Summary

The Planning Manager is responsible for developing, maintaining, and executing the Production Schedule (PS) while leading demand forecasting activities across the business. This position ensures customer demand, production capacity, material availability, and operational priorities are synchronized to maximize on-time delivery, inventory performance, and manufacturing efficiency.

Operating in a low-volume, high-mix aerospace aftermarket environment, this role must balance changing customer priorities, engineering changes, repair requirements, and variable demand while coordinating production across thermoforming, CNC machining, finishing, and assembly operations.

The position serves as the central planning function between Sales, Customer Service, Operations, Engineering, Procurement, and Production.

Tasks & Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities will be focus around production scheduling, demand forecasting, capacity planning, production coordination, inventory and material panning support, performance monitoring, and continuous improvement to include the following:

• Develop and maintain the Production Schedule (PS) for all manufacturing operations.
• Create realistic production schedules based on: customer demand, capacity constraints, material availability, labor availability, equipment utilization, and lead times
• Sequence work orders to optimize workflow through the respective departments
• Balance production scheduling priorities while minimizing schedule disruptions.
• Monitor schedule adherence and adjust priorities as business conditions change.
• Coordinate recovery plans for production delays or supply disruptions.
• Manage finite capacity planning where applicable.
• Develop rolling demand forecasts using: historical sales, customer forecasts, market trends, and program requirements
• Collaborate with Sales and Customer Service to improve forecast accuracy.
• Maintain 3-, 6-, and 12-month production outlooks.
• Identify demand variability and recommend inventory or capacity adjustments.
• Analyze forecast accuracy and continuously improve forecasting methods.
• Evaluate manufacturing capacity across: Thermoforming, CNC, Finishing, Assembly
• Identify production bottlenecks before they impact delivery.
• Recommend overtime, staffing, outsourcing, when needed.
• Support long-range capacity planning initiatives.
• Coordinate daily and weekly with teams' production priorities.
• Lead scheduling meetings with Production Operations.
• Communicate schedule changes to all departments.
• Ensure Engineering Changes (ECOs) are incorporated into production schedules.
• Prioritize critical customer orders while minimizing overall disruption.
• Work closely with Purchasing and Inventory Control to ensure materials support production schedules.
• Support cycle count and inventory accuracy initiatives.
• Improve scheduling processes using Lean Manufacturing principles.
• Standardize planning procedures.
• Participate in Kaizen and continuous improvement events.
• Support ERP optimization and planning system enhancements.
• Track and report key performance indicators including: On-Time Delivery (OTD), Schedule Attainment, Forecast Accuracy, Capacity Utilization, Work Order Aging, Past Due Orders, Manufacturing Lead Time, Customer Request Response Time
• Other tasks as assigned.

Education & Experience

• 4-year degree in Engineering, Operations Management or any related field or equivalent experience
• 10+ years of progressive manufacturing experience
• Experience in a management role
• Experience in MRP (manufacturing resource planning)
• Experience in Aerospace industry preferred

Competencies

• Ability to read, write, speak and understand the English language
• Ability to communicate clearly by conveying and receiving ideas, information and direction effectively
• Ability to demonstrate adequate job knowledge to deliver a world class performance
• Ability to challenge oneself to consistently meet all goals and deadlines
• Willingness to strive for excellence by producing work that is free of errors and mistakes
• Desire to delight both customers and coworkers by offering encouragement, fostering teamwork and addressing conflict appropriately
• Commitment to making improvements company wide
• Demonstrated competence using Microsoft Office
• Demonstrated ability to successfully present thoughts, ideas and information to large groups of people
• Ability to maintain a professional and respectful relationship with coworkers and company in a leadership capacity
• Ability to manage cross-functional teams, coordinate supplier/customer meetings
• Strong customer communication skills
• Problem solving; Ability to overcome obstacles
• Technical writing ability
• Ability to influence for impact

This position requires the use of information which is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). All applicants must be U.S. persons within the meaning of ITAR. ITAR defines a U.S. person as a U.S. Citizen, U.S. Permanent Resident (i.e. Green Card Holder), Political Asylee or Refugee