Planning Associate

Key Responsibilities:

• Production Scheduling: Plan, organize, control, and execute production schedules for specific products.
• Demand Forecasting: Develop schedules based on customer demand, forecasted volumes, and product profiles.
• Capacity and Material Analysis: Analyze factors like capacity, board cycle times, material availability, and urgency to determine schedules.
• Internal Coordination: Assess internal impacts such as line scheduling, procurement, and logistics.
• Quality Control: Ensure the quality and accuracy of information used for materials requirements planning.
• Plan Adjustments: Revise plans based on actual versus forecasted data.
• Engineering Changes Management: Handle issues related to engineering changes to minimize cost exposure and material excess.
• Product Introduction Support: Assist in the introduction of new products and manage the transfer or de-transfer of existing products.
• Materials Communication: Provide information on material availability and manage inventory levels.
• Customer Commitments: Develop and communicate commitments to customers regarding shipment schedules.
• Resource Coordination: Ensure necessary resources are available to meet shipment commitments.
• Inventory Management: Review and report on inventory levels, backlog, availability, and on-time delivery.
• Continuous Improvement: Lead improvements in planning processes and outbound order fulfillment.
• Leadership and Training: Provide leadership, guidance, and training to employees and support other departments with best practices.

Knowledge/Skills/Competencies:

• Basic Manufacturing Knowledge: Understanding of electronic manufacturing environments, materials, and processes.
• Production Planning Fundamentals: Knowledge of scheduling, materials requirements planning (MRP), and manufacturing control systems.
• Purchasing Principles: Basic understanding of purchasing techniques and philosophies.
• Computer Skills: Proficiency in applications like WORD, Excel, PowerPoint, and other business applications.
• Customer Needs Understanding: Awareness of customer needs and how they impact production planning.
• Analytical Skills: Good analytical and statistical skills for data analysis and problem-solving.
• Strategic Planning: Ability to plan strategically for product build and delivery.
• Multi-tasking and Attention to Detail: Ability to handle multiple tasks accurately and under tight deadlines.
• Effective Communication: Strong verbal and written communication skills for interacting with internal and external customers.

Typical Experience:

• Experience Required: Two to four years of relevant experience in production planning, supply chain management, or a related field.

Typical Education:

• Educational Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in a related field or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Specific educational requirements may vary depending on geography.