Production Planning Manager

Production Planning Manager

Fike Corporation
, a rapidly growing international manufacturer of pressure relief, explosion protection, fire suppression and detection equipment, has an opportunity for a Production Planning Manager position. Fike is a privately held business located in Blue Springs, MO with over 400 employees locally & over 1,200 employees worldwide.

Job Summary:

This position is responsible for leading the Planning function and managing the cross-functional flow of work through the customer planning process. Oversees the team of planners to ensure customer and market priorities are translated into clear, actionable operational plans. Builds system capability and discipline around planning practices, ensuring that processes, data, and decisions align commercial intent with production and supply capacity.

Acts as a bridge between the commercial, operational, and systems environments, fostering clarity and accountability across functions. Guides the organization through evolving systems and processes with curiosity, adaptability, and a commitment to continuous learning. Work requires initiative, advanced judgment, and the ability to synthesize information from multiple sources to ensure organizational flow, focus, and reliability.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Leads and develops the Planning function to ensure efficient, integrated execution of customer and market priorities.
• Manages the performance of planners, ensuring priorities, decisions, and communication are aligned across functions.
• Provides leadership for the day-to-day operation of cross-functional teams that connect Sales, CX, Purchasing, and Operations.
• Ensures planning processes, tools, and master data support clear visibility and proactive decision-making across the supply chain.
• Partners with commercial leaders to interpret market needs and convert them into actionable production and material strategies.
• Identifies system or process constraints affecting flow; leads cross-functional problem-solving to address root causes.
• Coaches team members to develop strong analytical and communication skills and the ability to operate effectively in a matrix environment.
• Champions the use of data and planning discipline to improve reliability and responsiveness.
• Supports the design and implementation of new ERP and planning systems, ensuring adoption, accuracy, and usability for all stakeholders.
• Models intellectual curiosity and agility, learning new tools and methods and enabling the team to navigate evolving systems effectively.
• Establishes and maintains departmental metrics and reporting to measure performance, flow, and delivery performance.
• Recruits, selects, orients, and trains employees in assigned areas of responsibility.
• Provides consistent coaching, feedback, and professional development opportunities for team members.
• Maintains the confidentiality of all information processed.
• Performs related duties as assigned. Regular and consistent attendance is required.

Essential

Skills:

Cross-Functional Leadership. Strategic Thinking. Systems Agility. Continuous Learning. Analytical Thinking. Communication. Influence. Decision Making. Process Management. Constraint Management. Problem Solving. Team Development. Relationship Building. Adaptability. Project Management.

Work Environment:

While performing the duties of this job, the environment is general office work and the employee is regularly required to walk, talk, hear, see, sit, and use hands.

Job Qualifications:

REQUIRED: Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain, or related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Seven years or more of progressive experience in planning, materials, or supply chain operations, including leadership of professional-level staff. Advanced understanding of manufacturing resource planning, inventory management, and cross-functional coordination. Demonstrated ability to translate commercial priorities into actionable production and material strategies. Technically fluent and adaptable to multiple and evolving business systems;

able to learn, integrate, and apply tools across platforms to drive decision quality. Strong communication,…