| Location | Chicago |
Location: Midwest
Start Date: Within 2 weeks
Schedule: Onsite Monday–Friday
Duration: 20+ weeks
Implementation Engineers is seeking an experienced Supply Chain Planning & Scheduling Consultant to join our project team for a manufacturing transformation engagement at a Canadian aerospace and defense manufacturing site.
This opportunity is designed for a seasoned consulting professional who is comfortable entering a complex client environment, quickly diagnosing underlying problems, designing practical solutions and working alongside the client team through implementation.
This is not a traditional planning position or an advisory-only assignment. We need someone who can determine why the planning system is creating instability -- not simply operate the existing process.
The consultant will assess, redesign and help implement improvements across material planning, MRP, production planning and shop-floor scheduling.
The manufacturing environment includes:
Multi-level BOMs
Intermediate assemblies and multiple stocking points
Dependent demand
Material shortages and schedule volatility
Production-order and material-availability challenges
Work-center and capacity constraints
Excessive expediting and work-in-process inventory
Diagnose current material-planning, MRP and production-scheduling processes
Determine whether problems originate in the system, master data, planning processes or execution
Evaluate BOM structures, lead times, lot sizes, safety stock, order policies and planning parameters
Analyze planned orders, production orders, shortages, exception messages and planner actions
Improve production-order planning and release practices
Develop practical planning horizons, time fences, frozen periods and scheduling rules
Align material availability with production schedules
Incorporate realistic work-center capacity and constraints
Reduce schedule churn, expediting, shortages and excess WIP
Design future-state planning processes, standard work, KPIs and management routines
Work directly with planners, schedulers, supervisors, procurement and operations leadership
Communicate findings, recommendations and implementation progress to senior client leaders
Significant hands-on manufacturing planning and scheduling experience
Deep understanding of MRP, master scheduling, multi-level BOMs, dependent demand, production orders and capacity planning
Experience in complex discrete manufacturing, ideally aerospace, defense, industrial equipment, automotive, electronics or engineered products
Demonstrated ability to redesign and implement planning processes -- not simply recommend improvements
Experience working directly with manufacturing planners and shop-floor teams
Strong analytical capabilities using ERP data, Excel, Power BI or similar tools
Excellent facilitation, communication and executive-presentation skills
Ability to challenge legacy practices constructively and build client ownership of the solution
Oracle experience is preferred, particularly within Enterprise Planning, Order Planning, Job Shop Control, production BOMs, routings, work centers and capacity.
Candidates with deep hands-on planning experience in SAP, IFS, Epicor or another sophisticated discrete-manufacturing ERP are also encouraged to apply.
Ability to work onsite in Monday through Friday
Availability beginning within the next 2 weeks
Ability to commit to the full 20+ week engagement
Approved travel expenses and meals are reimbursed
If you are an experienced supply chain consultant who enjoys moving from diagnosis through implementation and leaving clients with stronger, sustainable operating systems, we would welcome the opportunity to speak with you.
Please apply with your résumé and a brief description of a manufacturing planning or scheduling transformation you personally designed and implemented.
Implementation Engineers
www.implementation.com