Planning Supervisor

Position Summary

The Planning Supervisor leads the production and inventory planning function to ensure the efficient flow of materials and finished goods across the manufacturing network. This position provides direct supervision, leadership, coaching, and development of planning personnel supporting multiple manufacturing locations.

The role is responsible for overseeing daily planning execution, balancing customer demand with manufacturing capacity, optimizing inventory levels, and ensuring consistent planning practices across the organization. The Planning Supervisor establishes team priorities, monitors performance, develops employee capabilities, and drives accountability for planning accuracy, material availability, production schedule adherence, and customer service objectives.

The position serves as a key planning resource and subject-matter expert for ERP systems, planning tools, process improvements, and system integrations. The supervisor partners closely with Operations, Customer Service, Procurement, Logistics, Sales, Finance, IT, and Supply Chain leadership to support business objectives, operational efficiency, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

1. Team Leadership and Employee Development

• Directly supervise, lead, coach, and develop a team of 3–5 production and inventory planners supporting seven manufacturing locations.
• Establish individual performance expectations, goals, priorities, and accountability.
• Conduct regular one-on-one meetings, team meetings, workload reviews, and performance discussions.
• Complete annual performance appraisals, employee development plans, and ongoing performance documentation.
• Identify training needs and provide coaching, mentoring, and development opportunities to strengthen planning capabilities.
• Establish cross-training programs to ensure continuity of planning responsibilities and adequate coverage across locations.
• Manage workload distribution, assignments, and resource allocation based on business priorities and operational requirements.
• Address employee performance concerns, provide constructive feedback, and partner with the Supply Chain Manager and HR on performance management when necessary.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, communication, continuous improvement, and customer focus across a geographically dispersed team.
• Support succession planning, talent development, and employee engagement initiatives.

1. Production and Inventory Planning Oversight

• Oversee daily production and inventory planning activities to ensure alignment between customer demand, material availability, and manufacturing capabilities.
• Monitor planning execution, identify exceptions, and ensure timely resolution of material shortages, production constraints, and schedule conflicts.
• Review demand forecasts and collaborate with Sales and Customer Service to understand market trends and customer requirements.
• Ensure planners develop and maintain production schedules that support service levels, manufacturing capacity, and operational efficiency.
• Monitor inventory levels, safety stock requirements, replenishment strategies, and inventory health.
• Identify and mitigate risks related to excess, obsolete, or insufficient inventory.
• Drive action plans to improve inventory accuracy, inventory turns, and working capital performance.
• Evaluate manufacturing capacity and constraints across facilities in partnership with Operations.
• Coordinate with Procurement and Operations to address material availability, production bottlenecks, and resource limitations.
• Develop contingency plans to mitigate supply disruptions and demand fluctuations.
• Support new product introductions, product transitions, and inventory disposition activities.

1. ERP, Planning Systems, and Business Integration

• Serve as a planning subject-matter expert for ERP systems, planning applications, enhancements, and process improvements.
• Lead planning-team readiness and support for ERP implementations, system integrations, acquisitions, and business transitions.
• Participate in system testing, user acceptance testing, data validation, troubleshooting, and implementation activities.
• Ensure accuracy and integrity of planning master data, including bills of material, lead times, inventory settings, replenishment parameters, and other planning attributes.
• Partner with IT, Operations, Procurement, and Supply Chain leadership to identify and resolve system and process issues.
• Develop training materials, standard work instructions, and procedures to support system functionality and process changes.
• Train and mentor planners on ERP functionality, planning tools, system updates, and standardized processes.
• Drive adoption of planning-system functionality and identify opportunities to improve automation, data integrity, and planning efficiency.

1. Performance Management and Operational Excellence

• Develop and utilize reports, dashboards, and KPIs to monitor planning effectiveness and team performance.
• Monitor key performance indicators, including schedule attainment, planning accuracy, material availability, inventory performance, and OTIF contribution.
• Identify trends, recurring issues, and opportunities for improvement across manufacturing locations.
• Lead root cause analysis for planning-related service failures, inventory issues, and recurring planning exceptions.
• Implement corrective action plans and monitor results to ensure sustainable improvements.
• Drive standardized planning processes, best practices, and consistent execution across all supported locations.
• Support inventory reduction initiatives, SLOB reduction, working capital improvements, and operational cost-reduction efforts.
• Participate in Lean, Six Sigma, S&OP, and continuous improvement initiatives.

1. Cross-Functional Collaboration and Communication

• Serve as the primary day-to-day planning leadership contact for supported manufacturing locations.
• Partner with Operations, Procurement, Logistics, Customer Service, Sales, Finance, and IT to align planning activities with business objectives.
• Communicate material risks, capacity constraints, inventory concerns, and production schedule impacts proactively.
• Participate in S&OP activities and provide planning insights, recommendations, and operational updates.
• Escalate significant supply chain risks, service concerns, and operational issues to the Supply Chain Manager.
• Support business growth, acquisition integration, and other strategic supply chain initiatives as assigned.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, or related field preferred.
• Minimum five years of planning, supply chain, production scheduling, or inventory management experience.
• Previous supervisory, team leadership, or demonstrated employee development experience preferred.
• Manufacturing environment experience required.
• Strong ERP and production planning system experience required.
• Experience supporting ERP implementations, system integrations, or process improvement initiatives preferred.
• Experience with S&OP processes preferred.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and data analysis tools.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong understanding of production planning, inventory management, forecasting, MRP, and supply chain principles.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, coach, mentor, and develop employees.
• Ability to manage and coordinate a geographically dispersed team supporting multiple manufacturing locations.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to influence across functional groups and drive accountability.
• Experience managing competing priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Ability to interpret operational KPIs, identify improvement opportunities, and implement corrective actions.
• Strong understanding of ERP systems, planning tools, and manufacturing processes.

Key Performance Expectations

• Customer service and on-time-in-full (OTIF) performance.
• Inventory turns, days of supply, and working capital management.
• Forecast accuracy and production schedule attainment.
• Production plan adherence and material availability.
• Reduction of inventory shortages, excess inventory, and planning exceptions.
• Planner productivity, training, employee development, and performance management.
• Completion of annual performance appraisals and individual development objectives.
• ERP integration readiness, system accuracy, and successful implementation support.
• Standardization and consistency of planning processes across manufacturing locations.
• Successful execution of cost-reduction and continuous improvement initiatives.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

This position works in both office and manufacturing environments and may support employees and manufacturing locations remotely. Frequent interaction with production leadership and operational teams is required. Occasional travel between facilities may be required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals to perform the essential functions.