Planning Manager - (Fabrication Industry)

Key Roles & Responsibilities

1. Production & Capacity Planning

• Develop and monitor daily, weekly, and monthly production plans based on sales orders, forecasts, and plant capacity for fabrication activities.
• Sequence jobs to minimize material wastage, machine idle time, and rework.
• Ensure effective utilization of manpower, machines, and tools to meet delivery timelines.
• Identify bottlenecks and initiate corrective actions to balance workloads across fabrication shop, machine shop, and subcontractors.

2. Material Requirement Planning (MRP)

• Review material requirements in ERP and ensure timely procurement of raw materials, consumables, and subcontracted parts.
• Plan and ensure timely availability of raw materials like steel plates, sheets, sections, castings, forgings, and consumables (welding rods, gases, etc.).
• Coordinate with the purchase and stores teams to avoid shortages and delays.
• Monitor slow-moving and non-moving items and optimize usage.
• Monitor usage of leftover materials, offcuts, and reusable scrap to optimize costs.

3. Process Planning

• Define and update manufacturing processes for new and existing fabricated parts and assemblies.
• Standardize routing and process sequences to ensure consistency across production.
• Coordinate with production and quality teams to incorporate improvements and feedback into process planning.
• Ensure proper alignment of ERP master data with shop-floor practices.

4. NPD (New Product Development) Support

• Prototype Planning

  Work with design/R&D to plan fabrication and assembly of prototypes, ensuring feasibility and manufacturability.

• Pilot Batch Planning

  Prepare schedules for pilot batch production, including process trials, inspections, and customer approvals.
• Ensure proper resource allocation for NPD without disturbing regular production.
• Capture actual process data (timings, material usage) during prototype/pilot runs and update BOMs and Routings accordingly.
• Support smooth transition of products from prototype stage pilot batch regular production.

5. ERP & Master Data Management

• Maintain and update

  Bill of Materials (BOM)

  and

  Process Routings

  in ERP based on actual consumption and operation timings.
• Ensure all planning parameters in ERP (lead times, work centers, cycle times, scrap factors) are accurate and up to date.
• Generate and monitor work orders through ERP and track their status until closure. ensuring proper issue of materials and process compliance.
• Validate ERP data regularly to Ensure actual timings and consumptions are updated to improve costing accuracy.

6. Monitoring & Control

• Track daily production progress, machine utilization, and manpower deployment.
• Compare

  planned vs. actual

  production and report variances to management.
• Provide MIS and ERP reports on production status, capacity utilization, and material requirements.

7. Cost & Inventory Control

• Maintain optimal inventory levels of raw materials, WIP, and finished goods.
• Ensure that BOM and routing accuracy support precise product costing in ERP.
• Work with costing teams to identify variances and cost-saving opportunities.

8. Continuous Improvement

• Implement lean planning practices and support continuous improvement initiatives.
• Drive ERP enhancements to improve planning accuracy and efficiency.
• Standardize best practices for BOM, routing, and process planning.

9. Team Leadership

• Lead and mentor the planning team, ensuring adherence to ERP processes.
• Train team members on BOM/routing management, ERP usage, and planning best practices.

Qualifications & Skills

• Bachelors degree in Mechanical/Production/Industrial Engineering (or related).
• 8 to 12 years of experience in production planning and scheduling in fabrication/Manufacturing Industry.
• Ability to interpret fabrication drawings and nesting plans.
• Strong knowledge of

  ERP/MRP systems

  (BOM, Routing, MRP, Work Orders).
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills
• Excellent communication, leadership, and cross-functional coordination skills.