Sr. Production Planner

The Senior Production Planner will own and maintain the master production schedule for a production facility. The position holder serves as the principal point of accountability for the production plan and is responsible for establishing the schedule, administering the change control process, and determining the appropriate response, within agreed parameters, when demand, material availability, or capacity conditions change.

The role occupies the intersection of demand forecasting, materials management, and manufacturing execution. Operations executes against the schedule issued by this position, purchasing procures to it, and the commercial organization derives customer commitments from it. Where the plan and operating reality diverge, this position leads the resolution in coordination with operations, purchasing, and commercial stakeholders, and escalates decisions that fall outside [defined thresholds].

This is a senior individual-contributor appointment carrying meaningful decision-making responsibility and significant cross-functional visibility.

Key Responsibilities & Duties

• Ownership of the master production schedule across production lines, including its establishment, publication, and change control
• Order release and prioritization, including production sequencing and the deferral of orders where capacity is constrained, within agreed capacity and service-level parameters
• Inventory policy, encompassing safety stock levels, reorder points, and lot sizing, balanced against service-level commitments and working capital objectives
• Representation of the supply position within the sales and operations planning cycle, including the assessment of what the facility is able to commit to
• Schedule adherence and plan-versus-actual performance, including root cause analysis and corrective action where performance falls short
• Production sequencing associated with engineering change orders, new product introductions, and product phase-outs
• Execute MRP cycles, review and action exception messages, and convert planned orders into released work orders
• Identify capacity constraints and material shortages in advance of production impact, and coordinate resolution with purchasing and the supply base
• Negotiate achievable delivery dates with the commercial organization and escalate where customer commitments exceed available capacity
• Report schedule adherence, on-time delivery performance, and inventory turnover to operations leadership on a weekly basis
• Advance the planning function through improvements to planning parameters, master data accuracy, and departmental practice within ERP system

• A minimum of 7 years of experience in production planning or master scheduling within a manufacturing environment, including direct ownership of a production schedule
• Demonstrated proficiency with ERP and MRP systems (SAP / Oracle / MS Dynamics / Epicor preferred), including a working understanding of system logic and its limitations
• Comprehensive knowledge of bills of material, routings, lead times, and finite capacity planning
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including the analysis of large data sets
• A demonstrated record of maintaining schedule integrity through periods of disruption and of communicating clearly when proposed commitments exceed available capacity
• The professional credibility to sustain a position with commercial and operational stakeholders, supported by clear written and verbal communication

Preferred

• APICS CPIM or CSCP certification
• Formal training or practical experience in Lean or Six Sigma methodology
• Experience within both low-volume / high-mix and high-volume production environments
• Familiarity with SQL, Power BI, or advanced planning and scheduling systems 

About Core Systems

Core Systems is a global leader in rugged embedded systems for military and industrial needs based out of California. We design and manufacture each product at our facility, in Poway, CA. Our 85,000+ square foot facility features on-site engineering, metal fabrication, and system assembly, along with a complete MIL-SPEC Testing Lab. Our goal is to build and distribute the most cost-effective, high-performance rugged products in the industry. Core Systems is one of the only vertically integrated rugged computer manufacturers in the nation. Our wide range of rugged products has been deployed in ground vehicles, aircraft, and maritime installations worldwide. 

The base salary range reasonably expected to be paid for this role is $75k to $105K annually. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. Actual compensation packages are based on a variety of factors that are unique to each candidate including, but not limited to: skill set, depth of experience, education, and certifications. 

Core offers a full benefits package including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, 401(k), paid time off, paid sick time, paid holidays, on-site fitness center, and a casual work environment.