Production Planning Assistant

National Pen; Shelbyville (TN); On-site; USD 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A manufacturing company in Tennessee seeks a Production Planner to execute and manage production schedules. The role involves coordinating material readiness, maintaining accurate ERP data, and communicating daily priorities. Candidates should have 1-2 years of experience in production control or scheduling, proficiency in ERP systems like Oracle or SAP, and strong organizational skills. This position promotes a team-oriented mindset and supports continuous improvement initiatives.

Qualifications

• 1–2 years of experience in production control, scheduling, or planning roles.
• Basic understanding of manufacturing operations and production flow.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Office tools.

Responsibilities

• Execute production schedules for assigned lines.
• Verify material availability for production.
• Maintain production data accuracy in ERP systems.
• Communicate production changes effectively.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives.

Skills

Production control

Scheduling

Planning

Microsoft Excel

Attention to detail

Organizational skills

Tools

ERP systems (Oracle or SAP)

Job description

What you will do

Production Schedule Execution & Expediting

• Execute daily and weekly production schedules for assigned lines or processes.
• Actively follow up on the shop floor to ensure production is running according to plan.
• Track schedule adherence and identify delays, interruptions, or priority conflicts.
• Expedite orders, materials, or decisions required to protect daily output and SLAs.
• Provide real‑time feedback to the Production Planner on execution issues.

Material & Capacity Coordination

• Verify material availability and readiness before releasing or confirming production schedules.
• Coordinate with Warehouse and Material Handling teams to ensure timely staging of materials.
• Identify short‑term material shortages, labor gaps, or capacity constraints.
• Proactively escalate risks that may impact production commitments.

ERP & Data Accuracy

• Maintain accurate production schedules and execution data in the ERP system.
• Ensure timely updates of work orders, production confirmations, and support data accuracy required for planning, reporting, and KPI tracking.

Communication & Follow-Up

• Communicate daily priorities and changes to Production Supervisors and Team Leaders.
• Participate in daily production meetings, providing clear status updates and risks.
• Serve as the main scheduling contact for execution‑related questions during the shift.
• Ensure alignment between planning priorities and shop‑floor execution.
• Support Production Planning & Continuous Improvement by providing continuous execution feedback, constraint visibility, and shop‑floor insights to the Production Planner.
• Follow defined planning rules, scheduling standards, and escalation paths.

Support continuous improvement initiatives related to schedule stability, material flow, throughput and execution discipline.

What we need from you

• 1–2 years of experience in production control, scheduling, or planning roles.
• Basic understanding of manufacturing operations and production flow.
• ERP system experience required (Oracle or SAP).
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Office tools.
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Flexibility on working schedule.

Soft Skills

• Strong organization and follow‑up discipline.
• Attention to detail and data accuracy.
• Sense of urgency and ownership.
• Ability to identify issues early and elevate effectively.

Team‑oriented mindset