Production Planner

Fabcon, Inc., an industry leading company in Santa Ana, CA is seeking a Production Planner.

Job Summary:

The Production Planner is responsible for planning, scheduling, and coordinating the flow of materials and production activities within the sheet metal manufacturing plant. This role ensures production targets are met efficiently and on schedule, with a focus on minimizing waste and optimizing resource utilization. The Production Planner works closely with purchasing, production, and quality teams to ensure timely delivery of materials and products that meet customer specifications and quality standards.

Key Responsibilities:

Production Scheduling:

• Develop and maintain production schedules for sheet metal fabrication, taking into account lead times, equipment availability, and customer demand.
• Coordinate with production supervisors to ensure resources, including labor and materials, are aligned with the production plan.

Inventory Management:

• Monitor inventory levels of raw materials, parts, and finished goods, and coordinate with the purchasing department to reorder materials as needed.
• Implement inventory control measures to minimize stockouts and excess inventory.

Workflow Coordination:

• Ensure that production workflows are optimized for efficiency and quality, balancing work across multiple workstations, machines, and departments.
• Coordinate with the engineering and quality assurance teams to troubleshoot issues that arise during production.

Capacity Planning:

• Analyze plant capacity and develop contingency plans to address potential bottlenecks.
• Adjust production schedules based on capacity constraints and prioritize orders to meet customer delivery dates.

Communication and Collaboration:

• Act as a liaison between departments, including production, purchasing, and shipping, to ensure smooth workflow and timely product delivery.
• Communicate updates on production status, delays, or changes to relevant stakeholders.

Data Analysis and Reporting:

• Track and report production metrics, such as on-time delivery rates, downtime, and resource utilization, to identify areas for improvement.
• Use data to refine scheduling processes, minimize lead times, and improve overall plant efficiency.

Continuous Improvement:

• Participate in lean manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives to streamline production processes and reduce waste.
• Propose and implement improvements to scheduling, inventory management, and production processes.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, or a related field.
• 2+ years of experience in production planning or scheduling within a manufacturing environment, ideally in sheet metal fabrication or a related field.
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing resource planning (MRP) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and organizational skills.
• Familiarity with lean manufacturing principles and continuous improvement methodologies.

Skills:

• Analytical Thinking: Ability to analyze data and production metrics to make informed scheduling decisions.
• Communication: Strong written and verbal communication skills for effective coordination between departments.
• Attention to Detail: Ensuring production schedules are accurate and align with customer requirements.
• Technical Knowledge: Understanding of sheet metal fabrication processes, machinery, and materials.

This role is essential for maintaining a smooth production process and meeting delivery timelines in a sheet metal manufacturing plant, with a strong emphasis on coordination, efficiency, and inventory control.