Production Planner, Custom Products

Georg Fischer; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Georg Fischer is seeking a highly organized Production Planner in Irvine, California, to manage production planning activities. This role includes coordinating work orders and ensuring efficient, timely manufacturing.

The ideal candidate will have a degree in Supply Chain Management and experience with ERP systems, preferably SAP. Strong analytical skills and a collaborative mindset are essential for success in this role.

Qualifications

• 1–3 years of experience in production planning or scheduling in a manufacturing environment.

Responsibilities

• Manage the full lifecycle of production work orders ensuring data accuracy.
• Maintain and update the production schedule based on demand forecasts.
• Act as liaison between production, customer service, and other departments.
• Track production progress and identify potential delays.
• Analyze demand planning and inventory data to optimize schedules.

Skills

Analytical skills

Problem-solving skills

ERP systems (SAP preferred)

Production scheduling

Inventory control

Lean manufacturing principles

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, or a related field

APICS (CPIM) certification

Tools

SAP

Microsoft Office

Job description

At GF, we see our company as a forward-thinking leader in our field. Since 1802, we have been embracing innovations and sustainable solutions of the highest quality that add value to people’s lives around the globe.

Join us to be part of a forward-thinking, people-centered company where your ideas and contributions truly matter.

This is your opportunity to make a real impact in a collaborative, international environment.

We are seeking a highly organized and detail-oriented Production Planner to coordinate and manage production planning activities within a custom manufacturing environment. This role is responsible for releasing, scheduling, monitoring, and managing work orders to ensure products are manufactured efficiently, accurately, and delivered on time. The Production Planner works closely with manufacturing, purchasing, inventory, and customer service teams to balance production capacity, material availability, and customer demand.

The ideal candidate possesses strong analytical and problem-solving skills, experience working with ERP systems (SAP preferred), and a solid understanding of production scheduling, inventory control, and lean manufacturing principles. Success in this role requires the ability to prioritize multiple projects, maintain accurate production data, and proactively identify opportunities to improve workflow efficiency and on-time delivery performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the full lifecycle of production work orders—from creation to completion—ensuring data accuracy, timely release, and alignment with production goals.
• Maintain and update the production schedule based on demand forecasts, capacity constraints, and material availability.
• Act as a liaison between Production, Customer Service, Project Management, Sales, and other departments to coordinate production plans and resolve scheduling issues.
• Track production progress and order status in SAP; provide committed dates and identify potential delays or bottlenecks.
• Analyze demand planning and inventory data to optimize schedules and ensure efficient resource utilization.
• Collaborate with Purchasing and Supply Chain to forecast material requirements and mitigate potential disruptions.
• Apply lean manufacturing practices to streamline workflow and minimize waste.
• Generate and maintain reports on production status, rates, and key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Provide backup support to the Production Control Supervisor and Operations Manager as needed.
• Use ERP tools for demand planning, forecasting, production scheduling, inventory, and materials management.
• Analyze MRP and Material Master data for accuracy; adjust system settings to optimize outcomes.
• Develop build schedules using ERP data, capacity management, and lead times to meet customer demand.
• Monitor and balance work center capacity/load while considering customer and internal priorities
• Regularly update manufacturing due dates to keep production plans current.
• Prepare analytical reports to support business decision-making.
• Support inventory level management, backlog monitoring, and product availability analysis.
• Review and recommend changes to standard lot sizes, safety stock levels, and forecast parameters.
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams to address urgent orders, material shortages, or capacity issues.
• Communicate BOM and routing requirements with Engineering.
• Continuously seek improvements in planning, scheduling, and inventory control processes.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, or a related field preferred.
• APICS (CPIM) certification preferred.
• 1–3 years of experience in production planning or scheduling in a manufacturing environment.

Technical Skills

• Proficiency in ERP/MRP systems; SAP experience strongly preferred.
• Skilled in Microsoft Office,
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, specifications, and bills of materials (BOMs).

Soft Skills

• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; collaborative mindset.
• Proactive problem-solver with a focus on continuous improvement.
• Solid understanding of lean manufacturing and inventory control principles.

Please submit your application via the ‘Apply’ button.