Manufacturing Planning & Continuous Improvement Specialist

Mersen is a global industrial group which designs and deploys the technologies at the heart of today's major energy and industrial transitions. A recognized expert in electrical power and advanced materials, Mersen enables the performance and reliability of industrial systems and essential infrastructure across a range of areas, from power management and electric vehicles to renewable energies and storage, aerospace and rail.

With more than 50 industrial sites in 30 countries, the Group combines local agility with the strength of a global organization to develop and industrialize tailored engineering solutions at scale. Backed by 24 R&D centers worldwide, Mersen partners closely with its customers, providing the best added value whilst accelerating innovation and shortening time-to-market, delivering pragmatic solutions by combining speed and reliability. 

Rooted in a 130-year heritage and guided by a long-term industrial vision, the Group pursues sustainable growth based on responsible practices, while playing a key role in electrification, the climate transition and the resilience of industrial and energy systems. From advanced materials to electrical power, we enable, across the world, the technologies at the heart of the world’s energy and industrial transitions. 

Position:      Manufacturing Planning & Continuous Improvement Specialist

Department:  Manufacturing

Location:       6200 Kestrel Road

Reports To:    Manufacturing Manager

Position Summary

The Manufacturing Planning & Continuous Improvement Specialist is responsible for production, inventory, ERP/MRP, and capacity planning activities, as well as continuous improvement initiatives that support customer demand and business objectives. Working closely with Production, Materials, Engineering, Quality, Customer Service, and other cross-functional teams, the role drives improvements in delivery performance, productivity, safety, and operational excellence.

Principle Duties and Responsibilities

Production Planning & Inventory Management

• Develop, maintain, and monitor production schedules based on customer demand, material availability, manufacturing capacity, and business priorities.
• Coordinate the release and execution of production work orders and ensure work packages are deployed to the shop floor according to schedule.
• Monitor overdue, rush, and priority orders and coordinate corrective actions with Production, Materials, Engineering, and Customer Service.
• Identify material shortages and expedite materials and components internally and externally as required to protect production schedules.
• Review inventory, production schedules, and work orders to determine material requirements, availability, and order priorities.
• Monitor and optimize inventory levels of raw materials, components, work-in-process, and finished goods.
• Perform inventory verification, cycle counting, and physical inventory activities to maintain inventory accuracy.
• Analyze demand, forecasts, consumption trends, and supplier lead times to establish, configure, and maintain appropriate ERP/MRP planning parameters, including safety stock, reorder points, lead times, and order quantities.

Capacity Planning & Manufacturing Data Management

• Perform capacity planning for machines, labor, and work centers to ensure production plans are achievable and aligned with customer requirements.

• Analyze manufacturing capacity constraints and work with cross-functional teams to improve resource utilization and production flow.

• Create, maintain, and validate Bills of Materials (BOMs), routings, material codes, and manufacturing master data within the ERP system.
• Coordinate BOM changes and manufacturing master data updates with Engineering, Production, Quality, and Materials teams.
• Support new product introductions by defining manufacturing process flows and production requirements.  

 Continuous Improvement & Operational Excellence

• Lead and participate in continuous improvement initiatives focused on reducing waste, improving productivity, optimizing inventory, shortening lead times, enhancing quality, improving safety, and reducing manufacturing costs.
• Apply and sustain Lean Manufacturing tools and methodologies, including 5S, visual management, process mapping, standard work, and waste reduction to improve efficiency, quality, safety, and throughput.
• Conduct Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and coordinate corrective and preventive actions to resolve production, quality, process, and operational issues.
• Evaluate manufacturing and office processes using data-driven analysis to identify and implement opportunities for operational improvement.
• Develop, optimize, and maintain manufacturing floor layouts that improve workflow, ergonomics, safety, productivity, and space utilization.
• Develop and maintain work instructions, process documentation, training materials, and manufacturing standards.
• Lead or support cross-functional projects focused on improving operational performance and manufacturing effectiveness
• Identify opportunities to digitize manual planning and manufacturing processes through technology-based solutions that improve accuracy, efficiency, and shop-floor visibility.

 Reporting & Business Performance

• Develop and monitor key performance indicators related to production planning, inventory management, capacity utilization, delivery performance, and operational effectiveness.
• Participate in production and operational meetings and provide updates regarding material availability, capacity constraints, overdue orders, production risks, and improvement opportunities.

Minimum Requirements

• College diploma or university degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Industrial/Manufacturing Engineering, Business, or related discipline. Equivalent manufacturing experience may be considered.
• 3-5 years of experience in manufacturing planning, production control, materials planning, process improvement, industrial engineering, or related manufacturing operations.
• Strong manufacturing operations experience with hands on involvement in production, planning, process improvement, and operational support activities.
• Demonstrated project management experience, including leading cross-functional initiatives from planning through implementation.
• Experience implementing Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, operational excellence, quality, safety and 5S initiatives is strongly preferred.
• Experience working within a Health and Safety-focused manufacturing environment.
• Experience supporting ERP/MRP systems, preferably JD Edwards (JDE).
• Strong understanding of MRP, production scheduling, inventory control, capacity planning, BOM management, routing, and manufacturing processes.
• Analytical understanding of manufacturing processes including assembly, packaging, and general machining operations.
• Strong Excel and data analysis skills.
• Experience with Power BI, Power Automate, or similar manufacturing digitization tools is considered an asset
• Excellent communication, leadership, interpersonal, and collaboration skills.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to influence and work effectively with cross-functional teams.

Thank you to all applicants for your interest. Please note that only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.