Sr. Production Planner

Essential Responsibilities

The Sr. Production Planner is responsible for optimizing production planning, scheduling, and supply chain operations.
This role ensures efficient management of work orders, inventory, and ERP systems, while fostering cross-functional collaboration and continuous process improvement.


Key Responsibilities: Production Planning and Scheduling:

Perform Rough Cut Capacity Planning (RCCP) and Master Production Scheduling (MPS) to align production with demand forecasts and capacity constraints.
Monitor and optimize planning-related master data, including planning time fences, Bill of Materials (BOM), and manufacturing routes.
Work Order Management: Release work orders to the production team in a timely manner.
Review parts lists, including multiple parts and vendors.
Analyze and address any variances as needed.
ERP System Management: Manage MRP, lead times, MOQ, and volume price breaks.
Oversee routing/BOM and phase-in/phase-out design changes.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate with Supply Chain and other departments (Finance, Quality, Sales, etc.)
to address and prioritize supply planning issues such as demand-supply gaps, backorders, and unplanned demand changes.
Participate in Bi-weekly Sales, Inventory & Operations Planning calls.
Inventory Management: Prevent stock-outs that could disrupt production.
Manage aged inventory and mitigate obsolescence risks (e.g., slow-moving items).
Maintain inventory accuracy and address root causes of inventory errors.
Utilize barcoding, Kanban, inventory transactions, and cycle counting techniques.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Reporting: Maintain and report on KPIs related to planning adherence, work-in-progress (WIP) monitoring, work center utilization, planning backlog, master data accuracy, customer backorders, lead times, and schedule attainment.
Prepare and analyze production planning reports, including adherence, utilization, and capacity metrics.
Continuous Improvement and Process Optimization: Drive continuous process improvements within the planning function to boost efficiency and effectiveness.
Implement best practices in planning and supply chain management to enhance overall performance.
Purchase Order Management: Release requirements to suppliers in a timely manner, adhering to lead times.
Maintain and communicate supplier promised dates, addressing significant deviations promptly.
Provide current drawings/specifications as applicable and share supplier change notifications with Supplier Quality Management, Engineering, and Production.
Coordinate with warehouse and finance to ensure timely processing of receipts and invoices.
Purchasing: Purchase raw materials, expense MRO materials, services, and equipment to support plant operations.
Procure direct materials (including off-the-shelf and specific components), services related to product manufacturing, indirect materials for internal use, contract services (e.g., maintenance and calibration), and commercial equipment/tooling.
Additional Duties: Perform other tasks and assignments as directed by the Manager.
Supervisory Responsibility

This position has no direct supervisory responsibility.


Work Environment

This position operates in an office and manufacturing environment.This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.The position also interacts with machinery on the manufacturing floor and numerous devices that are sold by the company.


Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or listen.
The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, and stoop; use hands to finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms.The employee frequently is required to lift and/or carry up to 20 pounds.For more information, please refer to the Position Analysis/Physical Activities Checklist on file in Human Resources.


Position Type and Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time position.
Days and hours of work are Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (negotiable).
Occasional evening and weekend work may be required as job duties demand.


Travel

This position requires 10% travel.


Required Education and ExperienceBachelor's degree in a related field or in lieu of degree, minimum of 10 years of prior related experience Min 6 years of experience (with degree), in a Materials/Planning/Supply Chain/Business management in the medical device industry or a regulated industry ERP experience required, JDE preferred APICS or C.P.M.
certification preferred Position RequirementsExcellent verbal and written communications required; strong facilitation and interpersonal skills required.
Team player.
Collaborate with and support multiple internal customers.
Demonstrated high quality computer skills including MS Office.
Must be detail-oriented and produce high quality work in a high-volume environment.
Ability to remain flexible and open to change within a fluid global industry.
Must be able to handle confidential information in an appropriate and professional manner.
CompetenciesProblem Solving/Analysis Results Driven Detail Orientation Customer Focus Technical Capacity Communication Proficiency Additional Eligibility Qualifications

None required for this position

Work Authorization/Security Clearance

Employees must be legally authorized to work in the United States.Employees must not be specifically barred from working with Federal contracts, government entities or otherwise listed on excluded parties list as maintained by the Federal government.


AAP/EEO Statement

Erbe employees and applicants for employment are protected by federal laws, Presidential Executive Orders, and state and local laws designed to protect employees and job applicants from discrimination on the bases of race, religion, color, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability, family medical history or genetic information, political affiliation, military service or other non-merit-based factors.
These protections extend to all management practices and decisions, including recruitment and hiring practices, appraisal systems, promotions, and training and career development programs.


Other Duties

Please note this position description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job.
Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.


At-Will Employment

This position description does not constitute a contract or guarantee employment for any specified time.The company may exercise its employment-at-will rights at any time.


Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant.
However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information.
41 CFR 60-1.35(c)