TITLE: Sr. Production Planner
LOCATION: Renton, WA
EMPLOYMENT TYPE: Direct Hire
PAY RANGE: 100-125K base plus benefits
Our manufacturing client is seeking a highly skilled Production Planner to join their Operations team. This role plays a critical part in ensuring production runs efficiently, schedules are maintained, and materials are available to meet customer demand. Daily interaction with SAP is essential, as the planner will manage sales orders, production schedules, material requirements, and backlog visibility from the outset. The ideal candidate will have strong experience navigating SAP modules related to planning, production, and inventory while delivering accurate data and ensuring timely execution.
As a senior-level planner, you will take ownership of planning activities, working closely with production, engineering, procurement, and sales teams. You will balance capacity, monitor constraints, and support on-time delivery objectives. Key responsibilities include developing and adjusting production plans, analyzing lead times, monitoring order status, identifying potential delays, and taking corrective action. Additionally, you will contribute to the continuous improvement of planning processes across operations.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Capacity & Resource Planning: Assess long-term production needs relative to available resources and identify potential bottlenecks.
- Backlog Management in SAP: Keep work orders, sales orders, and planning data current with clear, accurate backlog notes.
- Demand Alignment: Collaborate with sales and operations to prioritize orders based on commitments, lead times, and production constraints.
- Forecasting & Reporting: Lead open order reporting, aligning sales, engineering, and operations; generate and present weekly/monthly reports on production health, resource utilization, and planning alignment.
- Data Analysis & KPI Insights: Extract key metrics from SAP and translate them into actionable plans for the team.
- Continuous Improvement: Identify opportunities to streamline planning processes and enhance ERP system use.
- Constraint Resolution: Work cross-functionally to identify and resolve production and material limitations.
Supervisory Responsibilities: None
Required Qualifications:
- 5+ years of experience in production planning, supply chain, or operations within manufacturing or assembly environments.
- Advanced proficiency with SAP, including planning, scheduling, and material management modules.
- Strong understanding of MRP, capacity planning, and production workflows.
- Ability to analyze data, interpret KPIs, and communicate clear planning recommendations.
- Proven collaboration skills with cross-functional teams such as sales, engineering, and procurement.
- Experience maintaining production schedules and backlog visibility tools.
- Proficient in Excel and capable of working with SAP reports and data extracts.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present updates to leadership.
- Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, operations, business, or related field preferred; equivalent experience considered.
