Compensation: $125,000 – $195,000 annually
About Us
Fruition Group US is a specialist recruitment partner working across technology, engineering, and cleantech markets in the US, UK, Ireland, and Europe. We're currently retained by a privately owned, high-mix electronics manufacturer building precision RF and microwave hardware for aerospace, defense, and commercial customers, to fill a senior planning leadership position.
Job Brief Overview
Our client is seeking a seasoned Planning Manager to lead its Planning and Scheduling team in a complex, low-volume, high-mix manufacturing environment. You'll own the master schedule and priorities that drive on-time delivery, partnering closely with Sales, Supply Chain, Engineering, Quality, and Manufacturing to secure the materials and capacity needed to hit committed lead times.
About the Role
- Lead, coach, and develop a team of Planners and Schedulers, setting clear goals and holding the team accountable for quality and deadlines.
- Own performance management, training, and succession planning across the group, building a self-sufficient bench.
- Partner with HR on hiring and organizational design as the team scales.
Planning & Scheduling
- Own the master schedule and priorities that direct daily production activity, balancing hands-on execution with team leadership.
- Set realistic, aggressive lead times and maintain ERP planning parameters, including lot sizes, safety stock, Kanban, and inventory targets.
- Actively manage work in progress, resolve stalled jobs and bottlenecks, and drive daily recovery actions with Manufacturing.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Represent Planning in S&OP and leadership forums, driving alignment across Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Engineering, and Quality.
- Partner with Sales Operations to rationalize customer demand and with Supply Chain to secure materials.
- Lead cross-functional teams to resolve supply issues affecting on-time delivery.
Data & Capacity Analysis
- Use data analysis, including queries, trending, and statistics, to identify systemic issues and drive root-cause corrective action.
- Build and maintain capacity models for key work centers, projecting labor and equipment loading to flag future gaps.
- Track Supply Planning KPIs and report progress to the Executive Team.
Specialized Program Support
- Oversee specialized program planning, including space, high-reliability, and new product introduction work, through a dedicated planner, ensuring program requirements are integrated and prioritized within the overall build schedule.
Key Requirements
Required
- Bachelor's degree in Operations Management or a related field.
- 8+ years in an IC or electronics manufacturing environment, including 3+ years in a production planning management role.
- Proven ERP experience prioritizing production and optimizing inventory.
- Strong data analysis skills, including queries, data manipulation, statistics, and trending.
- Proven ability to lead, coach, and develop a planning and scheduling team.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with confidence presenting to leadership.
Benefits & Working Conditions
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage.
- Company-paid long-term disability and life / AD&D insurance.
- Four weeks of paid time off plus paid holidays.
- 401(k) with employer matching and a college loan subsidy program.
Ready to lead a planning function that keeps a complex, high-mix production floor running on time?