Master Scheduler - Planner

Company Overview

BIRNS, an AS9100 certified leading high-tech manufacturer in West Ventura County, is seeking an energetic and experienced Master Scheduler/Planner. We are the performance and quality leader in our field—our products’ superior performance is objectively-verifiable—and we produce connector and lighting systems that improve the safety and efficiency of the Marine, Military, and Nuclear Power Generation industries.

Summary

The Master Scheduler/Planner reports to the Manufacturing Manager, and is in charge of orchestrating the production schedule, coordinating activities within the company to make sure deadlines are both reasonable and met on time.

The Master Scheduler/Planner oversees and helps arrange company sales planning to make sure there are realistic order fulfillment dates and production schedules. In situations where delays occur, the Master Scheduler/Planner will work with all company departments to find solutions and make up for lost time, and serve as a communications bridge within a company, including connecting management and production staff using meetings, reports, and idea exchanges.

Position Overview

The Master Scheduler/Planner is responsible for developing, maintaining, and optimizing the master production schedule to ensure alignment with customer demand, resource availability, and organizational objectives. This role requires experience with configured order background, streamlining processes for sales and operations to maximize output efficiency as well as making use of extensive industry-based knowledge and experience to best achieve business goals, along with close collaboration with cross-functional teams, engineering, procurement, and manufacturing, to ensure timely delivery of products while maintaining efficient operations. This is a high-visibility role that directly impacts customer satisfaction, on-time delivery, and operational success. The ideal candidate is not only technically strong but also thrives in a collaborative environment, enjoys problem-solving, and takes pride in creating processes that help teams work smarter and more efficiently.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage the master production schedule, integrating inputs from sales forecasts, customer orders, and inventory levels
• Coordinate with procurement and manufacturing teams to ensure material and capacity availability
• Configured order background experience is critical
• Monitor production progress and adjust schedules to address delays or changes in demand
• Analyze production data to identify trends, forecast future needs, and implement improvements
• Maintain accurate scheduling information in the ERP system and generate reports for management
• Collaborate with quality assurance to ensure products meet standards and schedules
• Participate in continuous improvement initiatives to enhance scheduling efficiency and accuracy
• Daily monitoring of the backlog with communication to Sales regarding issues or concerns with the items booked or schedules loaded
• Provide delivery availability to new demand requests from Sales based on material availability and capacity
• Coordinate with Engineering the needed details to drive material and release production to WIP on new items booked for delivery (documentation / BOMs for the build if not already an established item in the system)
• Coordinate Engineering change details into the system based on the disposition of the ECO from Engineering.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, or a related field
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in production scheduling or planning within a manufacturing environment for, make / build / configure to order as well as make to stock methodologies.
• Proficiency in ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle) and Microsoft Office Suite
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities
• APICS Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) or Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP)
• Experience with lean manufacturing principles and continuous improvement methodologies
• Familiarity with advanced planning and scheduling (APS) systems

What We’re Looking For

• Strong background in production planning, scheduling, or supply chain within a manufacturing environment
• ERP/MRP system experience (knowledge of [insert system you use if applicable] is a plus)
• Analytical mindset with the ability to balance long-term planning and real-time problem-solving
• Excellent communication skills to collaborate across departments and influence decision-making
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with changing priorities

Education & Experience

High school diploma or general education degree (GED) and three + years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree, or five years of related experience without a Bachelor’s degree; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Language Skills

Ability to read and interpret documents such as operating and maintenance instructions, blueprints, data and procedure manuals. Good written language skills are required, including the ability to write routine reports and effective correspondence. Excellent verbal language skills are required, including the ability to speak effectively (and clearly so others can understand you) before individuals or groups. Skills in “active listening” are also required. i.e. giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Social Skills

Ability to interact with others as a contributing member of a close-knit team. Ability to work together with others, possibly of different backgrounds and interests, without undue friction. Work well with others. Able to maintain strict confidentiality.

Mathematical Skills

Ability to calculate figures and amounts. Ability to apply concepts of basic math using addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Ability to understand simple mechanical engineering drawings. Ability to apply statistical methods to procurement-related subjects.

Reasoning Ability

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form. Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions. The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense. The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Computer Skills

Ability to comfortably use computer software in Windows environment. Intermediate to advanced understanding of manufacturing/MRB software, word-processing, spreadsheet, and related office applications. Ability to learn any new or additional software or hardware products as required by BIRNS in the future

General Skills

Self-starter, able to work independently, able to work under pressure, comfortable with interacting with multiple levels of organization, able to work cross-functionally within organization to accomplish objectives, results oriented.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to manipulate papers during filing or mailing; use fingers to type; and reach with hands and arms (and, sometimes, to stoop) to place/replace file folders, documents, etc. The employee is regularly required to hear the telephone and use it to speak clearly to people. The employee must regularly lift and/or move files or documents weighing up to 10 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move items (e.g., catalogs or literature) weighing up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision for typing, color vision for filing with color-coded files and documents, and the ability to adjust focus, e.g., when shifting gaze back and forth between a document and a computer screen.

Work Environment

This role operates in a manufacturing setting, requiring regular interaction with production, Engineering, and Sales personnel and occasional visits to the shop floor. Standard working hours are Monday through Friday, with flexibility to address production needs as necessary.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those encountered while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to an environment typical of a small-to-medium sized office. The noise level is usually quiet to moderate; noise producers include standard office equipment (including, but not limited to, ringing telephones and computer printers).

The employee is occasionally exposed to other hazards, when the employee needs to go onto our factory floor. There, hazards are typical of a light manufacturing environment. The noise level is usually quiet to moderate. The work is usually performed while seated, but the employee is regularly required to stand, e.g. when verifying inventory levels in the warehouse.

This Job Description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) incumbent in this position. Employee(s) will be required to follow any other job‐related instructions and to perform any other job‐related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments.

A review of this position has excluded the marginal functions of the position that are incidental to the performance of fundamental job duties. All duties and responsibilities are essential job functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.

To perform this job successfully, the incumbent(s) will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health or safety of themselves or others. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities.

This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an "at will" relationship. All employment at BIRNS is strictly “at will.

If you are ready to take on the challenge of optimizing our production processes at BIRNS, Inc., we invite you to apply today and be part of our innovative team!