Senior Production Planner - SAP MRP & Inventory Lead

Arkema; Grand Rapids (MI); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Arkema in Grand Rapids, MI is seeking a seasoned Production Planner to manage manufacturing orders, raw materials, and inventory accuracy within SAP-driven processes. You will partner with Purchasing, Plant Operations, Logistics, and Customer Service to optimize supply, schedule production, and ensure on-time delivery.

The role requires at least 5 years in planning manufacturing operations, strong materials management knowledge, and APICS/SAP experience.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years’ experience in planning manufacturing operations.
• Proficient in materials management, supplier quality and performance requirements, understanding of production processes, and S&OP.

Responsibilities

• Review and resolve daily MRP exception messages to address planning and supply issues.
• Perform exception-based planning considering new volumes, product scale-ups, capacity, and asset use.
• Create and sequence production orders by reactor grade and train, optimizing schedules in SAP.
• Maintain demand forecasts by removing outdated data.
• Manage the full lifecycle of production orders ensuring accuracy and efficiency.
• Release and manage raw material requisitions daily to meet demand and inventory targets.
• Communicate delays from late raw material deliveries to Customer Service and Buyers.
• Set and communicate raw material safety stock levels.
• Monitor raw material supply after production or demand changes.
• Enter supplier non-conformance reports and confirm missed deliveries.
• Manage B2B and specialty workflow orders.
• Participate in S&OP.
• Work closely with Purchasing, Plant Operations, Logistics, and Customer Service to optimize supply chain and prioritize production.
• Provide monthly inventory and cost accuracy reports to relevant teams.
• Lead investigations to resolve inventory discrepancies and prevent reoccurrence.
• Perform daily, weekly, and monthly inventory transactions to maintain accuracy year-round.
• Conduct monthly physical counts and reconciliations of raw materials and toted materials; increase frequency if discrepancies arise.
• Support audits, stock takes, and compliance activities (SOX, corporate audits).
• Collaborate with Process Engineering and Logistics to maintain accurate BOMs, routings, buffer stocks, and production data.
• Report slow-moving inventory monthly.
• Support ERP system transactions and resolve issues with blocked, quarantined, or non-standard inventory and production orders.
• Review and clean Stock Transport Orders daily and close production orders in SAP twice weekly to maintain accurate MRP data.
• Investigate and report significant inventory adjustments and troubleshoot data errors.

Skills

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Time management

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

BS Degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain, or related field

Tools

SAP

Job description

Arkema in Grand Rapids, MI is seeking a seasoned Production Planner to manage manufacturing orders, raw materials, and inventory accuracy within SAP-driven processes. You will partner with Purchasing, Plant Operations, Logistics, and Customer Service to optimize supply, schedule production, and ensure on-time delivery.

The role requires at least 5 years in planning manufacturing operations, strong materials management knowledge, and APICS/SAP experience.