Production Control & Logistics Manager

Position Summary

The Production Control & Logistics Manager is responsible for leading production planning, scheduling, material flow, inventory control, and inbound/outbound logistics within a manufacturing environment. This position ensures customer demand is accurately translated into executable production plans, materials are available when needed, and products move efficiently through the manufacturing process.

The ideal candidate is a strong leader with a background in manufacturing operations, production planning, materials management, and supply chain who can balance customer requirements, production capacity, inventory levels, and logistics performance.

Key Responsibilities

Production Control & Planning

• Develop, maintain, and optimize the Master Production Schedule (MPS) based on sales forecasts, customer demand, production capacity, and material availability.
• Monitor daily production performance against established plans and adjust schedules as needed to meet customer requirements.
• Lead capacity planning, load leveling, and constraint management activities.
• Partner with operations leadership to balance labor, equipment availability, production priorities, and customer demand.
• Identify potential production risks and develop contingency plans to maintain delivery performance.

Materials & Inventory Management

• Ensure timely availability of raw materials, components, and subassemblies to support production requirements.
• Develop and manage inventory strategies, including safety stock, minimum/maximum levels, and inventory accuracy initiatives.
• Collaborate closely with Purchasing to align supplier deliveries with production requirements.
• Monitor material shortages, excess inventory, and supply risks.
• Identify root causes of material shortages and lead cross-functional corrective actions.
• Drive improvements in inventory accuracy, material availability, and overall working capital performance.

Logistics, ERP & Data Management

• Drive continuous improvement within inbound logistics and outbound shipping operations.
• Manage freight carriers, delivery schedules, transportation performance, and logistics costs.
• Ensure compliance with customer-specific shipping requirements, including labeling, packaging, EDI, and ASN accuracy.
• Utilize ERP/MRP systems to support production scheduling, material planning, inventory management, and reporting.
• Analyze operational data and key performance indicators to identify trends, risks, and improvement opportunities.
• Develop and maintain production control and logistics metrics to measure performance.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Partner with Engineering, Operations, Purchasing, Quality, Sales, and Customer Service to support new product introductions, engineering changes, and fluctuations in customer demand.
• Lead cross-functional discussions involving demand changes, production priorities, and customer delivery commitments.
• Collaborate with Sales and Customer Service to evaluate changes in customer requirements and establish realistic delivery schedules.
• Support SIOP/S&OP activities and ensure production plans align with overall business objectives.
• Promote Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement throughout production control, materials, and logistics processes.

Required Qualifications

• 5–8+ years of experience in production planning, production control, materials management, logistics, or supply chain within a manufacturing environment.
• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Business, Engineering, or a related field.
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, Word, Outlook, and Access.
• Demonstrated experience working with ERP/MRP systems.
• Experience with Microsoft Dynamics NAV or Business Central is a plus.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing planning, inventory control, material flow, and logistics.
• Demonstrated Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement mindset.

Desired Skills & Abilities

• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration abilities.
• Experience with SIOP/S&OP processes.
• Strong analytical, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency in data analysis, reporting, and performance metric management.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• APICS/ASCM certification, including CPIM or CSCP, is a plus.
• Strong understanding of production capacity, demand planning, inventory optimization, and supplier performance.

Physical & Travel Requirements

• Ability to lift and/or move up to 30 pounds.
• Ability to sit, stand, and walk for extended periods.
• Ability to travel up to 15% within a calendar year.
• Must have sufficient close vision, color vision, depth perception, and ability to focus to perform essential job functions.

Work Environment

This position operates in both an office and manufacturing/shop environment. The work environment may include:

• Standard office equipment.
• Manufacturing machinery and equipment.
• Chemicals and other materials covered under applicable MSDS/SDS documentation.
• Dust and airborne manufacturing particles.
• Elevated noise levels.
• Protective clothing and personal protective equipment (PPE) as required.

You should be proficient in:

• Production Planning & Scheduling
• logistics

Machines & technologies you'll use:

• ERP Software
• EDI