Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Knitting Planner Assistant

🎯 Role Definition

The Knitting Planner Assistant is a foundational role within our production and supply chain team, dedicated to supporting the end-to-end planning process for our knitwear collections. You will be the central point of coordination, ensuring that data is accurate, schedules are maintained, and communication flows seamlessly between our design, procurement, manufacturing, and logistics partners. This position requires a meticulous and proactive individual who will assist the Senior Knitting Planner in translating seasonal demand into actionable production plans, managing yarn inventory, and troubleshooting daily operational challenges to ensure on-time delivery of high-quality products.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Production Assistant
Merchandising Coordinator
Materials or Inventory Coordinator
Recent Graduate (Supply Chain, Fashion Merchandising, Business)

Advancement To:

Knitting Planner
Production Planner
Supply Chain Analyst
Materials Planner

Lateral Moves:

Junior Buyer / Procurement Specialist
Product Development Coordinator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Assist in the creation and maintenance of detailed production schedules for all knitwear programs, tracking key milestones from yarn procurement to final garment shipment.
Issue, manage, and meticulously track yarn purchase orders, ensuring timely placement with mills and confirming delivery dates to align with production needs.
Maintain constant communication with domestic and international factories to monitor production capacity, knitting progress, and resolve any potential delays.
Manage and update the company's ERP/MRP system with all relevant planning data, including purchase orders, production timelines, and inventory movements.
Generate and distribute weekly and monthly production status reports, highlighting key performance indicators (KPIs), potential risks, and on-time delivery performance.
Collaborate closely with the Design and Product Development teams to understand new style requirements and ensure yarn and production feasibility.
Monitor raw material (yarn, trims) inventory levels, perform regular reconciliations, and alert the Senior Planner to potential shortages or excesses.
Coordinate the shipment and tracking of lab dips, knit-downs, and pre-production samples between suppliers, factories, and the internal product development team.
Prepare and analyze data related to yarn consumption, production yield, and factory efficiency to identify areas for cost savings and process improvement.
Act as a primary point of contact for routine inquiries from cross-functional teams regarding production timelines, order status, and inventory availability.
Verify and process production-related invoices, ensuring they align with purchase orders and received quantities before submitting them for payment.
Maintain a comprehensive and organized library of yarn qualities, color standards, and approved knit-down samples for reference.
Support the allocation of yarn and production capacity across different styles and orders based on sales forecasts and strategic priorities.
Assist in troubleshooting minor production issues, such as quality discrepancies or material shortages, by gathering information and proposing initial solutions.
Prepare detailed data packs and analysis for seasonal planning meetings, providing insights into past performance and future capacity constraints.
Track time-and-action (T&A) calendars for all active knitwear SKUs, proactively identifying and flagging any deviations from the critical path.
Facilitate the flow of information regarding style updates or order changes from the merchandising team to the relevant factories and material suppliers.
Develop a strong understanding of knitting machine capabilities, limitations, and lead times to contribute to more accurate and efficient planning.
Maintain accurate records and documentation for all production orders, including technical specifications, quality control reports, and shipping documents.
Participate in post-season analysis to evaluate factory performance, yarn supplier reliability, and the overall efficiency of the planning process.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis to answer strategic questions from leadership.
Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap by identifying opportunities for process automation and improved reporting.
Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements for system enhancements.
Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data and operations teams to improve internal tools.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Advanced MS Excel Proficiency: Demonstrated ability to use pivot tables, VLOOKUPs, complex formulas, and data modeling to analyze large datasets.
ERP/MRP Systems: Hands-on experience with enterprise resource planning software (e.g., SAP, NetSuite, BlueCherry, Full Circle) for data entry and reporting.
Production Planning Principles: Solid understanding of supply chain fundamentals, capacity planning, and critical path management within a manufacturing environment.
Data Analysis & Reporting: Skill in extracting, manipulating, and visualizing data to create clear, actionable reports on production and inventory metrics.
Knitwear/Textile Knowledge: Foundational knowledge of yarn types, knit structures, and the knitwear production lifecycle is highly advantageous.
Supply Chain Coordination: Experience in tracking purchase orders, managing vendor communication, and understanding basic logistics.

Soft Skills

Exceptional Attention to Detail: A meticulous and precise approach to data entry, scheduling, and communication to prevent costly errors.
Proactive Problem-Solving: The ability to anticipate potential issues, identify root causes, and take initiative to find solutions.
Strong Organizational & Time Management Skills: Proven ability to manage multiple priorities, tasks, and deadlines simultaneously in a fast-paced setting.
Clear & Concise Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills for effectively liaising with internal teams and external partners across different cultures and time zones.
Collaborative Team Player: A positive and adaptable attitude with a strong focus on supporting the team and achieving shared goals.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Associate's Degree in a relevant field or equivalent professional experience.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s Degree.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Supply Chain Management
Fashion Merchandising
Business Administration
Textile Science

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 1-3 years of experience in a planning, production, or supply chain role.

Preferred: Direct experience in a production planning or materials coordination role within the apparel, fashion, or textile industry. Specific experience with knitwear is a significant plus.