Planner II – Littleton, MA – $85K
Description
Position Summary
The Planner II is responsible for end-to-end planning and execution of material and production plans for complex, long-lead, engineered-to-order medical systems and service assemblies. This role operates at the system and project level, translating MRP outputs, engineering releases, and SIOP commitments into executable production plans that support on-time system delivery, service fulfillment, and regulatory compliance. The Planner II acts as a cross-functional integrator, working closely with Manufacturing, Purchasing, Engineering, Quality, and Program Management to manage schedules, material readiness, and execution risk across assigned systems or service programs.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and maintain system-level production plans aligned to approved SIOP and master schedules
- Create, release, and manage work orders, jobs, and build packages in ERP/MRP systems
- Plan and sequence production activities across manufacturing cells, commissioning, and test phases
- Own material readiness for assigned systems, including long-lead and critical components
- Analyze MRP outputs to identify shortages, constraints, and risks
- Coordinate with Purchasing on PO placement, expediting, and supplier recovery actions
- Maintain accurate planning parameters (lead times, order policies, safety stock where applicable)
- Support BOM integrity by validating planning alignment to released engineering configurations
- Serve as the primary planning interface for assigned systems or service programs
- Partner with Engineering to manage ECO impacts to active builds and schedules
- Work with Manufacturing Supervisors to balance capacity, priorities, and labor constraints
- Support Program Management with schedule inputs, risks, and recovery plans
- Track execution against plan and proactively identify schedule and material risks
- Lead or support mitigation plans for shortages, delays, or scope changes
- Escalate issues through Tier I / Tier II operational governance as appropriate
- Maintain clear ownership and documentation of planning assumptions and decisions
- Maintain planning-related KPIs (e.g., WO on-time release, material availability, schedule adherence)
- Support Tier meeting reporting and visual management boards
- Identify opportunities to improve planning processes, data accuracy, and system utilization
- Contribute to standard work development and planning best practices
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Operations Management, Engineering, or related field
(or equivalent experience in manufacturing planning) - 3–6 years of experience in production planning, material planning, or supply chain execution
- Experience working in engineered-to-order, project-based, or regulated manufacturing environments
- Strong working knowledge of ERP/MRP systems (e.g., Salesforce, Oracle, SAP, Epicor, NetSuite, etc.)
- Proficiency in Excel (pivot tables, formulas, basic data analysis)
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in medical device, capital equipment, aerospace, or defense manufacturing
- Familiarity with SIOP / Master Scheduling concepts
- Understanding of BOM structures, ECO workflows, and configuration control
- APICS/ASCM certification (CPIM, CSCP) or progress toward certification
- Experience supporting service operations or installed-base programs