Junior Planner / Production Coordinator

SPECIALIZED PACKAGING SOLUTIONS INC; Newark (CA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

SPECIALIZED PACKAGING SOLUTIONS INC is seeking a Junior Planner / Production Coordinator in Newark, CA to oversee planning work orders, build production schedules, and coordinate between departments on the manufacturing floor.

You will monitor ERP/MRP, manage capacity and staffing, track WIP, and resolve day-to-day production issues while working closely with production supervisors, operations, and customer service.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or higher in a related field preferred.
• 2+ years manufacturing experience with ERP system.
• 3+ years Excel experience with VLOOKUP, Pivot Tables, SUMIFs.
• Packaging manufacturing knowledge preferred or willingness to learn.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred.

Responsibilities

• Review production schedules and ERP data daily to plan and control schedules.
• Schedule equipment and personnel; adjust plans for shortages or downtime.
• Support MRP and flag shortages for Purchasing.
• Track WIP and update ERP/MRP with order status.
• Monitor shop floor and communicate status to supervisors and Managers.
• Collaborate with procurement and design on materials and BOMs.
• Maintain production records for audits and continuous improvement.
• Assist with daily production meetings and issue resolution.

Skills

Multitasking

Communication

Organizational skills

Bilingual English/Spanish

Education

Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management or related field

Tools

ERP system

Excel advanced

Job description

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact this employer to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Full Time Professional Newark, CA, US

Salary Range: $70,000.00 To $75,000.00 Annually

Manufacturing / Operations

Department: Production / Supply Chain

Reports To: Plant Manager

Employment Type: Full-Time

Location: On-Site — Manufacturing Facility

Position Summary

The Junior Planner / Production Coordinator is responsible for overseeing and coordinating activities related to planning work orders to meet customer delivery deadlines. This role combines production planning responsibilities — building and managing the production schedule, reviewing material lead times, and scheduling orders based on available labor and materials — with hands‑on production coordination duties such as monitoring the shop floor, coordinating between departments, and resolving day-to-day production issues. The role works cohesively with production supervisors, operations colleagues, and customer service, and requires a thorough understanding of packaging manufacturing or a genuine willingness to learn about the products produced on site.

Key Responsibilities

Planning & Scheduling

• Review the production schedule and ERP system daily for new and released orders; plan, prepare, and control production schedules to ensure a controlled, timely flow of approved materials that meets production requirements.
• Schedule equipment and personnel and adjust schedules in response to material shortages, machine downtime, or priority changes; confirm material supply and demand and prepare work orders or purchase requests based on the master production schedule.
• Support material requirements planning (MRP) by verifying inventory levels and flagging shortages to the Purchasing Manager.
• Track work-in-process (WIP) inventory and update ERP/MRP systems with accurate order status.
• Help prepare capacity and load reports to identify potential bottlenecks before they impact delivery.
• Collaborate with procurement/purchasing on material and product delivery timelines for production, including occasional direct purchasing of materials to reduce work-in-process and raw material inventory levels.
• Collaborate with design on material substitutions and BOM audits.
• Work with maintenance to incorporate scheduled machine downtime into the production schedule.
• Monitor labor hours against the production schedule to help ensure staffing levels align with workload.

Production Coordination

• Serve as a daily point of contact between production, quality, maintenance, design, shipping and warehouse teams to keep jobs moving smoothly.
• Monitor shop floor progress against the schedule and communicate status updates to supervisors and Managers.
• Check job packets and work order paperwork — including routing sheets and job travelers — for completeness and accuracy before releasing to the production floor.
• Track and report on key production metrics (throughput, downtime, scrap, on‑time completion).
• Help troubleshoot and *escalate* production issues (equipment downtime, staffing gaps, material delays) to the appropriate team.
• Support changeover and job sequencing to minimize downtime between production runs.
• Maintain accurate production records, logs, and documentation for audits and continuous improvement efforts.
• Demonstrate strong communication skills with employees and colleagues to ensure operations run smoothly.
• Multi‑task effectively and show a willingness to help and support other team members.
• Maintain a positive attitude and adapt readily to changes in company policies and procedures.
• Promote a respectful and professional work environment at all times.
• Receive instructions and guidance from lateral and senior colleagues with an open mind.

General

• Participate in daily production meetings and provide updates on schedule adherence and open issues.
• Assist with root‑cause analysis and continuous improvement initiatives related to planning, scheduling, and OTD.
• Perform other duties as assigned to support production and planning operations.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED required.
• Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Operations, or a related field preferred (or equivalent work experience).
• 2+ years of experience in manufacturing, with ERP system experience.
• 3+ years of Excel experience, including VLOOKUP formulas, pivot tables, SUMIFs formulas, tables, and external references.
• Basic understanding of production planning concepts (MRP, capacity planning, inventory management).
• Packaging industry experience preferred, not required; demonstrates a thorough understanding of packaging manufacturing or a strong willingness to learn about the products produced on site.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment.
• Comfortable spending time on the production floor as well as at a desk.
• Bilingual, English and Spanish, preferred but not required.

This role is based primarily on‑site at the manufacturing facility, splitting time between an office/planning environment and the production floor. Standard manufacturing safety practices and PPE requirements apply.