Production Scheduler

Job Description:

Production Scheduler

Location: Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Department:  Operations
Reports To: Operations Manager
Job Family: Operations
FLSA Status: Exempt

Position Summary

The Production Scheduler is responsible for developing, optimizing, and executing manufacturing schedules that effectively balance customer demand, production capacity, material availability, inventory objectives, and business priorities. This position serves as a critical link between Supply Chain, Operations, Customer Service, Purchasing, Materials Planning, and Logistics to ensure efficient production execution and superior customer fulfillment performance.

The Production Scheduler acts as a subject matter expert in production planning and scheduling processes, driving schedule stability, identifying opportunities for operational improvements, and providing data-driven recommendations to enhance manufacturing efficiency, inventory performance, and customer service outcomes. The role requires a high degree of independence, analytical capability, and cross-functional leadership.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Production Planning and Scheduling

• Develop and maintain detailed daily, weekly, and monthly production schedules to support customer demand and business objectives.
• Translate forecasts, customer orders, inventory targets, and business priorities into executable manufacturing plans.
• Optimize production sequencing to maximize throughput, minimize changeovers, and improve schedule attainment.
• Continuously evaluate and adjust schedules in response to changing business conditions, customer priorities, and operational constraints.
• Lead schedule review meetings and communicate priorities across the organization.

Capacity and Resource Planning

• Analyze labor, equipment, and manufacturing capacity to ensure feasible production plans.
• Identify bottlenecks, resource constraints, and production risks.
• Develop recommendations to improve capacity utilization and operational efficiency.
• Support long-range capacity planning and strategic production initiatives.
• Model production scenarios and evaluate alternatives to support business decision-making.

Material and Inventory Management

• Collaborate with Materials Planning and Purchasing to ensure material readiness.
• Proactively identify supply constraints and develop mitigation plans to minimize operational disruptions.
• Balance inventory investment with service level expectations and operational efficiency goals.
• Support inventory optimization efforts through effective planning and scheduling practices.
• Monitor and address risks related to excess, obsolete, and slow-moving inventory.

Operational Performance and Continuous Improvement

• Monitor schedule adherence, production attainment, and planning performance metrics.
• Analyze trends and recommend corrective actions to improve planning effectiveness.
• Lead or support continuous improvement initiatives related to planning processes, ERP system utilization, inventory management, and manufacturing efficiency.
• Drive process standardization and best practices across scheduling and planning activities.
• Participate in cross-functional problem-solving and root-cause analysis efforts.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Serve as the primary coordination point between Operations, Supply Chain, Customer Service, Logistics, Purchasing, and Engineering.
• Influence business decisions by providing planning insights and recommendations.
• Escalate significant risks affecting customer deliveries, inventory levels, or production performance.
• Support Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP), demand reviews, and operational planning discussions.
• Mentor less experienced planners or schedulers and share best practices across the organization.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Business Administration, Engineering, or related field preferred.
• APICS CPIM, CSCP, or comparable supply chain certification preferred.

Experience

• 3+ years of progressive experience in production scheduling, production planning, supply chain planning, or manufacturing operations.
• Experience supporting complex manufacturing environments.
• Demonstrated success working within ERP/MRP systems.
• Experience with S&OP, capacity planning, inventory optimization, and operational improvement initiatives preferred.

Technical Skills

• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel, including data analysis, pivot tables, and reporting tools.
• Strong knowledge of ERP/MRP systems and planning applications.
• Understanding of manufacturing workflows, inventory management, and supply chain operations.
• Ability to analyze large data sets and develop actionable recommendations.

Competencies

• Understands the financial and operational impact of planning decisions.
• Balances customer service, inventory, and manufacturing objectives to support business outcomes.

• Uses data and metrics to identify trends, solve problems, and drive decision-making.
• Evaluates alternatives and assesses risk when developing production plans.

• Builds strong relationships across departments.
• Influences outcomes without direct authority through expertise and communication.

• Takes ownership of planning outcomes.
• Demonstrates urgency and responsiveness in addressing production disruptions.

• Identifies opportunities to improve processes, systems, and planning methodologies.
• Champions operational excellence initiatives.

Key Performance Indicators

• On-Time Delivery (OTD)
• Schedule Adherence
• Production Plan Stability
• Capacity Utilization
• Inventory Turns
• Inventory Accuracy
• Customer Service Levels
• Material Shortage Incidents
• Production Recovery Effectiveness
• Planning Process Efficiency

Equal Opportunity Employer

Pentair is an Equal Opportunity Employer. With our expanding global presence, cross-cultural insight and competence are essential for our ongoing success. We believe that a diverse workforce contributes different perspectives and creative ideas that enable us to continue to improve every day.