RSU Planner/Scheduler

AkzoNobel; Waukegan (IL); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 76,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance with HSA

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

AD&D

Annual bonus

401K with match

Generous vacation, personal andholiday

Parental leave

Hybrid work for most exempt roles

Diversity networks

Tuition reimbursement

Career growth opportunities

Employee referral bonus

Job summary

AkzoNobel is seeking a planning professional to optimize RSU production scheduling and ensure timely availability of tinters, labels, and packaging components. You will define requirements, support new RSU implementations, and drive continuous improvement of planning operations.

The role emphasizes data accuracy, collaboration with Demand Planners, Material Planners, and Manufacturing teams, and adherence to lead times while maintaining service levels.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent experience.
• 3–5 years of production planning, scheduling, MRP/ERP in manufacturing.
• Strong knowledge of MRP/ERP systems and advanced Excel proficiency.
• Experience balancing service and cost with inventory levels.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain the master production plan for RSU operations.
• Schedule and release production orders to the shop floor.
• Monitor WIP, schedule adherence, and lead times; take corrective actions.
• Resolve MRP exceptions and maintain master data accuracy.
• Collaborate with Demand/Material Planners, CS, QA, and Manufacturing.

Skills

Production planning

MRP/ERP

Excel (PivotTables, VLOOKUP)

Data analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Lean/Six Sigma

Education

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain/Industrial Eng/Business

Tools

SAP

Oracle

JDE

Power BI

Job description

About AkzoNobel

Since 1792, we’ve been supplying the innovative paints and coatings that help to color people’s lives and protect what matters most. Our world class portfolio of brands - including Dulux, International, Sikkens and Interpon - is trusted by customers around the globe. We’re active in more than 150 countries and use our expertise to sustain and enhance the fabric of everyday life. Because we believe every surface is an opportunity. It’s what you’d expect from a pioneering and long-established paints company that’s dedicated to providing sustainable solutions and preserving the best of what we have today - while creating an even better tomorrow. Let’s paint the future together.

Job Purpose

Ensure the optimal scheduling of RSU production orders and their readiness on the shop floor, securing the timely availability of tinters and the fulfillment of customer orders in line with expected lead times. During new RSU implementations, represent the planning function by defining requirements, providing input, and ensuring that planning needs are integrated to achieve successful project outcomes and continuous improvement of planning operations.

Key Respnsibilities

• Develop and maintain the master production plan for RSU operations, ensuring alignment with capacity agreements, customer requirements, and Integrated Business Planning (IBP) targets.
• Schedule and release production orders to the shop floor, sequencing operations according to agreed priorities, and ensuring timely readiness of materials such as tinters, labels, and packaging components.
• Monitor daily and weekly production performance, including WIP status, order progress, and schedule adherence, taking corrective actions to ensure lead time and service targets are met.
• Manage MRP processes by resolving exceptions, maintaining accurate master data, and optimizing parameters to ensure materials availability while balancing inventory and service levels.
• Collaborate closely with Demand Planners, Material Planners, Customer Service, Quality Control and Manufacturing teams to translate customer demand into executable production schedules and resolve operational constraints.
• Ensure data accuracy and system hygiene, including proper order closure, material consumption, and master data maintenance to support reliable planning and reporting. Lead planning-related process improvements and support Industrial Excellence initiatives, identifying optimization opportunities and implementing solutions to enhance efficiency and performance.
• Represent the planning function in new RSU implementation projects, ensuring that planning requirements are captured, systems and processes are tested, and smooth integration into daily operations is achieved.
• Conduct data analysis and performance tracking, providing insights, visualizations, and impact assessments to drive informed decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Act as the key link between Planning and Manufacturing, ensuring alignment, communication, and proactive issue resolution to deliver customer orders within expected lead times.

Level of Autonomy

The role requires a high level of autonomy in managing day-to-day planning and scheduling activities, with accountability for decision-making within the defined planning scope. The position operates with limited supervision, expected to proactively identify issues, propose solutions, and drive continuous improvement initiatives.

Job Responsibilities

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Industrial Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• Minimum 3–5 years of experience in production planning, scheduling, and MRP/ERP operations within a manufacturing environment.
• Strong knowledge of MRP/ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, JDE) and advanced proficiency in Excel (e.g., PivotTables, VLOOKUPs, Power BI preferred).
• Demonstrated experience managing master production plans, material requirements, and inventory levels (including safety stock and buffer management) to balance service and cost.
• Experience in scheduling production orders, monitoring shop floor execution, and driving corrective actions when schedules deviate.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and data-driven decision-making skills, including the ability to create and present impact analyses and performance dashboards.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with Manufacturing, Demand/DRP Planners, Procurement, and Customer Service teams.
• Ability to operate autonomously, proactively identify issues and improvement opportunities, and coordinate cross-functional initiatives (including project implementation).
• Proven track record of applying continuous improvement principles (Lean, Six Sigma, or similar) and contributing to planning-related process enhancements.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Rewards.Benefits

The salary range for these skills is: $65,000 to $76,000. This is the range that we in good faith anticipate relying on when setting wages for this position. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This salary range may also be modified in the future.

This role eligible for an annual bonus target of 4%, based on individual and company performance.

• Medical insurance with HSA
• Dental, Vision, Life, AD&D benefits
• Annual bonus
• 401K retirement savings with 6% company match
• Generous vacation, personal and holiday pay
• Paid Parental leave
• Hybrid work for most exempt roles
• Active Diversity & Inclusion Networks
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Career growth opportunities
• Employee referral bonus

At AkzoNobel we are highly committed to ensuring an inclusive and respectful workplace where all employees can be their best self. We strive to embrace diversity in a context of tolerance. Our talent acquisition process plays an integral part in this journey, as setting the foundations for a diverse environment. For this reason we train and educate on the implications of our Unconscious Bias in order for our TA and hiring managers to be mindful of them and take corrective actions when applicable. In our organization, all qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age or disability.