and product availability.

• Attend operations meetings to insure capacity issues in relation to production schedules remain in sync.

• Attend CCB/CEB meetings & recommend ECN's (Engineering Change Notices) as it occurs during manufacturing process.

• Manage and advise Contracts & Program Management on any backorder or delivery date promise concerns.  Develop recovery plans for all projects not meeting contract deliveries.

• Prepares master schedule and work orders, establishes priorities, and revises schedule according to projects, work order specifications, established priorities and availability or capability of workers, parts, materials, machines and equipment.

• Analyze, plan and forecast requirements for material and capacity availability.

• Conduct weekly and monthly sales/inventory/operations planning meetings.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Must have experience with and a strong working knowledge of MRP system, WDS and inventory control. Previous experience in a manufacturing planning environment.  Skilled at detail oriented work.  Effective verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills.  Must possess leadership qualities. APICS certification preferred.  Aptitude for quantitative analysis, strategic and tactical thinking, and detailed planning. 

Proficient in the use of MS Office software such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project, and Outlook.

PREFERRED EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

Bachelor's degree (B.A.) from four-year college or university; in Business Administration, Project Management or related field with 3 to 5 years of planning or scheduling experience in a manufacturing environment including key materials responsibility.