Value Stream Planner

Position Overview

The Value Stream Planner owns the production plan and the material requirements plan for one GTI value stream (customer program) end to end, as a single point of accountability. This is a planning role, not only a transaction-processing role: the Planner maintains a rolling 12-week horizon, holding the month directly ahead at execution-grade detail, and is expected to see risk before it becomes a miss. The Planner sits embedded within the value stream squad, working side-by-side with that value stream's Production Operations Manager/Lead and partners closely with the Materials Management organization; including an evolving mandate to help build pull replenishment and line-side stores for the value stream.

Key Responsibilities

A. Production Plan Ownership
Own and publish the rolling 12-week production plan for the assigned value stream / customer program.
Manage the plan in two bands: weeks 1–4 at execution-grade detail (daily/weekly sequencing, work-center loading), weeks 5–12 at capacity- and material-pre-positioning detail.
Translate customer demand, program milestones, and business priorities into an executable schedule across the value stream's work centers.
Continuously reconcile the plan against actual performance; e.g. schedule attainment, WIP, throughput (and adjust ahead of a miss, not in response to one.)
Evaluate capacity against demand for the value stream in partnership with the Production Operations Manager/lead on staffing, overtime, and shift needs.
Hold sequencing and release authority within the agreed freeze window and escalate exceptions.
B. Material Requirements Planning
Own material requirements planning (MRP execution) for the value stream: taking BOM-driven demand, purchasing’s supplier lead times, on-hand and on-order position into account.
Maintain forward material readiness across the full 12-week horizon; keep a live material tracker (green / yellow / red) for the value stream's programs.
Proactively identify shortages and constraints before they threaten the plan, and drive resolution with Procurement and Materials Management — not just report them.
Own the Clear-to-Build (CTB) determination and readiness gate ahead of work-order release.
C. Embedded Value Stream Partnership
Sit side-by-side with the Production Operations Manager/ Lead for the assigned value stream as their planning counterpart in the daily and weekly operating rhythm.
Participate directly in floor walks and huddles for the value stream to see emerging risk first-hand rather than through a report. (develop GEMBA practice with OpEX and Ops team; expected)
Share joint accountability with the Operations Manager/Lead for the value stream's schedule attainment and on-time delivery outcomes. Key metrics accountability.
Direct and prioritize the work of the assigned Production Control Technician such as transactional execution, material tracking, etc..
D. Materials Management Partnership & Pull Replenishment
Partner with Materials Management — Warehousing, Cycle Counting, Inventory Health, Goods Receiving, Yard Management, and Material Delivery — to align material flow with the value stream's plan.
Co-develop and pilot pull replenishment and line-side stores (kanban, min/max, visual triggers) for the value stream in partnership with Materials Management. This is an expanding, ongoing accountability, not a one-time project.
Provide the demand and consumption signal Materials Management needs to size and tune replenishment; validate performance and iterate as the value stream's production rate requirements change.
E. Analytics, Systems & Reporting
Maintain planning data integrity in ERP/MRP and the shop-floor system of record (StartProto/IFS/MRPeasy) — schedule dates, BOM, routing, and inventory data must reflect real conditions.
Build and maintain dashboards covering schedule attainment, material availability, shortage aging, OTD, inventory health, and Clear-to-Build for the value stream.
Report KPIs and risks in the weekly Production Planning & Execution review
F. Continuous Improvement
Lead root cause analysis on schedule misses, shortages, or planning gaps for the value stream, and drive countermeasures through to verified effectiveness.
Support standardization of planning practices across value streams in partnership with the Production Control Manager.
Decision-Making Authority:
Authority to sequence and release work orders within the agreed freeze window without escalation, provided material, capacity, and quality are aligned.
Authority to trigger call-offs against blanket orders, and to initiate kitting/staging requests to the Warehouse.
Authority to make and communicate the Clear-to-Build determination for the value stream.
Escalates to the Production Control Manager for: cross-value-stream resource conflicts, capacity shortfalls beyond the value stream's control, or material risk that will breach a customer commitment.
Reporting relationships for the Value Stream Planner
Reports to (solid line): (Sr.) Production Control Manager: functional home for planning standards, tools, systems, and career progression.
Partners with: Production Operations Lead/ Manager for the assigned value stream — co-located, shared floor rhythm, jointly accountable for schedule attainment and OTD.
Partners with: Materials Management (Warehousing, Cycle Counting, Inventory Health, Goods Receiving, Yard Management, Material Delivery) — co-owns the evolving pull-replenishment / line-side stores build-out.
Directs day-to-day the junior apprentice: High Profile Value Stream may have Production Control Technician (PC Tech) assigned to that value stream. PC Tech reports to Production Control Manager, and takes week to week direction from Value Stream Planner

Requirements

Required Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Operations, Industrial Engineering, Business, or a related field preferred; equivalent experience considered.
5+ years of combined experience across Production Planning/Scheduling and Materials Planning/MRP, ideally in contract manufacturing, engineered-to-order, or high-mix production environments.
Demonstrated ownership of a production schedule and the material plan supporting it — not solely a transactional or expediting background.
Strong ERP/MRP system experience (SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, MRPeasy, IFS, Epicor, or similar); MES / shop-floor execution system experience a plus (StartProto or equivalent).
Advanced Microsoft Excel skills (pivot tables, lookups, data analysis); comfort building and maintaining KPI dashboards.
Strong analytical, cross-functional communication, and prioritization skills; able to operate with real decision authority in a fast-paced environment.
Preferred Qualifications
APICS / CPIM or CSCP certification.
Experience with IFS Cloud, StartProto, and/or MRPeasy (ERP)
Experience supporting fabrication, welding, structural/mechanical assembly, electrical integration, or engineered-to-order manufacturing environments.
Experience implementing kanban, pull systems, or line-side store replenishment.
Experience with Power BI, SQL, or other data-visualization tools.
Working knowledge of Lean Manufacturing principles and daily management systems.



No Relocation assistance

Benefits & Perks

GTI offers a competitive compensation and benefits package designed to support employees and their families while providing long-term career growth opportunities within a fast-growing manufacturing organization. Benefits may include:




• Medical, dental, and vision insurance

• 401(k) with company match (where applicable)

• Paid Time Off (PTO) and paid holidays

• Sick time in accordance with state and local requirements

• Company-paid life insurance and disability coverage

• Career advancement opportunities within a rapidly growing organization

• Exposure to advanced manufacturing, modular infrastructure, and large-scale industrial projects

• Collaborative, fast-paced environment with strong operational and engineering leadership

• Employee-focused culture centered on safety, quality, accountability, and continuous improvement




 Benefits eligibility and offerings may vary based on position, location, and employment classification.