Production & Shipping Expedeiter
National Guard Products, IncPosition Summary The Production & Shipping Expediter / Planner coordinates the flow and priority of customer orders, materials, components, and production information across Order Entry, Customer Service, Purchasing, Production, Inventory, Warehouse, Receiving, and Shipping. The position monitors order progress, identifies bottlenecks and shortages, releases eligible priority orders, and provides timely status updates so commitments are met and manufacturing and shipping activities remain aligned. Essential Duties and Responsibilities Order progress and customer commitments: Track orders against required dates, identify orders that are late or at risk, and communicate reliable status information for customer follow-up. Status-request response: Review the late-order request log and respond within 30-45 minutes when practical. Obtain production details, F6 notes, emails, and other supporting information needed for order decisions. Priority order release: Release quick-ship, two-day air, hot, and other priority orders when requested by Order Entry or Customer Service and when release requirements are satisfied. Production follow-up: Work directly with production departments on orders requiring clarification. If no response is received within 30 minutes, follow up in person to confirm the order status. Material availability: Verify that raw materials and components are available for scheduled work. Coordinate with Purchasing and suppliers to expedite shortages or delayed inbound material. Inventory coordination: Partner with Inventory to monitor stock levels, address out-of-stock lines, and initiate replenishment or reorder activity needed to protect production flow. Cross-functional coordination: Serve as the operational link among Purchasing, Production, Inventory, Receiving, Warehouse, Shipping, Order Entry, and Customer Service to resolve delays and keep orders moving. Records and reporting: Maintain accurate order logs, reports, notes, and planning records in ERP/MRP systems, spreadsheets, and other approved tools. Special Planning and Order-Control Duties Export and refresh the Grainger report as needed to provide current order information. Prioritize Grainger orders due in Shipping by reviewing the applicable report tab and working from oldest to newest. Use the Grainger report as the working guide, release eligible unreleased orders, and verify movement in person when necessary. Coordinate with Order Entry on out-of-stock lines when supplier arrival dates or production completion dates may not support the customer due date. Release glass orders only when the designated system status permits release. Obtain production verification before releasing orders that remain in a hold status. Replenish production instruction sheets using the daily production scorecard as the planning guide. Provide Saturday support for Aluminum and Steel reprints, planning, or instruction-sheet creation when scheduled or required. Required Qualifications One to three years of experience in production coordination, shipping, receiving, warehousing, inventory control, or a related operational role. Working proficiency with ERP/MRP systems, inventory-management software, spreadsheets, and Microsoft Office applications. Strong verbal and written communication skills for coordinating with departments, vendors, suppliers, and customer-facing teams. Ability to organize competing priorities, monitor deadlines, maintain accurate records, and follow through on open issues. Ability to proactively identify and escalate production bottlenecks, material shortages, delivery risks, and order-release issues. Ability to work independently within established procedures while seeking approval for decisions outside assigned authority. Preferred Qualifications Experience in a fast-paced manufacturing or distribution environment. Knowledge of lean manufacturing principles and continuous-improvement methods. Experience operating forklifts, pallet jacks, or other warehouse …