Position Summary:
The Wave/Batch Planner is the "engine room" of the distribution center, responsible for orchestrating the flow of work from the Warehouse Management System (WMS) to the floor. This role focuses on optimizing order release strategies to balance labor across departments, maximize throughput, and ensure on-time departures. The planner must have a deep understanding of operational capacity and the ability to pivot strategies in real-time based on changing volumes.
Core Responsibilities
Order Releasing & Waving: Execute the daily "wave" plan by releasing orders in logic-based batches that maximize picking efficiency and equipment utilization.
Workflow Synchronization: Monitor real-time progress in picking, packing, and shipping to ensure a steady flow of work, preventing bottlenecks or "starving" downstream departments.
Priority Management: Coordinate with Customer Service and Transportation to prioritize "hot" orders, expedited shipments, and carrier-specific cut-offs.
Inventory Coordination: Work closely with the replenishment team to ensure stock is in active pick faces before waves are released, minimizing "shorts" or order delays.
Data Analysis: Review daily volume forecasts to adjust batch sizes and picking methodologies (e.g., zone vs. cluster picking).
Operational Support & Floor Integration
This is not a "desk-only" role. To effectively plan the work, the Wave Planner must understand the physical reality of the floor. Requirements include:
Conducting regular floor walks to verify WMS data against physical congestion or equipment availability.
Working directly on the floor during peak surges—assisting with picking, packing, or
replenishment to help the team meet wave deadlines.
Collaborating with department leads to reassign labor based on wave progress and backlog.
Safety & Operational Excellence
Operational efficiency never overrides safety. The Wave Planner is expected to:
Structure waves to prevent aisle congestion, reducing the risk of collisions between material handling equipment and pedestrians.
Adhere to all facility safety protocols and participate in "Safety-First" initiatives.
Promote a culture of accountability and operational discipline by ensuring all system
transactions are performed accurately.
Skills Required
- Working knowledge of warehouse management systems and order-release processes
- Ability to monitor warehouse workflows and adjust wave or batch strategies in real time
- Ability to work on the warehouse floor, including supporting picking, packing, or replenishment during peak periods
- Ability to coordinate labor, inventory replenishment, customer service, and transportation priorities
- Adherence to facility safety protocols and operational procedures
What We Do
Conair is a leading international designer, manufacturer, and marketer of branded personal care and small kitchen appliances, cookware, hair brushes & accessories, cosmetic bags, and travel accessories. Conair has always been driven by a passion for innovation; it’s part of the Company’s DNA. Trendsetting products have been invented by Conair since its inception in 1959, keeping the Company always a step ahead of the competition. The company's domestic and international divisions offer a diversified mix of consumer and professional products sold in over 120 countries. The Family of Conair brands includes CONAIR, Cuisinart, BaBylissPro, Scünci , TRAVELSMART by CONAIR, and Waring. Conair’s passion for innovation gets stronger with each decade, as evidenced by the over 1,000 patents the Company has obtained worldwide. Today, Conair and its brands are names known throughout the world. Conair continues to introduce its brands to new and emerging markets, year after year. By the 1990s, most households in America owned at least one Conair product. Today many have more than one, and the Company’s goal is to ensure that every household in the world eventually owns one of our products. At Conair, we inspire our customers with innovative quality products and brands that enhance their lives.
