Planning Manager

Position Summary:

Lead and execute the planning/scheduling of manufacturing activities for all production resources. Optimize material and labor utilization. Manage inventory levels and oversee overall inventory control processes at Graham. Partner with operations and customer service to ensure delivery of established customer expectations.

Safety Philosophy:

Little Rapids Corporation will manufacture products in a manner that respects the safety and health of our associates, the environment, and the communities in which we operate.

Objectives:

• Achieve financial plan results via operational planning
  • Lead Graham planning team in developing and implementing optimal capacity planning and production scheduling for assigned machines to meet service and inventory requirements for external and internal customers
  • With support from corporate SIOP(Sales, Inventory, and Operations Planning) team, execute the Graham SIOP process to balance service, inventory, and operational requirements while achieving financial targets.
  • While representing the planning team, collaborate with the commercial team, customer service and operations in achieving divisional and corporate targets.
  • Establish accurate raw material forecasting and execute purchasing aligned to the demand/supply plan

• Other assignments as made by management

• Improve cash flow
  • Establish balance between customer demand and operational execution related to finished goods and raw material inventory
  • Oversee and manage Inventory Aging Process at Graham to improve inventory quality
  • Manage inventories via appropriate methods of inventory planning i.e. min/max, kanban, material requirements planning etc
  • In conjunction with Production Manager, oversee inventory control process and support operations team in keeping inventory accurate
  • Work with central procurement to effectively balance supply demand while executing strategic sourcing initiatives
• Continuous improvement/ Process focus
  • Define and lead communication strategy to internal partners
  • Facilitate response and mitigation for manufacturing disruptions
  • Execute targeted continuous improvement activities in support of operations, material usage, and SIOP processes
  • Provide feedback on vendor performance and identify improvement opportunities
  • Lead site planning/scheduling continuous improvement activities and support overall site continuous improvement efforts
  • Collaborate with safety teams in efforts to implement safety improvements

Results:

• Achieve or exceed desired production goals aligned with Financial Plan
• Meet or exceed established expectations for service to customers
• Reduce interruptions to machine schedule while delivering on customer expectations
• Meet/exceed monthly inventory targets
• Operate as the site functional expert for planning and scheduling and be a reliable resource for the Graham team

Actions:

• Schedule, attend, participate, and facilitate meetings with operations and customer service and commercial teams
• Resolve conflicts between customer requirements, sales managers, and production needs.
• Utilize JDE ERP and other systems to plan production schedule
• Organize and analyze relevant data
• Communicate daily production changes and activities to operations and customer service team
• Order raw materials necessary to fulfill production demand
• Propose resolution to control for deviations in raw material inventory and facilitate reconciliation of inventory discrepancies
• Collaborate with all internal parties to understand issues and pursue resolution
• Proactively support systems and process improvement for the planning process
• Lead and mentor the Graham planning team

This is not an exhaustive list of duties or functions and may not necessarily comprise all the "essential functions" for purposes of the ADA.

Education, Certifications, and Experience:

• BA or BS Degree in business with Supply Chain focus required

• Master degree in related field preferred
• Knowledge of paper industry a plus

• APICS certified or progress towards certification program a plus

Key Competencies:

• Effectively schedule production using MRP techniques
• Deliver solutions to complex problems
• Utilize data analytics to improve processes and forecasts
• Proficient computer skills and knowledge (Windows, Excel, Word, Power Point, e-mail, etc.)
• Experienced user of JD Edwards or comparable ERP systems
• Balance customer and production requirements
• Work under minimal supervision

Physical Requirements:

The ability to work in a normal manufacturing environment to include: sitting, standing, or walking for long periods of time; climbing stairs; operating various standard office equipment; carrying paper documents/files; reaching; bending; crawling; speaking on the telephone; wearing required personal protection gear (i.e. hearing, eye and foot protection); tolerating loud noise (maximum of 95 dB); tolerating extreme heat, cold and dusty environment.

EOE including disability/veteran