Production Planner/Buyer

• $60,000–$70,000 annually, based on experience and qualifications.
• Company support for earning or maintaining relevant professional certifications, including APICS or similar credentials.
• Additional benefits to be confirmed.

Job Summary

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop, maintain, and optimize production schedules across manufacturing cells and production lines based on customer demand, available capacity, material availability, and delivery deadlines.
• Apply constraint-based capacity planning and scheduling methods to improve production flow, resource utilization, and operational efficiency.
• Create and manage production orders, ensuring accurate job routing, sequencing, material allocation, and documentation.
• Plan, coordinate, and purchase raw materials and supplies required to support manufacturing operations and customer orders.
• Procure specialized materials, including fabrics, fiberglass, PTED, adhesives, and other production components.
• Generate and manage purchase orders to ensure materials arrive within required production lead times.
• Monitor short-term and upcoming material requirements to prevent shortages, stockouts, and production interruptions.
• Maintain accurate inventory records, establish appropriate inventory levels, and process material usage and scrap transactions in the ERP system.
• Enter and process customer orders from multiple sales channels, ensuring accuracy and timely processing.
• Coordinate with production, purchasing, operations, and customer-facing teams to communicate order status, production schedules, and expected shipment dates.
• Track and report key operational metrics, including on-time delivery, production performance, and manufacturing lead times.
• Identify scheduling conflicts, material shortages, and operational bottlenecks, implementing corrective actions to minimize disruptions.
• Participate in daily production management meetings and contribute to problem-solving initiatives.
• Support continuous improvement efforts focused on reducing lead times, improving inventory accuracy, and increasing manufacturing efficiency.
• Maintain accurate production documentation, purchasing records, and ERP transactions.
• Follow company safety policies, participate in required safety meetings, and use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when necessary.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years of relevant experience in production planning, manufacturing scheduling, purchasing, materials management, or a closely related manufacturing operations role involving comparable responsibilities.
• Associate degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Manufacturing, Operations Management, or a related field, or equivalent relevant manufacturing experience.
• Hands-on experience coordinating production schedules, purchasing materials, and managing inventory in a manufacturing environment.
• Working knowledge of manufacturing processes, production workflows, and capacity planning.
• Understanding of Bills of Materials (BOMs), production routers, and manufacturing work orders.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, for scheduling, tracking, reporting, and data analysis.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet tight deadlines, and maintain accuracy in a fast-paced production environment.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and consistent follow-through.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to coordinate effectively across production, operations, and other departments.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify potential delays and implement practical solutions.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating with cross-functional teams.
• Willingness to work extended hours when required to support production operations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Business Administration, Manufacturing, or a related field.
• APICS/ASCM certification or similar supply chain, production planning, or inventory management credentials.
• Experience using ERP or MRP systems for production scheduling, purchasing, inventory tracking, and order management.
• Experience in custom manufacturing or make-to-order production environments.
• Familiarity with constraint-based scheduling, production capacity planning, and manufacturing lead-time optimization.
• Experience purchasing specialized raw materials or managing supplier lead times.
• Knowledge of inventory control methods, material requirements planning, and stockout prevention.
• Experience tracking manufacturing KPIs, including on-time delivery, inventory accuracy, and production lead times.
• Familiarity with Lean Manufacturing, continuous improvement methodologies, or structured problem-solving processes.
• Experience coordinating production requirements across multiple manufacturing cells or shifts.

Work Environment / Schedule

• Full-time, on-site position based in Richmond, VA.
• Primarily office-based work involving extended periods of computer use, ERP systems, production scheduling, and administrative coordination.
• Regular interaction with manufacturing, production, warehouse, and operations teams.
• Periodic presence on the manufacturing floor and in warehouse areas to verify material availability and coordinate production activities.
• Fast-paced manufacturing environment requiring responsiveness to changing production priorities, customer deadlines, and material requirements.
• Flexibility to work extended hours as needed to support multiple production shifts.
• Adherence to company health and safety procedures, including the use of appropriate PPE in designated areas.

Compensation and Benefits

• Annual Salary: $60,000–$70,000, depending on experience and qualifications.
• Company support for obtaining or maintaining relevant professional certifications, including APICS or similar credentials.
• Additional employee benefits will be discussed during the hiring process.

Key Measures of Success

• Production schedules consistently support manufacturing targets and customer delivery commitments.
• Strong on-time delivery performance and reduced production lead times.
• Accurate production orders, purchasing documentation, and ERP inventory records.
• Reliable material availability with minimal production disruptions caused by stockouts.
• Effective communication and coordination across production, purchasing, operations, and customer-facing teams.
• Continuous improvement in scheduling efficiency, inventory management, and overall manufacturing performance.

EEO Statement