Planner

Job Summary:

The Planner will assist in the Quarterly, Monthly and Daily planning processes to help ensure optimal plans are established for the manufacturing of products such that materials can be purchased, arrive as desired and manufacturing is able to build the right product at the right time to ultimately fill customer orders on time in the most cost- effective manner and maintain the desired level of inventory.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Request and /or generate production orders for assemblies and sub-assemblies according to the build plan requirement.
• Make the analysis of the build plan requirement vs current capacity, in order to escalate if there is any constraint.
• Supports the forecasting process to define the overall demand plan.  Ensures that the agreed upon demand plan is loaded in Rapid Response and other production planning tools are developed and maintained to support the timely production of product to meet customer requirements and maintain the desired amount of inventory.
• Helps develop new product production demand plans to support new product launch plans while minimizing scrap of phased out products.
• Collaborates, builds and maintains relationships with business partners (e.g. Sales, Marketing, Document Control, Engineering, Finance, Purchasing, Production Planning, Quality Assurance) to gain insight on requirements to sales activities, market trends and capacity status such that the best possible plans can be developed and executed.
• Monitors and reports forecast accuracy, implementing necessary action items to drive improvement.
• Works closely with the Mexicali team to track and improve the demand plan vs. capacity requirements to ensure the company is growing the capacity to meet the demand requirements.
• Works closely with Engineering, Purchasing, Production and Distribution to coordinate the implementation of change orders, ensure production happens in a timely manner and specific customer orders are shipped on time. 
• Identifies forecast issues, trends and gaps and conducts analysis.  Results are discussed with the SCM Manager, Sales and Operations Planning to improve the overall S&OP process
• Performs special projects as requested.
• Any activity related to the supply chain.

Minimum & Preferred Qualifications and Experience: 

Minimum Qualifications:

• Above 3 years of experience within the Supply Chain Planning process;
• Must have an excellent understanding of Planning, Procurement, Manufacturing, Inventory Management, Consumer Service and Distribution
• Must have in-depth knowledge of demand forecasting principles, an excellent understanding of supply chain and how the forecast impacts the downstream business areas;
• Must have very strong quantitative, statistical and analytical skills; Must have strong numerate, analytical and critical thinking skills; and have the demonstrated ability to evaluate whether a result is sensible or not; Able to translate word problems into mathematical equations; 
• Must have the ability to synthesize and filter inputs from multiple resources to key in on the important influences which will impact future demand;
• Must have excellent communication skills; listening, writing and speaking and excellent interpersonal skills.
• Must possess very good negotiating skills where desirable results are realized without damaging relationships;
• Must have excellent Project Management skills;
• Must be organizationally agile, working through both formal and informal networks to get necessary demand inputs; 
• Must be able to consider both micro and macro levels; internal and external forces as it relates to forecast.
• Must have the ability to effectively interact and communicate with all levels of management.
• Must be systems savvy, have experience with software applications and be highly proficient with Microsoft Excel.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior experience in a continuous improvement environment
• Warehouse and Inventory control prior experience in manufacturing facility

Education:

Bachelor's degree, preferably in Engineering, Statistics, Economics Operations, Business or Marketing is required.

Physical requirements/Work Environment 

This position primarily works in an office environment. It requires frequent sitting, standing and walking.  Daily use of a computer and other computing and digital devices is required.  May stand for extended periods when facilitating meetings or walking in the facilities.  Some local travel is necessary, so the ability to operate a motor vehicle and maintain a valid Driver's license is required. 

The physical demands of the position described herein are essential functions of the job and employees must be able to successfully perform these tasks for extended periods.  Reasonable accommodations may be made for those individuals with real or perceived disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job described.