Operations Optimization & Production Schedule

Operations Optimization & Production Planning Analyst This is an in-person position with a schedule of Monday-Friday, 8:00AM-5:00PM. United Direct Solutions has facilities in Louisville, KY and Cincinnati, OH. The company employs hundreds of individual workers and their hard work does not go unappreciated or unrewarded. Here are just a few benefits you will find as an employee: competitive pay, clean and climate controlled facility, health, dental and vision insurance; life insurance; 401(K), career development/mentorship opportunities, quick and steady advancement. The Operations Optimization & Production Planning Analyst is responsible for managing the master production schedule for print and direct mail operations across both production sites while leveraging operational data to improve efficiency, forecasting, and decision-making. This role mines and analyzes data from Midnight and related systems to provide visibility into production performance, labor utilization, and job costing. By translating system data into actionable insights, the analyst supports operations leadership in improving scheduling accuracy, pricing and estimating alignment, productivity, and overall production planning across both locations. Essential duties and responsibilities include developing, maintaining, and optimizing the master production schedule for print and direct mail operations across both facilities. Analyzing production volumes, trends, and historical data to forecast growth, plan for new business, and anticipate capacity constraints. Assisting with capacity planning, scheduling visibility, and resource allocation across both facilities. Supporting high-level scheduling across sites, ensuring workload balance and on-time delivery. Identifying bottlenecks, machine loading issues, and opportunities for operational improvements. Collaborating with operations teams to optimize daily and long-term production planning. Collaborating with estimating and operations teams to enhance pricing models, job costing accuracy, and profitability analysis. Supporting the development and implementation of AI-assisted or data-informed scheduling tools to improve accuracy and operational efficiency. Extracting, analyzing, and interpreting operational data from Midnight and other relevant systems. Monitoring metrics including customer sheet counts, record counts, monthly production trends, run data, machine utilization, and productivity by job, operator, and department. Building and maintaining internal dashboards and reporting tools to provide leadership with real-time visibility into production volume trends, productivity metrics, capacity utilization, labor efficiency, and overtime patterns. Integrating data from multiple systems (e.g., Midnight, Quadient, postage/meter systems, and financial systems in collaboration with accounting) to provide comprehensive operational insights. Partnering with operations leadership to identify opportunities for process improvements and best practice implementation. Evaluating the effectiveness of production processes, recommending changes to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve throughput. Staying current with industry trends and emerging technologies, including AI, automation, and analytics tools, to enhance production planning and optimization capabilities. Identifying trends, inefficiencies, and opportunities to improve productivity, reduce waste, and optimize workflow. Supporting continuous improvement initiatives across departments by providing data-driven recommendations. Key performance indicators include schedule adherence, on-time delivery, machine utilization, AI/data-driven recommendations implemented, and operational insights delivered. Qualifications to perform this job successfully include a strong understanding of production planning and scheduling principles, proficiency with operational systems and production data tools, strong data analysis skills, ability to translate data into actionable insights, excellent mathematical, analytical, and problem-solving skills, strong communication skills, demonstrated ability to prioritize tasks, manage competing demands, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced production environment, knowledge of print and direct mail production processes preferred, experience in continuous improvement initiatives or process optimization projects is a plus, ability to work across multiple sites, occasionally visiting production floors to validate schedules and operational assumptions, detail-oriented, organized, and proactive with a results-driven mindset, ability to adapt to changing priorities and provide solutions in a dynamic operational environment, proficiency in leveraging AI and advanced analytics tools to optimize production scheduling, improve forecasting accuracy, enhance operational efficiency, and support data-driven decision-making in operations and production planning. Education and/or experience include a bachelor's degree in Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, Business Analytics, Data Analytics, Supply Chain Management, or a related field preferred. Equivalent combination of education and relevant work experience may be considered. 3–5 years of experience in production planning, scheduling, operations analysis, or a related role, ideally within print, direct mail, or manufacturing environments. Experience with master scheduling, capacity planning, and job costing is highly desirable. Proficiency in using operational systems and data analytics tools (e.g., Midnight, Excel, BI platforms) to drive process improvements is preferred. Language skills include the ability to read, analyze, and interpret operational reports, production schedules, and system-generated data. Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to clearly present findings, trends, and recommendations to operations leadership and cross-functional teams. Ability to translate complex operational and system data into clear, actionable insights that support production planning, scheduling decisions, and continuous improvement initiatives. Ability to effectively communicate with production, scheduling, and management teams across multiple locations. Mathematical skills include strong analytical and quantitative skills with the ability to interpret production data, capacity metrics, and operational performance indicators. Ability to apply mathematical concepts such as percentages, ratios, averages, variance analysis, and trend analysis to evaluate production efficiency, labor utilization, and job costing accuracy. Capable of performing forecasting calculations, workload balancing, and capacity planning to support master production scheduling across multiple production lines and locations. Ability to analyze large data sets to identify patterns, measure performance, and support data-driven operational improvements. Reasoning ability includes the ability to analyze complex operational and production data, identify patterns or inefficiencies, and develop practical solutions to improve scheduling, workflow, and overall production performance. Demonstrated ability to interpret information from multiple systems and sources, evaluate operational impacts, and make sound recommendations that support production planning and business objectives. Ability to prioritize competing demands, anticipate operational constraints, and apply logical, data-driven reasoning to support decision-making across multiple departments and production sites. Physical demands include the ability to sit, use hands and fingers to operate a computer and other office equipment, and communicate effectively with team members. The employee may occasionally be required to stand, walk through production areas, and lift or move items weighing up to 15 pounds. Specific vision abilities required include close vision for computer work and the ability to view production reports, schedules, and system data. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position, including those related to the physical demands described above, in accordance with applicable laws and company policy. Work environment includes primarily an office setting with regular interaction with production operations at both facilities. The employee will frequently work with computer systems and operational data while collaborating with operations leadership, scheduling, and production teams. Periodic time on the production floor may be required to observe workflow, validate scheduling assumptions, and support operational improvements. While in production areas, the employee may be exposed to typical manufacturing conditions such as moving machinery, moderate noise levels, and varying temperatures. Appropriate safety procedures and personal protective equipment must be followed when entering production environments. Travel may be required between company production facilities to support production planning, scheduling coordination, and operational analysis.