Production Planner

James Hardie Building Products Inc. is the North American leader in fiber cement home siding and exterior design solutions. Hardie® products offer long lasting beauty and endless design possibilities with trusted protection and low maintenance. The company pioneered modern fiber cement building products and continues to invest in innovation to transform the industry. James Hardie is a high-performance organization, with an unwavering commitment to Zero Harm. The company proudly employs a diverse workforce of over 3,000 employees across operations in North America.

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Hybrid from our Chicago office 

The Production Planner is accountable for daily detailed scheduling and production plans for single/multiple manufacturing facilities using SAP’s Advanced Planning Optimization (APO) system. The Production Planner delivers a high level of service of assigned production plants and transfer lanes with the lowest landed cost planning solution for all products made at each plant location. In addition to the C+ planning responsibilities, the incumbent will play a key role in inventory management functions for the Logistics team. The incumbent plays a key role between customer service, manufacturing, and transportation by ensuring an effective flow of communication regarding product availability, execution of lowest landed cost planning and minimization of inefficient freight. The incumbent reports to the Logistics Manager.

What You’ll Do:

• Provide detailed scheduling production plans for single/multiple manufacturing facilities using an APO planning platform: (50%)
  • Providing timely delivery of daily production plans while adhering to planning best practice methodology.
  • Understanding and incorporating manufacturing constraints in scheduling rules in order to maximize resource efficiency and minimize inventory stock-outs.
  • Providing proactive communication with key plant personnel to ensure adherence to schedule and processes.
  • Collaborating with plant personnel to develop plan of action for shortages including scheduled and unscheduled downtime to ensure high customer service.
• Execute inter-plant transfer strategies to enable high service of non-make items and recognizes capacity constraints within manufacturing facilities to maintain high service at lowest landed cost: (30%)
  • Executing of inter-plant transfers, rail replenishments and order movements to maximize customer service while minimizing freight expenses.
  • Manages all planning tools including master data to execute effective planning resulting in timely service and reduce/avoid excess and obsolete inventory.
  • Monitors material availability and outbound inter-plant transfer service while managing truck building/rearranging process of inter-plant transfers to support actual customer order service goals.
• Execute inventory target methodology, analyzes inventory across all manufacturing facilities, ensures compliance to inventory targets and manages excess and obsolete inventory. (20%)
  • Manages make and transfer master data for each production facility to help facilitate both short term production and  long term demand supply matching exercises.
  • Works closely with finance, measures excess and obsolete inventory and develops action plans to reduce inefficient inventory with both proactive and reactive processes.

What You’ll Bring:  

• Demonstrated ability to identify and understand issues or problems using data and use effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing an appropriate solution.
• Demonstrated advanced analytical skills with the various features of spreadsheet and basic software (Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Internet, and other proprietary software).
• Knowledge of production planning best practice methodologies for multiple manufacturing facilities.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with plant personnel to develop action plans in reaction to product/production issues while still ensuring a high-level of customer service.
• Knowledge of supply chain, transportation, and logistics.
• Ability to drive adherence to planning best practices and procedures.
• Superior interpersonal and written/oral communication skills with the ability to relate well and cooperate with others to effectively.
• Demonstrated ability to build strategic working relationships while holding others and self-accountable for deliverables.
• Demonstrated ability to act independently upon information and make decisions that achieve optimal results.
• Ability to successfully manage multiple tasks and prioritize workload while paying attention to detail.
• Demonstrated ability to function as a strong team player.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Science, Operations, Engineering, or related field required. Degree must be from an accredited institution.
• 2 or more years of experience in an analytical position.
• 1 year of planning experience required
• Direct supply chain experience.
• SAP/APO planning experience required.
• Material Replenishment Program (MRP), deployment, Constrained Production Planning (CPP) and/or replenishment solutions experience (preferred).

What You’ll Receive:

At James Hardie, we recognize that our success depends on our people. We've worked hard to build a generous and competitive benefits program that demonstrates our commitment to our employees.

• Comprehensive low-cost co-pay Health Insurance; medical, dental, prescription, and vision insurance benefits for every 30+ hour full-time employee. Insurance starts on day one!
• 401(k) Retirement plan that will match 100% of employees saved dollars up to the first 6% of your salary
• Paid holidays, paid vacation including Jury Duty and bereavement leave
• Wellness Program
• Employee Assistance Program
• Parental Leave
• Community Involvement & Sustainable Solutions - Fire Resistant Siding to Help Rebuild the Grizzly Flats Community | James Hardie
• And more

Apply now and come “home” to Hardie!

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James Hardie Building Products Inc. is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, gender, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, genetic information, veteran's status, marital status, pregnancy, disability, or any other basis protected by law.