Master Scheduler

Index Search; DeKalb (IL); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Index Search in DeKalb, IL is seeking a Master Scheduler to own the master production schedule across five local facilities. You will balance demand, material availability, capacity, and inventory to drive efficiency and profitability.

You will collaborate with Sales, Supply Chain, Procurement, Planning, and Operations to align daily activity with the master schedule and lead the planning cadence across sites. Domestic travel is required.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in Master Scheduling, Production Planning, Production Control, or similar.
• Experience planning across multiple facilities.
• Strong ERP/MRP and S&OP/SIOP knowledge.
• Proficiency in Excel and Office 365.

Responsibilities

• Own the Master Schedule across five manufacturing facilities.
• Translate forecasts and orders into production plans with Sales.
• Sequence production to minimize changeovers, scraps, downtime, and maximize utilization.
• Manage material flow with Procurement and Supply Chain.
• Lead cross-plant alignment and daily scheduling cadence.
• Adjust schedules rapidly for downtime, shortages, or changes.
• Identify opportunities to improve scheduling processes and capacity utilization.

Skills

Master scheduling

Production planning

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

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

Tools

ERP/MRP systems

Excel

Office 365

Job description

Location: DeKalb, IL | Multi-Site Manufacturing

Are you a Master Scheduler who thrives in a complex manufacturing environment where your decisions directly impact production, inventory, customer service, and profitability?

We are seeking a Master Scheduler to take ownership of the master production schedule across five local manufacturing facilities. This is a highly visible role for someone who understands that effective scheduling is more than putting dates on a spreadsheet, it requires balancing customer demand, raw material availability, machine capacity, changeovers, and the realities of the production floor.

You will serve as the central point connecting Sales, Supply Chain, Procurement, Planning, and Operations, ensuring the plants are aligned around a realistic and optimized production plan.

What You'll Do

• Own the Master Schedule: Develop and manage weekly and monthly production schedules across five manufacturing facilities, balancing customer demand, machine capacity, raw material availability, and inventory objectives.


• Turn Demand Into Action: Translate forecasts and incoming orders into realistic production plans while partnering with Sales to understand seasonal demand and SKU fluctuations.


• Optimize Production: Sequence production runs to minimize changeovers, reduce scrap and downtime, and maximize machine utilization and overall throughput.


• Manage Material Flow: Partner with Procurement and Supply Chain to ensure critical raw materials are available when needed without creating unnecessary excess inventory.


• Drive Cross-Plant Alignment: Work closely with plant managers, production planners, and supervisors to ensure daily production activity supports the overall master schedule.


• React and Reprioritize: Quickly adjust schedules in response to equipment downtime, quality issues, material shortages, customer changes, and planned outages.


• Challenge the Status Quo: Identify opportunities to improve scheduling processes, lead times, inventory levels, capacity utilization, and overall operational efficiency.


• Lead the Daily Cadence: Participate in and help lead production and scheduling meetings, clearly communicating priorities, constraints, and changes across the organization.

What We're Looking For

• 5+ years of experience in Master Scheduling, Production Planning, Production Control, or a similar manufacturing role.


• Experience managing complex production schedules, preferably across multiple manufacturing facilities.


• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Operations, Engineering, Business, or a related field—or equivalent hands‑on experience.


• Strong knowledge of ERP/MRP systems, capacity planning, and S&OP/SIOP processes.


• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Office 365.


• Experience in continuous-process, metals, wire & cable, heavy manufacturing, or similarly complex production environments is required.


• Strong understanding of production constraints, machine capacity, material availability, and changeover optimization.


• Ability to confidently communicate with and influence Sales, Supply Chain, Procurement, Plant Managers, and Production teams.

Why This Opportunity?

This is an opportunity to step into a high-impact, multi-site scheduling role where your work will have a direct influence on production efficiency, customer service, inventory, and profitability.

You'll have the opportunity to improve how five manufacturing facilities operate together while working with experienced leaders across Operations, Sales, Supply Chain, and Procurement.

Local travel between the five facilities is required, all within approximately 5 minutes of DeKalb.