Production Planner

Position Overview

Ultimate Staffing is actively seeking an experienced Production Planner to join their client's dynamic team in Newark, California. This role involves managing the entire production planning, scheduling, and inventory management function within a high-mix manufacturing environment. The successful candidate will translate customer demand and forecasts into actionable production and capacity plans, balancing service levels, operational constraints, and working capital objectives.

Responsibilities

• Lead and continuously improve production planning, scheduling, and inventory control processes.
• Develop, maintain, and optimize daily, weekly, and monthly master production schedules against capacity.
• Establish and govern planning policies and parameters such as lead times, lot sizes, and safety stock.
• Translate customer demand and forecasts into executable production and capacity plans.
• Balance capacity, labor, equipment, and material constraints across operations.
• Identify, evaluate, and manage bottlenecks and constraints, and explore load leveling opportunities.
• Analyze and recommend actions related to overtime vs. outsourcing, make vs. buy decisions, and capacity expansion or shift changes.
• Prepare and present risks, trade-offs, and recommendations to plant and senior management.
• Drive inventory optimization aligned with working capital and cash targets.
• Collaborate with Procurement to manage supplier lead times and supply risks.
• Drive Lean, Kaizen, and system improvements in planning and production execution.
• Support new product introductions with capacity, material, and planning readiness.
• Ensure planning practices comply with quality systems, safety standards, and internal controls.
• Communicate plans clearly and effectively to shop floor teams and leadership.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Business, or a related field. A Master's degree or professional certification is a plus.

Experience

• Eight to ten years of experience in production planning, manufacturing, or supply chain within packaging, manufacturing, or engineered products.
• Strong experience working with technical and engineering teams. Knowledge of packaging materials is a plus.
• Ability to work with others, both within the company and with suppliers.
• Ability to manage multiple demands simultaneously.

Languages

• Fluent in English.
• Ability to communicate effectively through written and verbal skills.
• Able to make effective and persuasive presentations to employee groups and management.

Skills and Competencies

• Ability to respond under pressure situations with clear and decisive action.
• Skilled in making effective and persuasive presentations in various situations.

Required Work Hours

Monday to Friday, 1st Shift

Benefits

Max Pay is $100,000. Min Pay is $80,000.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, age, ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, or military or veteran status. We consider all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with state and local laws, including the California Fair Chance Act, City of Los Angeles' Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance.