Production Planner

Ascendo Resources is currently partnering with a fast-growing, privately held food manufacturing company specializing in organic protein products. Our partner is experiencing sustained double-digit growth and is investing in its supply chain and planning capabilities to support expansion. We are seeking a hands-on Production Planner who thrives inhighly manual planning environments , enjoys building schedules from the ground up, and can confidently manage complexity without relying on automated planning systems. Role Overview The Production Planner will own daily and weekly production schedules across refrigerated and frozen manufacturing operations. This role partners closely with inventory, operations, warehouse, quality, and logistics teams to align demand, capacity, raw materials, and execution while constantly adjusting plans in real time. Key Responsibilities Build and manage daily and weekly production schedules based on demand forecasts, inventory levels, and capacity Release and manage production work orders, including BOM accuracy, yields, and labor standards Adjust schedules in real time due to downtime, shortages, quality holds, or operational constraints Coordinate sequencing to optimize shelf life, freshness, and changeovers Ensure raw material, packaging, and consumable availability Track planned vs. actual yields; investigate variances and drive corrective actions Maintain accurate inventory across raw, WIP, and finished goods with full traceability Enforce FIFO / FEFO, lot control, and regulatory requirements Build and maintainmanual capacity modelsfor labor, lines, and equipment Identify bottlenecks and re-plan around downtime and labor constraints Support customer fulfillment by validating available-to-ship inventory Produce planning, yield, and KPI reporting using Excel, Google Sheets, and BI tools Systems & Tools Advanced Excel & Google Sheets (required heavy modeling and trackers) ERP / MRP systems WMS platforms CRM and reporting tools (Salesforce, Tableau, Redzone, i3PL, or similar) Qualifications 5+ years of production planning or scheduling experience in food manufacturing Meat, protein, or perishable goods experience strongly preferred Proven experience planningwith and without automated scheduling systems Strong understanding of shelf life, yield management, and capacity constraints Excellent analytical, organizational, and cross-functional communication skills Work Environment Full-time, on-site role in Pedricktown, NJ Exposure to cold or refrigerated production environments as needed Occasional schedule flexibility required to support production deadlines Why Join? Competitive base salary + bonus Strong benefits and PTO package Stable, growth-oriented manufacturing environment High-impact role with visibility across operations