Production Planning Manager

Overview:

Draper is an independent, nonprofit research and development company headquartered in Cambridge, MA. The 2,000+ employees of Draper tackle important national challenges with a promise of delivering successful and usable solutions. From military defense and space exploration to biomedical engineering, lives often depend on the solutions we provide. Our multidisciplinary teams of engineers and scientists work in a collaborative environment that inspires the cross-fertilization of ideas necessary for true innovation. For more information about Draper, visit www.draper.com.

Job Description Summary:

Job Description:

Duties/Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of production schedulers, providing coaching, guidance, and performance feedback.
• Develop and manage capacity planning (manpower, machinery, and materials) and scheduling tools to help identify capacity constraints
• Set the vision and priorities for master production scheduling across Draper, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives.
• Coordinate and communicate daily/weekly/monthly production work priorities/schedules and revisions as appropriate to meet changing needs and requirements acrosslocations.
• Oversee the development and maintenance of enterprise-wide production schedules in the ERP system.
• Translate program demand plans into executable schedules while balancing labor capacity, material availability, and customer delivery requirements.
• Drive schedule fidelity, proactively identify risks, and implement mitigation plans to ensure on-time performance.
• Partner with program leadership, functional managers, and supply chain to align resources and resolve conflicts.
• Champion continuous improvement in scheduling practices, applying lean methodologies and data-driven insights.
• Communicate schedule performance and risks to senior leadership through metrics, reports, and recommendations.

Skills/Abilities

• Demonstrated leadership experience managing or guiding a team within operations, production planning, or scheduling.
• Deep knowledge of master production scheduling and ERP system management.
• Experience with high-mix, low-volume manufacturing operations.
• Strong understanding of production intervals, takt time, cycle times, and capacity planning.
• Skilled at building partnerships across diverse technical and functional groups.
• Proven ability to analyze data, generate insights, and translate them into actionable plans.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to influence at all levels of the organization.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in industrial technology / industrial engineering or related technical field is preferred

Experience

• 10 years manufacturing production experience with at least 5 years in production planning/scheduling and 2 years in master scheduling role. Comparable manufacturing experience will be considered.
• Background in materials planning, production control, or supply chain management.
• Experience driving process improvements using lean or Six Sigma methodologies.
• Familiarity with scenario planning, schedule products, and risk-based decision-making.

Additional Job Description:

Applicants selected for this position will be required to obtain and maintain a government security clearance.

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The US base salary range for this full-time position is

Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target salaries for the position across all US locations. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Union ranges will be in compliance with the collective bargaining agreement's approved rates by location and role. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process. Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only, and does not include bonuses or benefits.

Our work is very important to us, but so is our life outside of work. Draper supports many programs to improve work-life balance including workplace flexibility, employee clubs ranging from photography to yoga, health and finance workshops, off site social events and discounts to local museums and cultural activities. If this specific job opportunity and the chance to work at a nationally renowned R&D innovation company appeals to you, apply now www.draper.com/careers.

Draper is committed to creating an inclusive environment. We understand the value of inclusivity and its impact on a high-performance culture. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information. Draper is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request reasonable accommodation, please contact hr@draper.com.