Production Planner

ABOUT SLATE

At Slate were building safe reliable vehicles that people can afford personalize and loveand doing it here in the USA as part of our commitment to reindustrialization. The spirit of DIY and customization runs throughout every element of a Slate because people should have control over how their trucks look feel and represent them.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We are seeking a proactive high-energy Production Scheduler to serve as the heartbeat of our automotive manufacturing this role you arent just moving dates on a calendar; you are orchestrating the complex flow of a high-volume assembly environment. You will be responsible for creating and maintaining production schedules that balance customer demand equipment capacity and material availability.

The ideal candidate is a self-starter who doesnt wait for a problem to arrive before solving it. You should be as comfortable wearing high-vis gear on the shop floor talking to team members as you are in a boardroom presenting schedule attainment metrics to senior management.

WHAT YOU GET TO DO

Operational Scheduling & Coordination

• Develop and maintain a rolling production schedule that satisfies both primary OEM requirements and vital service demands.
• Act as the primary bridge between Production Control Manufacturing and Service to ensure alignment on daily weekly and monthly output goals.
• Anticipate potential bottlenecks or capacity constraints and proactively develop Plan B scenarios to maintain flow.
• Lead daily Tiers or production stand-up meetings providing clear direction on priorities and recovery plans.

Work Order Management & Systems execution

• Issue and manage Work Orders through the ERP/MES system (e.g. SAP NetSuite Plex Fuuz) ensuring data integrity and timely closing of production signals.
• Monitor production progress in real-time adjusting schedules dynamically as machine downtime quality holds or material shortages arise.
• Maintain a high degree of Excel flexibility; while we rely on our ERP you must be able to build offline models pivot tables and trackers to solve complex problems on the fly.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Communication

• Interface with all levels of the organizationfrom providing clarity to shop floor operators to reporting schedule risks to senior leadership.
• Collaborate with the Material Planning team to ensure the supply chain supports the current production sequence.
• Work closely with the Quality and Engineering departments to schedule trials new product introductions (NPI) and engineering change crossovers without disrupting customer shipments.

Demand & Capacity Optimization

• Analyze historical performance data and equipment OEE to refine scheduling logic and improve lead-time accuracy.
• Support the transition of obsolete parts and new model year launches by managing the run-out and ramp-up schedules.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities to reduce changeover times and optimize batch sizes through lean scheduling principles.
• Conduct root cause analysis on missed production targets and implement corrective scheduling actions to prevent recurrence.

WHAT YOU BRING TO THE TEAM

• Bachelors degree in Supply Chain Management Industrial Engineering Business Administration or a related field is required.
• 3 to 6 years of experience in production scheduling or master planning specifically within a high-volume automotive or Tier-1 supplier environment.
• Technical Skills: Strong proficiency in ERP/MES systems (e.g. SAP Oracle/NetSuite Plex FUUZ).
• Expert-level proficiency in Microsoft Excel is required (lookups complex formulas pivot tables and data visualization).
• Exceptional interpersonal skills with the grit to communicate effectively in a fast-paced high-pressure shop floor environment.

• Deep understanding of Just-in-Time (JIT) and Just-in-Sequence (JIS) delivery models.
• Experience with AIAG standards including labeling and shipping requirements.
• Familiarity with Theory of Constraints (ToC) and how to schedule around a bottleneck operation.
• Proven ability to remain calm and analytical when production priorities shift mid-shift.

WHY JOIN TEAM SLATE

At Slate were fueled by grit determination and attention to detail. The start-up spirit of ingenuity and resourcefulness move our business forward. Team Slate fosters a culture of excellence innovation and mutual respect and is motivated by shared principles.

• Safety First

• Delight Customers

• One Team

• Relentless Improvement

• Fast Frugal and Scrappy

• Respectful Collaboration

• Positive Legacy

WE WANT TO WORK WITH PEOPLE THAT REFLECT THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH WE OPERATE.

Slate is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate based upon race color religion gender gender identity or expression sexual orientation national origin genetics disability age veteran status marital status parental status cultural background organizational level work styles tenure and life experiences. Or for any other reason.

Slate is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability you may contact us at