Production Planner at Mars, Incorporated in Cleveland, Tennessee

Job Description:

Production Planner B4

Cleveland, TN

We're looking for a Production Planner who can plan , control and optimize product stocks that are matching production needs to meet customers' demands who are seeking to make the best alternative possible.

What are we looking for?

• Previous Production Planning/Scheduling experience


• A bility to plan, work with numbers


• We want someone who is a confident PC user (SAP, Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Power Point)), production planning systems.


• High level of demonstrated computer end-user skills; i.e., Excel, Word and PowerPoint


• Working knowledge of SAP and VLM


• Integrated Reporting, and/or TDSA as well as PSS is desirable


• Excellent communication and leadership skills are necessary, as well as the ability to negotiate, persuade, and analyze


• Ability to have strong relationships with line managers, continuous improvement engineers/specialists, production leads, and other site leaders


• Two-year Associate degree


• 2 years experience in manufacturing role and/or 2 year technical degree

Internal Associate Requirements:

• Must have "Meets or Exceeds" performance rating


• Must be in good performance standing, and not actively in attendance or performance management


• Candidates must have been actively employed in the business or in their current position for a minimum time of six months and be at the "Meets or Expert" skill level in their current position

What will be your key responsibilities?

• Develop production schedules that optimize customer service while balancing labor and inventory costs. Maintain inventories within freshness guidelines to provide best possible customer service.


• Develop detailed understanding of the manufacturing constraints and capabilities of the value streams being planned.


• Proactively identify potential supply / demand issues and communicate these to appropriately, depending on impact severity, in a timely manner through the appropriate channels.


• Develop and revise schedules to comply with manufacturing constraints and guidelines. Schedules should optimize customer service while also taking into consideration staffing and materials.


• Participate in weekly MPS (Master Production Scheduling) meetings with Operations Planning, Inbound Logistics, Operations Managers, and communicate recommended production schedules to Operations Managers, Scheduling Manager, and Inbound Logistics Department. Communicate needed changes from previous production schedule.


• Issue and communicate special instructions to, and interface with Value Stream managers, production leads, continuous improvement engineers/specialists, and team members regarding changes in production schedules and co-ordination of production. Establish priorities for run order and pack mix.


• Co-ordinate and communicate necessary production schedule changes between the value streams, inbound raw and pack, outbound and QF&S to assure most efficient scheduling of line trials, downtime for repairs, installations, and changeovers.


• Monitor differences between the committed schedules and the actual production using the IR (Integrated Reporting) system. Document reasons for these differences.


• Prepare weekly production reports comparing actual versus scheduled production, shifts, and tonnes. Maintain accuracy of the IR and related systems.


• Interface daily with site MW operations planners, Wrigley master planners as well as other manufacturing plants.


• Prepare special production studies, evaluations, and analyses, as directed by the logistics manager for the purposes of strategy planning and other analytical studies.


• Understand and modify structure of the Sequencing and Master Planning Models in Apollo and Voyager to assure the schedules satisfy all constrains and guidelines.


• Maintain adequate records of production, sales, and inventories for production planning purposes.


• Validate information in TDSA (Temporary Data Storage Area) for MCNA and Wrigley items.


• Back up for maintaining finished goods system and outbound logistics function (FGS (Finished Goods System) and JDA)).


• Back-up for Replenishment Analyst and Inbound Procurement of Raws and Packs.


• Drive process enhancements, either through new systems, additional functionality, or procedure changes that will increase business effectiveness.


• Displays a high degree of initiative and participation within the area towards meeting the area objectives.


• Attend activity coordinator meetings to stay aware of new product/family timelines and how to incorporate those into the current MCNA and Wrigley production plan.


• Continues to improve skills in area and update technical expertise. Takes on at least one cost saving CI project per year (min $25,000)


• Perform all duties listed above for additional value streams.


• Maintain planning calendars based on projected demand.


• Integrate new items into Mars and Wrigley planning systems as well as sequencing models.


• Manage timing of production and/or co-packing for promotional events and launches such that desired product quantities are available.


• Coordinate with master planner to identify required changes to seasonal inventory pre-builds, re-balancing of production and production shift requirements.


• Collaborate MCNA Senior Operations Planner and Wrigley master planner in analysis of new ideas for feasibility to support innovation, capacity, and efficiency, including seasonal, customization and in-sourcing.


• Work to identify and resolve supply, capacity, and product age issues with recommendations to the Segment Planning Manager.


• Manually analyse and adjust SAP daily to eliminate old or unneeded planned and processed orders (COID clean-up).


• Monitor SAP for finished good production that doesn't have an order to process against. Create an order and manually process the finished goods.


• Plan, schedule, and monitor inventory on semi-finished good. Schedule production against said semi-finished good into finished good in SAP and Voyager.


• Maintain production trackers for all 5 value streams that track KPIs as well as waste $, waste tons, family tons, and shift usage by family.


• Hosts weekly meeting with site product distribution leadership to plan flow of finished product.

What can you expect from Mars?

• Work with over 130,000 diverse and talented Associates, all guided by The Five Principles.


• Join a purpose driven company, where we're striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today .


• Best-in-class learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars Universit y.


• An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.

Find out more about w h at Mars can offer you by visiting our Global Careers site.