Formulation and Production Planner

Job Summary

This role manages finished goods planning and accurate formulation to meet product specifications. Collaborate across teams to improve inventory accuracy, quality, productivity, and reduce waste while supporting production efficiency and scheduling.

Responsibilities

• Formulate finished goods and intermediate jobs accurately to meet product specifications and labeling requirements, adjusting formulations promptly with input from Finishing, R&D, and Quality Control to resolve out-of-specification issues
• Collaborate with Formulations teams, Finishing Supervisors, QC lab, and R&D staff to address concerns about inventory levels, availability, service, and quality
• Take ownership of potential problem jobs by documenting actions, establishing accountability, tracking progress, and providing daily updates to cross-functional leadership and operational teams
• Collect and analyze data on returns & rejections (R&Rs), adjustments, and first pass quality issues to inform continuous improvement efforts
• Monitor and utilize restricted inventory in blend off or aged status appropriately, tracking levels and reporting causes to Finishing Leadership
• Maintain accurate written and electronic inventory records by accounting for all inventory usage, including bulking, product requests, loss, or damage
• Track and report job formulation metrics, R&Rs, adjustments, and raw material/intermediate inventory levels as directed by the Manufacturing Manager
• Develop and implement new departmental reports to support data-driven decision-making
• Lead initiatives to maximize production capacity and reduce finishing jobs, helping to control late orders and overtime within targets
• Identify improvement opportunities by collecting, tracking, measuring, and analyzing data to enhance formulation efficiency and departmental performance
• Challenge existing business practices and initiate projects to improve processes, procedures, and performance based on data-backed recommendations
• Be available off-shift and on weekends for adjustments, R&Rs, and problem resolution to maintain production flow
• Create, adjust, and manage manufacturing schedules and orders to align with production needs
• Support formulation and adjustment jobs at the Kalamazoo Finishing Center during the 3rd shift
• Collaborate with the Continuous Improvement (CI) team to develop and maintain a live planning tool for Singapore operations
• Work closely with the Customer Experience team to support order fulfillment
• Maintain, update, and create bulking and packaging instructions to ensure clarity and compliance

Required competencies and certifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field with at least 2-3 years of Production planning and scheduling experience
• Proficient in MS Office tools and ERP database query and navigation
• Demonstrated problem-solving skills applied to production and formulation challenges
• Strong verbal and written communication skills to effectively collaborate across teams
• Flexibility to manage frequently changing priorities and assignments in a dynamic production environment