The Master Production Planner is a key member of Nextern’s Supply Chain organization, responsible for developing, maintaining, and executing the master production schedule (MPS) across multiple concurrent client programs at Nextern’s US medical device contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) site. This individual translates client demand, forecasts, and contractual delivery commitments into an achievable, capacity-balanced production plan — synchronizing manufacturing, materials, and quality resources to protect on-time, in-full delivery. The Master Production Planner serves as the critical link between Program Management, Procurement, Manufacturing, and Quality, ensuring the schedule reflects real-world constraints such as component lead times, equipment capacity, and regulatory holds while meeting the delivery, quality, and cost performance expected by world-class medical device clients.
Requirements
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
· Develop, publish, and maintain the site master production schedule (MPS) across multiple client programs and product lines, balancing demand, capacity, and inventory targets.
· Convert client forecasts, purchase orders, and contractual delivery commitments into an executable, capacity-balanced build plan within the site’s ERP/MRP system.
· Run and interpret MRP outputs; release, reschedule, and prioritize work orders to align material availability, labor, and equipment capacity with the MPS.
· Maintain accurate planning parameters — lead times, lot sizes, safety stock, BOM and routing data — to ensure MRP recommendations remain reliable.
· Manage the planning time fence and change control process, evaluating schedule impact before committing new orders, engineering changes, or expedite requests.
Capacity & Constraint Management
· Model and monitor production capacity by line and work center; identify capacity gaps and constraints and propose recovery options such as overtime, resequencing, or subcontracting.
· Partner with Manufacturing and NPI to translate development and pilot-scale programs into full commercial-scale production schedules.
· Support rough-cut capacity planning and scenario (“what-if”) analysis for new client programs, demand changes, and capital equipment decisions.
· Escalate material or capacity shortfalls that put client delivery commitments at risk, with clear recovery plans and revised dates.
Cross-Functional Coordination & Client Delivery
· Serve as the scheduling point of contact for Program Management, Procurement, Manufacturing, and Quality on delivery status, risks, and priorities.
· Participate in daily tier meetings and weekly operations/S&OP reviews, providing data-driven visibility into schedule adherence, backlog, and at-risk orders.
· Communicate schedule changes, priorities, and constraints clearly and proactively across departments and to client-facing teams.
· Reconcile demand signals from multiple clients against available capacity and materials as part of the site’s Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process.
Data Integrity & Systems
· Own the accuracy of planning-related master data — BOMs, routings, lead times, and planning codes — within the ERP/MRP system.
· Build and maintain planning dashboards and KPIs, including on-time delivery, schedule adherence, past-due backlog, and inventory turns.
· Identify and implement continuous improvement to planning workflows, applying lean principles to reduce variability and manual rework.
Quality & Regulatory Compliance
· Ensure production plans and schedule changes are executed in compliance with 21 CFR Part 820, ISO 13485, and applicable client and regulatory requirements.
· Coordinate with Quality to incorporate inspection, validation, and disposition holds into the production schedule without compromising delivery commitments.
· Maintain traceability of planning decisions and schedule changes consistent with Device History Record and documentation requirements.
Benefits
- Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
- Retirement Plan with Company Match
- Paid Time Off, Personal Days, AND Birthday Holiday!
- Lifetime Membership Subsidy and Wellness Resources
- Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
- Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity)
- Short-Term & Long-Term Disability
- Taco Thursdays!!!
Nextern is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds and experiences, and we are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.
Skills Required
- Experience working with ERP/MRP systems for production planning and work-order management
- Knowledge of production scheduling, capacity planning, materials planning, and S&OP processes
- Ability to maintain BOMs, routings, lead times, lot sizes, safety stock, and other planning master data
- Knowledge of 21 CFR Part 820, ISO 13485, and medical device documentation or traceability requirements
What We Do
Nextern collaborates with innovators, clinicians, and device partners to create, iterate, optimize and manufacture best-in-class medical devices. We bring an unmatched core competence in medical device product design and development through manufacturing as a leverageable asset to collaborators like you, who are focused on accelerating the commercial side of the business.
