Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Master Planner

🎯 Role Definition

The Master Planner is the strategic conductor of the operational orchestra. This role serves as the central hub for balancing demand with supply, ensuring the company can meet customer commitments while optimizing inventory and manufacturing resources. You will be responsible for creating and maintaining the Master Production Schedule (MPS), which acts as the company's single source of truth for what will be produced, in what quantities, and when. This is a highly collaborative and analytical role, requiring you to work closely with sales, marketing, finance, procurement, and production to align all functions with a single, achievable plan. Success in this position directly impacts customer satisfaction, operational efficiency, and the company's bottom line.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Production Planner / Scheduler
Materials Planner / Analyst
Demand Planner

Advancement To:

Supply Chain Manager
Planning Manager
Director of Operations / Supply Chain

Lateral Moves:

Senior Demand Planner
Logistics & Distribution Manager
Procurement Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop, maintain, and publish a robust Master Production Schedule (MPS) for finished goods, ensuring alignment with the sales forecast, customer orders, and business objectives.
Perform comprehensive demand and supply analysis to identify and resolve potential imbalances, constraints, and backlogs in a timely and proactive manner.
Lead the supply planning components of the monthly Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) cycle, preparing data, facilitating meetings, and communicating outcomes.
Execute rough-cut capacity planning (RCCP) to analyze the feasibility of the master plan against critical resources like labor, machinery, and warehouse space.
Analyze and manage inventory levels for finished goods, components, and raw materials to meet service level targets while minimizing excess and obsolete stock.
Collaborate cross-functionally with Demand Planning, Sales, and Marketing to understand demand drivers, promotions, and new product introductions and their impact on the supply plan.
Act as the primary liaison between commercial teams and manufacturing, translating sales forecasts into a tangible and executable production plan for the plant floor.
Conduct "what-if" scenario analysis to evaluate the impact of various demand fluctuations, supply disruptions, or strategic initiatives on the overall plan.
Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) such as Schedule Attainment, On-Time In-Full (OTIF), Inventory Turns, and Forecast Accuracy, driving continuous improvement initiatives.
Identify and mitigate risks within the supply chain by proactively communicating potential material shortages or capacity constraints to senior leadership.
Optimize planning parameters within the ERP system, including lead times, safety stock levels, lot sizes, and production calendars to improve planning efficiency.
s- Coordinate with the Procurement team to provide long-range material forecasts, ensuring supplier capacity and material availability align with the MPS.
Manage the end-to-end supply plan for a designated portfolio of products, from new product launch and scaling through to end-of-life phasing.
Facilitate regular production planning meetings to communicate the master schedule and resolve any operational challenges with the manufacturing and logistics teams.
Evaluate the impact of Engineering Change Orders (ECOs) on material requirements and production schedules, ensuring a smooth transition with minimal disruption.
Reconcile the production plan with the financial plan, providing insights on inventory valuation, projected revenue, and operational costs.
Champion the use of advanced planning systems (APS) and ERP tools, driving best practices and seeking opportunities to leverage technology for better outcomes.
Develop and document standard operating procedures for all master planning processes to ensure consistency and facilitate knowledge sharing.
Balance production load and resource allocation across multiple manufacturing lines or sites to optimize efficiency and throughput.
Serve as the subject matter expert on all aspects of the master schedule, providing clear and concise updates to stakeholders at all levels of the organization.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc scenario planning and what-if analysis for senior leadership to aid strategic decision-making.
Contribute to the continuous improvement of the organization's supply chain planning processes and systems.
Collaborate with commercial, finance, and engineering teams to translate business objectives into actionable supply plans.
Participate in cross-functional project teams and S&OP meetings to represent the supply planning function.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

ERP/MRP Systems: Deep proficiency in enterprise resource planning systems (e.g., SAP S/4HANA, Oracle NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics 365) and material requirements planning logic.
Advanced Planning Systems (APS): Hands-on experience with advanced planning and scheduling tools such as Kinaxis RapidResponse, Blue Yonder (JDA), or o9 Solutions.
Master Production Scheduling (MPS): Expert-level understanding of MPS principles, techniques, and execution.
Inventory Management: Strong knowledge of inventory optimization strategies, including safety stock calculation, ABC analysis, and cycle counting.
Capacity Planning (RCCP): Ability to perform and interpret rough-cut capacity planning to validate production plans.
Advanced Microsoft Excel: Mastery of Excel for data analysis, including pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, complex formulas, and basic macros.
S&OP Process: In-depth knowledge of the Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) or Integrated Business Planning (IBP) process.
Data Analysis & Visualization: Skill in analyzing large datasets to identify trends and creating reports/dashboards (using tools like Power BI or Tableau is a plus).
Supply Chain Principles: A comprehensive understanding of end-to-end supply chain concepts, including logistics, procurement, and manufacturing.
Forecasting Methods: Familiarity with statistical forecasting models and the ability to interpret and challenge a demand forecast.

Soft Skills

Analytical & Problem-Solving: Ability to dissect complex problems, identify root causes, and develop effective solutions.
Communication & Interpersonal Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication, with the ability to articulate complex information clearly to diverse audiences.
Collaboration & Influence: Proven ability to work effectively across different functions and influence stakeholders without direct authority.
Strategic Thinking: Capacity to see the bigger picture and align short-term planning activities with long-term business goals.
Attention to Detail: Meticulous and thorough in planning and data management to ensure accuracy.
Adaptability & Resilience: Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment, managing ambiguity and responding effectively to changing priorities.
Negotiation: Skill in negotiating priorities and resources with various departments to achieve a balanced plan.
Leadership & Ownership: A proactive, self-starting attitude with a strong sense of accountability for the master plan and its outcomes.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's Degree

Preferred Education:

Master's Degree (MBA, MS in Supply Chain) or professional certification such as APICS CPIM (Certified in Production and Inventory Management) or CSCP (Certified Supply Chain Professional).

Relevant Fields of Study:

Supply Chain Management
Business Administration
Operations Management
Industrial Engineering

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 5-8 years of progressive experience in supply chain planning, production planning, or materials management.

Preferred: Experience within a complex manufacturing environment (e.g., consumer packaged goods, electronics, pharmaceuticals, automotive) is highly desirable. Demonstrated success in a role directly responsible for creating and managing a master production schedule.