Senior Production Scheduler (Rockford)

SENIOR PRODUCTION SCHEDULER

GENERAL SUMMARY

The Senior Production Scheduler is responsible for developing, maintaining, and communicating a constraint-feasible, resource-optimized production schedule for machining, assembly, test, and paint operations within Hydraulic Technologies. This role ensures alignment between customer commitments, material availability, and real-time shop capacity to maximize on-time delivery, throughput, and schedule adherence. The Senior Production Scheduler works closely with Operations, Materials, Customer Service, Engineering, and Maintenance to resolve constraints, manage priorities, and proactively identify risks impacting production. This Senior Production Scheduler will also be responsible for the purchase of raw material and outside processes.

PRINCIPLE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES (ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS)

Daily & Weekly Scheduling:

- Build and publish finite, constraint-based schedules ensuring feasibility based on machine capacity, labor, tooling, and material availability.

- Create labor and machine capacity plans for designated work centers, and work with production and purchasing to smooth the load and balance, make v buy and overtime.

- Sequence orders to balance flow, reduce changeovers, and optimize bottleneck utilization.

- Maintain the 4‑week S&OE plan and ensure alignment with the MPS

- Generate and distribute daily dispatch lists.

- Responsible for purchasing raw material and managing outsourced processes, including inventory, supplier relationship management, and cost.

Execution & Problem Solving:

- Monitor schedule adherence; adjust in real time to disruptions.

- Conduct root cause analysis on schedule misses.

- Support capable-to-promise (CTP) evaluations, inventory projections, safety stock, kanban, and replenishment systems analysis.

Materials & Readiness:

- Collaborate with Manufacturing and Quality on supply risks.

Capacity & Constraints Management:

- Maintain accurate constraints for machines, tooling, and labor.

- Flag capacity risks and propose solutions such as overtime or subcontracting.

- Partner with Engineering to ensure routing accuracy.

Data Integrity & Systems:

- Maintain clean scheduling parameters.

- Use ERP/MES/APS systems for simulations and what‑if scenarios.

- Provide daily/weekly scheduling KPIs.

Continuous Improvement:

- Support SMED and flow optimization initiatives.

- Recommend changes to improve scheduling logic and stability.

The above listed responsibilities are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities or duties required. Employee will be expected to perform other duties as assigned.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Required:

- 2–5+ years in production scheduling, purchasing or operations.

- Strong understanding of routings, BOMs, capacity planning, and finite scheduling.

- Proficiency with ERP/MES tools.

- Strong analytical skills and Excel capability.

- Cross functional communication skills

Preferred:

- Experience in hydraulic, aerospace, automotive, or high‑mix manufacturing.

- Familiarity with SAP and Power BI

- Knowledge of Lean, TOC, and S&OP processes.

Key Competencies:

- Constraint-based problem solving

- Effective prioritization under pressure

- Strong communication and negotiation

- Detail-oriented with strong data discipline

- Continuous improvement mindset

- Ability to influence without authority

Success Measures (KPIs):

- SQDC

- Schedule adherence (start & finish)

- On‑time delivery performance

- Reduction in expedite requests

- Bottleneck utilization improvements

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, use hands and fingers, handle or feel objects, reach with hands and arms, talk and hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

WORKING CONDITIONS

The working conditions described here are representative of those an employee may encounter while performing the principal duties and responsibilities of the job. The performance of this position normally requires exposure to a typical manufacturing area which, under certain conditions, requires the use of personal protective equipment such as safety glasses with side shields and mandatory hearing protection. The temperature of the primary work area may be affected by outside temperatures and machining. Industrial lighting provided. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

DISCLAIMER

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

QUALITY

Quality encompasses all aspects of HT’s business, and every employee shares the responsibility to prevent the occurrence of any nonconformity relating to product, process and the quality system. All employees have an obligation to identify and record any such nonconformity, and through designed channels, initiate and recommend solutions.

HT USA is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other reason prohibited by law.