Master Production Scheduler

Software Placement Group; Covington (LA); On-site; USD 75,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

Software Placement Group is seeking a Master Production Scheduler to lead scheduling across multiple production facilities. You will convert demand forecasts and orders into executable production plans, balancing capacity, material availability, and inventory targets while coordinating with Operations, Procurement, Sales, Quality, Finance, and Logistics.

The role requires at least 5 years in production planning or related fields, solid MRP/ERP knowledge, and travel to plants as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in a related field is required.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in production planning, scheduling, or supply chain roles.
• Strong working knowledge of MRP/ERP systems and production planning tools.
• Proven experience managing multi-site production schedules.

Responsibilities

• Develop, maintain, and optimize master production schedules across facilities.
• Translate demand forecasts and orders into executable production plans.
• Balance capacity, labor, equipment uptime, and maintenance to meet service and financial objectives.
• Maintain 8–12 week scheduling visibility for proactive planning and risk mitigation.
• Collaborate with Operations, Procurement, Sales, Quality, Finance, and Logistics to drive alignment and performance.

Skills

Travel willingness

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain, Operations, Engineering, or related field

Tools

MRP/ERP systems

Job description

Location: Covington, LA (travel to plants as needed) | Schedule: Full-time, on-site/exempt

Overview

An established manufacturing organization operating multiple production facilities is seeking a Master Production Scheduler to lead integrated scheduling efforts across its plants. This role is central to balancing customer demand, manufacturing capacity, material availability, and inventory targets, and serves as a key link between Operations, Procurement, Sales, Quality, Finance, and Logistics to drive strong operational and financial outcomes.

What you'll do

• Develop, maintain, and continuously improve short- and mid-term master production schedules across multiple facilities
• Convert demand forecasts, customer orders, promotions, and inventory targets into executable production plans
• Balance capacity, labor availability, equipment uptime, and maintenance constraints to meet service, cost, and financial objectives
• Maintain rolling 8–12 week schedule visibility to support proactive planning and risk mitigation
• Incorporate sequencing and changeover considerations to reduce disruption, inefficiency, and cost
• Manage finished goods (FG), work-in-process (WIP), and excess & obsolete (E&O) inventory to optimize working capital while protecting service levels
• Establish and maintain safety stock targets based on demand variability, lead times, and production capabilities
• Identify inventory risks and recommend corrective actions related to shortages, excess, or obsolescence
• Evaluate and communicate the financial impact of inventory decisions, including carrying costs, write-offs, service-level trade-offs, and COGS implications
• Identify and communicate capacity constraints, bottlenecks, and production risks across facilities
• Develop mitigation plans for raw material or packaging shortages, equipment downtime, maintenance events, labor constraints, and demand volatility
• Perform scenario planning and trade-off analysis (cost vs. service vs. utilization) to support leadership decisions
• Maintain annual and rolling capacity models in partnership with Operations, Finance, and Quality
• Partner with Procurement to ensure timely availability of raw materials and packaging while minimizing expediting and premium freight
• Collaborate with Operations, Maintenance, Quality, and Regulatory to align schedules with production realities, asset reliability, food safety, and compliance requirements
• Support Sales and Customer Service by providing visibility into lead times, production constraints, and fulfillment capabilities
• Serve as a trusted planning partner to plant leadership and executive management
• Maintain strong understanding of manufacturing cost drivers, including labor, utilization, downtime, bottlenecks, sequencing, changeovers, yield loss, scrap, substitutions, and expediting
• Support S&OP processes by aligning production plans with budget vs. actual performance, forecast accuracy, demand variability, and scenario planning for promotions, LTOs, and seasonal demand
• Evaluate and recommend cost vs. service trade-offs, including overtime justification, backorder decisions, and opportunities for line consolidation or changeover reduction
• Quantify and communicate financial impact of promotional spikes, short-term demand shifts, and scheduling decisions
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives related to scheduling accuracy, forecast reliability, inventory turns, and throughput
• Support production stability and rework reduction efforts
• Participate in food safety and quality initiatives, including HACCP support as required
• Apply Lean, Six Sigma, or CI tools to improve planning effectiveness and execution
• Develop, maintain, and report KPIs related to scheduling, inventory, service, and capacity
• Analyze root causes of performance gaps and communicate corrective actions
• Provide clear reporting to senior leadership highlighting risks, opportunities, trends, and performance drivers

Required qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain, Operations, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• 5+ years of experience in production planning, scheduling, or supply chain roles
• Strong working knowledge of MRP/ERP systems and production planning tools
• Proven experience managing multi-site production schedules
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills
• Willingness to travel to manufacturing facilities as needed

Preferred qualifications

• APICS / ASCM, CSCMP, or similar professional certification (CPIM, CSCP, SCPro)
• Lean, Six Sigma, or Continuous Improvement experience
• Experience in FDA-regulated and HACCP-driven environments
• Experience in food, beverage, or CPG manufacturing
• Advanced Excel and data analysis skills

Why this role

This position acts as a central planning authority across multiple manufacturing facilities, partnering with plant and executive leadership to drive data-driven decisions on supply, demand, inventory, and capacity.