Role Overview:We are seeking a Production Planner IV to lead production planning, materials forecasting, and scheduling for our laser and optical components product lines. This role is critical in ensuring operational execution in a complex, high-mix manufacturing environment. The Planner IV will own the planning process end-to-end-demand analysis, materials requirements, scheduling logic, and cross-functional alignment-while driving data accuracy, schedule integrity, and disciplined communication.
This leader must bring strong organizational skills, reliable execution, and the ability to establish structure in a fast-paced, engineering-driven environment.
Key Responsibilities:- Lead the creation and maintenance of the finished-goods forecast in partnership with product line management and operations.
- Translate forecasted demand, customer purchase orders, and R&D requirements into clear, actionable material and production plans.
- Maintain accurate production schedules, applying logic-based planning (capacity, lead time, buffers, material) to ensure schedule integrity.
- Monitor capacity and lead-time performance and report key metrics to site and business unit leadership.
- Respond to customer delivery inquiries with accurate, data-driven updates.
- Drive material flow through the full production lifecycle, ensuring data accuracy in work orders, routing, and planning parameters.
- Establish and maintain strategies for safety stock, WIP levels, and finished-goods inventory.
- Partner with engineering, manufacturing, and purchasing teams to ensure alignment on material status, schedule risks, and priority shifts.
- Ensure planning data in ERP tools are complete, accurate, and utilized effectively; coach team members to improve system use and discipline.
- Maintain strong documentation and communication standards across all planning activities.
- Represent materials planning in weekly management reviews and cross-functional decision forums.
Minimum Qualifications:- Bachelor's degree in business, manufacturing, supply chain, or related field.
- Extensive experience in Microsoft Office.
- 8+ years of experience in material procurement / planning / purchasing role.
- Demonstrated experience managing complex planning data and driving schedule execution in a manufacturing environment.
Preferred Qualifications:- Experience with Oracle or IFS (EBS or similar ERP/MRP systems).
- Strong ability to apply planning logic to real-world constraints-capacity, lead time, variability, and customer priorities.
- Proven track record of establishing structure in complex or evolving processes.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage across engineering, operations, supply chain, and leadership.
- High reliability, sense of ownership, and personal accountability for commitments and data accuracy.
- Ability to work independently, prioritize effectively, and execute consistently in a fast-paced technical environment.
