Professional - Production and Inventory Control Planner

Monitor production progress, identify and resolve constraints, and provide timely communication and reporting on production status, inventory levels, costs, and issues that may impact customer commitments and service levels. Execute and monitor production control activities, including production order review, material shortage analysis, and cycle counting to ensure schedule adherence and inventory accuracy.

Title: Production and Inventory Control Planner
Duration: 12 months (Contract)
Location: Elk River, MN (100% Onsite)
Rate: $27 - $30/hr.w2
Shift: 7 am to 3:30 pm, Monday through Friday

Job Description

Primary Objective of Position:

Coordinate and expedite the flow of materials and production activities across departments to ensure on-time customer delivery and efficient execution of the production schedule. Monitor production progress, identify and resolve constraints, and provide timely communication and reporting on production status, inventory levels, costs, and issues that may impact customer commitments and service levels.

Major Areas of Accountability

• Execute and monitor production control activities, including production order review, material shortage analysis, and cycle counting to ensure schedule adherence and inventory accuracy.
• Create, distribute, and maintain shop orders, including adjusting quantities and dates to align production with customer requirements. Reprint, split, and generate shop orders as needed to support efficient production flow.
• Maintain accuracy and integrity of planning data within ERP/MRP systems, including routings, lead times, and order statuses.
• Lead daily production meetings with Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, and other stakeholders to review priorities, address issues, and ensure continuity of production.
• Schedule customer demand by balancing production capacity, machine availability, and customer requirements to support on-time delivery.
• Verify alignment with the Master Production Schedule (MPS) and adjust plans as needed to ensure timely and accurate order fulfillment.
• Develop production plans that eliminate customer shortages while minimizing inventory investment and excess work in process.
• Coordinate closely with Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Quality, and Customer Service to ensure on-time customer delivery. Proactively review material positions and develop alternate plans or recovery actions when constraints or shortages arise.
• Identify and escalate risks to customer delivery, capacity, or material availability, and recommend corrective actions to leadership as needed.
• Participate in cross-functional teams supporting both existing and new products, from prototype development through volume production.
• Support and actively participate in Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, and 5S initiatives.
• Support compliance with company policies, quality standards, and safety requirements in daily planning and production activities.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications for Entry

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience, with a minimum of two (2) years of experience in production planning, scheduling, or a related role within an MRP-driven manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated working knowledge of production planning methodologies and systems, including capacity planning and machine shop scheduling, within a manufacturing environment.
• Experience with Kanban, Lean Manufacturing, MRP, and ERP systems required; Oracle or comparable ERP experience preferred.
• Strong attention to detail with proven organizational and record-keeping skills.
• Proficiency with standard business software (e.g., Client Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or equivalent), including the ability to develop, maintain, and analyze planning and performance metrics.
• Ability to read and interpret basic mechanical drawings, routings, and work instructions.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with customers, suppliers, and employees at all levels of the organization.
• Proven ability to work effectively in a collaborative, team-oriented environment.
• Must meet applicable U.S. government regulatory requirements, including eligibility to work in the United States (U.S. citizen or permanent resident).

Must Haves

• 2+ years of production planning/scheduling experience in an MRP-driven manufacturing environment.
• Strong ERP/MRP, capacity planning, machine scheduling, Kanban, and Lean Manufacturing experience.
• Proficiency with Excel/Word/PowerPoint, production metrics, inventory, shop orders, and material shortage analysis.
• Ability to read mechanical drawings/routings and communicate effectively with Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, and customers.