Strategic Production Planning Lead

Opti Staffing; Tigard (OR); On-site; USD 70,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Opti Staffing is seeking a Production Planning Manager to lead the production planning function in the SW PDX area. You will oversee Schedulers, Production Expeditors, Order Entry Clerks, and Document Control, translating demand, capacity, and inventory data into an actionable production plan for the shop floor.

The role requires at least five years of hands-on planning experience and proven managerial capability to build a unified Planning team with clear processes, communication, and

Qualifications

• Minimum five years of proven hands-on production planning experience within a manufacturing environment.
• Proven managerial experience with at least two years leading a planning, scheduling, or expediting team.
• Strong understanding of how a manufacturing plant flows from order entry and materials through scheduling, production, work in process, and delivery.
• Experience developing demand forecasts and production plans across multiple timeframes.
• Strong knowledge of capacity planning, material availability, inventory, production scheduling, and work in process control.
• Experience helping develop manufacturing instructions, routings, and process instructions.
• Demonstrated ability to plan, organize, implement, operate, and train employees on an ERP or MRP system.
• Familiarity with lean manufacturing principles within a low volume manufacturing environment.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to coach, develop, and hold employees accountable.
• Ability to build productive relationships across Production, Purchasing, Project Management, and other departments.
• Strong process improvement, critical thinking, and problem solving skills.
• Excellent attention to detail, organization, project management, and follow through.
• Ability to follow deadlines, changing priorities, ambiguity, and pressure.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• An associate degree or bachelor’s degree in a related field is preferred, although additional relevant experience may be considered in place of a degree.

Responsibilities

• Manage the daily workflow of Schedulers, Production Expeditors, Order Entry Clerks, and Document Control.
• Ensure production plans remain aligned with demand forecasts, inventory levels, material availability, and capacity.
• Bring Scheduling, Expediting, Order Entry, and Document Control together as one cohesive Planning team.
• Set clear goals, priorities, expectations, and accountability standards for the department.
• Provide direction, coaching, hands-on training, performance reviews, and corrective action when needed.
• Lead daily Planning huddles to review forecasts, resolve issues, and align demand and supply priorities.
• Build team capability through cross training, development, and succession planning.
• Develop rolling demand forecasts across multiple timeframes to guide purchasing and manufacturing requirements.
• Create a two to three week look ahead forecast that identifies labor and capacity shortages before they impact production.
• Evaluate material and capacity feasibility for critical requests for proposal and requests for quote.
• Review open orders against material availability and communicate with Purchasing when timing does not align with production needs.
• Monitor customer project plans against actual results to improve work in process control and prevent overproduction.
• Monitor and manage the customer consignment program.
• Review department workflows and operating sequences to identify and implement process improvements.
• Build and expand planning tools that improve efficiency, output, and responsiveness.
• Develop, maintain, and analyze department performance metrics and budgets.
• Prepare and present key planning and production reports to leadership.
• Manage communication between Project Managers and Production to help meet customer expectations.

Skills

Leadership

Planning

Forecasting

ERP/MRP

Lean manufacturing

Problem solving

Communication

Team leadership

Organizational skills

Attention to detail

Education

Associate or Bachelor's degree in related field

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft Outlook

Job description

Opti Staffing is seeking a Production Planning Manager to lead the production planning function in the SW PDX area. You will oversee Schedulers, Production Expeditors, Order Entry Clerks, and Document Control, translating demand, capacity, and inventory data into an actionable production plan for the shop floor.

The role requires at least five years of hands-on planning experience and proven managerial capability to build a unified Planning team with clear processes, communication, and