GENERAL JOB DESCRIPTIONThe master scheduler is responsible for establishing, reviewing and maintaining the master production schedule in alignment with the Sales, Inventory, and Operations (SIOP) consensus plan. Establishing the master schedule will involve working closely with operations leaders, material planners, production control planners, and others to coordinate manufacturing plans that achieve the company objectives relative to customer service, efficient resource/capacity utilization and inventory investment. The master scheduler will be responsible for analyzing scenarios that balance demand and supply while optimizing inventory and minimizing the impact of demand volatility.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:- Lead the translation of the approved SIOP plan into an executable enterprise-wide supply plan, balancing customer demand, manufacturing capacity, inventory investment, and operational constraints.
- Own the roll out of the Master Production Scheduling (MPS) process and governance across all manufacturing operations.
- Manage a team of production schedulers for each of the production areas.
- Partner with Supply Chain, Operations, Engineering, Procurement, Customer Service, and Finance leadership to develop integrated production and inventory strategies that support short- and long-term business goals.
- Pull customer orders into the production scheduling system and coordinate with manufacturing, materials, and customer service teams to support on-time delivery commitments.
- Monitor order status, schedule adherence, and changes in customer demand, making schedule adjustments as needed to optimize production flow and customer satisfaction.
- Develop and maintain rough-cut capacity planning (RCCP) models to proactively identify resource, labor, equipment, and supplier constraints and implement corrective action plans.
- Lead scenario planning and what-if analysis to assess the operational and financial impact of forecast changes, product launches, supply disruptions, and strategic business initiatives.
- Establish planning policies, procedures, and KPI governance to improve schedule stability, forecast accuracy, inventory turns, capacity utilization, and on-time delivery performance.
- Drive cross-functional resolution of significant supply chain risks, capacity limitations, and material shortages that may impact customer commitments or business performance.
- Serve as the functional owner for ERP planning and scheduling processes, leading system enhancements, planning parameter optimization, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Develop and present executive-level reporting and recommendations on production performance,scenario planning backlog status, and long-range capacity requirements.
- Mentor and provide guidance to production scheduling team.
- Lead strategic inventory planning efforts, balancing working capital objectives with customer fulfillment requirements and operational efficiency goals.
- Champion continuous improvement initiatives utilizing Lean, Six Sigma, and APICS planning methodologies to enhance supply chain performance and operational effectiveness.
EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE & SKILLSEducation:
- BS/BA degree in business or engineering discipline
- APICS Certification preferred.
Experience:
- Minimum of 7+ years of relevant experience in program planning or scheduling management.
- Demonstrated experience leading SIOP, demand/supply balancing, capacity planning, and inventory optimization processes.
- APICS CPIM or CSCP certification strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated proficiency in schedule analysis, forecasting, and shipment forecasting.
- Experience with rate-based or flow line (non-MRP) and job shop manufacturing environments.
- Experience in operations, inventory management, MRP and lean manufacturing processes.
KEY COMPETENCIES- Demonstrated ability to influence senior leaders and drive decisions in a complex matrixed organization.
- Strong business acumen with the ability to connect operational decisions to financial outcomes.
- Advanced knowledge of SIOP, capacity planning, inventory optimization, and supply chain analytics.
- Proven leadership experience managing cross-functional initiatives and driving organizational change.
- Advanced ERP/MRP systems expertise (SAP, Oracle, Infor, JD Edwards, etc.).
- Ability to effectively make complex decisions with limited time and information and can determine decision making criteria based on priorities.
- Ability to collaborate effectively across multiple disciplines with internal and external resources.
- Strong analytical capabilities, with a basic understanding of statistical analysis techniques.
- Strong interpersonal skills, independent problem resolution, proven leadership ability, and the ability to manage the requirements of others.
- Comfortable leading discussion and debate both within peer group and with matrix business partners, operational partners and leaders.
- Data access/retrieval skills with extensive experience in data analysis, data manipulation using MS Excel and/or other tools as provided.
- Strong communication and presentation skills.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS- Work requires periodic stooping/bending and frequent walking/standing throughout the day.
- Requires occasional lifting of objects less than 25 pounds as well as occasional lifting of objects 25 to 50 pounds.
- Work involves activities that require special safety precautions, e.g., working around moving parts, machines, or vehicles.
- Requires use of personal protective equipment.
