Foundry Production Scheduler

JOB SUMMARY:

The Scheduler is responsible for scheduling daily production in a manner which satisfies customer needs for on-time delivery and short lead times, respects internal capacity constraints, and catalyzes operational effectiveness. This position plays a pivotal role in the Financial Tracking process through in depth knowledge of customer ordering patterns, developing monthly shipment and production forecasts, and advocating for on-time delivery.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE JOB:

1. In conjunction with the Order Coordinators and Machine Shop Scheduler, actively manage the flow of incoming orders and the Pending Orders Log to purposefully construct a backlog of scheduled and acknowledged orders that reflects a favorable balance between customer needs and manufacturing effectiveness

2. Direct the delivery date assignment and order acknowledgement processes; determine if the customer’s requested due date is acceptable, and

a. if it is acceptable, and there are no other problems with the order, ensure the order is scheduled, entered, and acknowledged in a timely manner OR b. if it is not acceptable, determine the earliest possible delivery date and communicate the new date to the customer via email; work through the Order Coordinator to follow up by phone to secure a revised PO or, at a minimum, written confirmation that the due date in the customer’s system is changed to match the due date in our system

3. Work closely with customers and within the Integrated Customer Support Team to negotiate mutually acceptable delivery dates, handle change orders, and communicate capacity availability (lead times), order status, and related information

4. Connect customers with the Marketing Manager if a conflict overdue date arises (i.e., customer is unwilling to accept the changed due date and/or change the date in his/her system) so that an arrangement for expediting fees can be proposed

5. Work closely with the Order Coordinators to ensure timely receipt, review, scheduling, acknowledgement, and entry of customer orders

6. Create and disseminate daily core making and molding schedules which optimally balance customer needs, production capacity, and the realities imposed by the need for purchased cores and/or secondary processing (e.g., machining, heat treating, etc.)

7. Facilitate the printing and distribution of work orders, routings / work instructions, and related production documentation

8. Work with the Order Coordinators to ensure that customers are informed on a proactive basis of exceptions from acknowledged ship dates; customers should never be surprised by late orders

9. Help ensure that customers always know “where their castings are;” assist as needed in disseminating weekly order status reports and providing accurate order status information

10. Continually improve the production scheduling system, including daily scheduling / schedule attainment meetings and set of daily production schedules

11. Actively manage Donsco’s backlog of open orders; create, maintain, and improve the open orders database as a tool for forecasting and for improving scheduling and schedule attainment

12. Utilize knowledge and data about historical and recent customer ordering patterns as part of a rigorous process for creating the monthly shipment and production forecasts required for Financial Tracking; maintain and continuously improve the systems and processes required to support Tracking

13. Develop deep knowledge and understanding of part number specific production requirements; use that knowledge to continuously improve scheduling, efficiency, and schedule attainment

14. Support management decision making by providing data and insight as requested on schedule attainment, on-time delivery performance, customer ordering patterns, backlog status, WIP and finished goods inventories, capacity utilization and trends, and emerging production constraints

15. Support efforts to improve on-time delivery performance and reduce lead times; create and maintain delivery-related metrics

16. Help ensure that Donsco can react to requests for order status information within four business hours

17. Back-up the other Foundry Scheduler as required

18. Facilitate periodic physical inventory counts

19. Complete special projects as required.

20. Direct and control the procurement of all non-maintenance purchased services and outsourced components for Donsco’s operations group

21. Effectively procure purchased services including painting, heat treating, outside machining, core making, metal casting, assembly, and others; work with the VP Ops to develop and effectively manage a group of high-quality vendors

22. Direct and/or facilitate the procurement and timely delivery of outsourced components (e.g., forgings, castings, steel fabrications, hardware, etc.) required to produce multi-source and/or assembly jobs

ESSENTIAL JOB REQUIREMENTS (BACKGROUND/SKILL/TRAINING):

1. High school or equivalent as a minimum. College degree in business or similar field

is a preferred but not required.

2. Two to five years of experience in a foundry or pattern shop environment during which time an in-depth knowledge of “the process” has been developed.

3. Deep knowledge and understanding of advanced scheduling

4. Strong knowledge of patternmaking, foundry, and machining processes, constraints, and the time and production steps required to produce and ship each part number

5. Strong knowledge of customer requirements, ordering patterns, and requirements and metrics for on-time delivery

6. Ability to effectively utilize all scheduling, manufacturing, and customer order related elements of the Guardian Information System

7. Solid knowledge of MS Office software, especially MS Excel and an ability to effectively utilize personal computer, peripherals, and other office equipment

8. A strong commitment and dedication to delivering on time and to maintaining short lead times (i.e., two to four weeks for raw castings)

9. Extremely well organized and dependable as well as a well-developed sense of urgency

10. Able to work well and communicate with all functional departments within the company

11. Flexible and able to adapt to and embrace change

12. A strong customer orientation

13. Team-oriented, ethical and trustworthy

14. Able to work well under pressure.

About Donsco Inc