Fabrication Production Planner

Description

Fouts Bros Inc. is a family-owned business since 1952 with facilities in Georgia and Texas. Fouts Bros Inc. is proud to have become one of the largest and most diverse commercial truck manufacturers in the US. Fouts Bros Inc. is committed to developing new commercial vehicles that provide industry-best value, quality, and dependability.

Our company's core values are quality, efficiency, continuous improvement, safety, and teamwork. We believe in conducting business with honesty and transparency, continuously seeking new ways to improve and evolve, fostering relationships with our community and supporting local initiatives, and operating in an environmentally responsible manner to minimize our impact on the planet.

Job Summary:

  The Fabrication Production Planner is responsible for creating, scheduling, monitoring, and closing internal fabricated production orders for the FAB shop using Microsoft Dynamics AX. This position also purchases required raw materials from outside vendors to support FAB production needs. The role ensures fabricated components and required materials are planned, ordered, and produced in alignment with sales order shipment requirements, available capacity, material readiness, and internal production priorities. The planner serves as the link between sales order demand, supplier material availability, shop floor execution, inventory consumption, and production order completion.

Key Responsibilities:

· Review sales order shipment needs and determine required fabricated components, quantities, and due dates.

· Create internal FAB production orders in Microsoft Dynamics AX based on sales order demand, inventory requirements, and approved fabrication priorities.

· Plan and maintain the FAB shop production schedule to support customer shipment commitments and internal operational needs.

· Coordinate with sales, purchasing, inventory, warehouse, and production teams to confirm material availability, capacity, and schedule feasibility.

· Purchase required raw materials from outside vendors to support FAB production schedules, sales order shipment needs, and inventory requirements.

· Coordinate with outside vendors on raw material pricing, lead times, order placement, delivery status, and shortage resolution.

· Monitor open FAB production orders to ensure they are released, started, completed, and closed in a timely manner.

· Update production order dates, quantities, statuses, and related planning information in Microsoft Dynamics AX as priorities or shipment requirements change.

· Communicate schedule changes, shortages, delays, and risks that may impact sales order shipment timing. 

· Demonstrated vendor negotiation skills, including the ability to evaluate pricing, lead times, delivery commitments, and supplier performance while supporting cost, quality, and schedule objectives.

· Working knowledge of production orders, bills of material, inventory transactions, and manufacturing workflows.

· Experience using Microsoft Dynamics AX or similar ERP system preferred.

· Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Excel, Outlook, and ERP-based data entry.

· Ability to read and interpret sales order requirements, part numbers, due dates, and production priorities.

· Strong attention to detail, including the ability to accurately enter and verify item numbers, quantities, due dates, vendor information, production order statuses, material consumption, and inventory transactions.

· Strong communication skills, including the ability to interact professionally with outside vendors regarding pricing, lead times, order status, delivery issues, shortages, and problem resolution.

· Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to investigate production order discrepancies, vendor delays, material shortages, scheduling conflicts, and inventory transaction issues through to resolution.

· Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize multiple production orders, purchase orders, vendor follow-ups, deadlines, schedule changes, and competing operational priorities.

 Key Competencies:

· Production planning and schedule management

· ERP transaction accuracy

· Inventory and material consumption awareness

· Raw material purchasing and supplier coordination

· Vendor negotiation and cost-conscious purchasing decisions

· Problem solving, root-cause analysis, and discrepancy resolution

· Professional communication with vendors, production teams, purchasing, sales, inventory, and warehouse personnel

· Sense of urgency and follow-through

· Detail-oriented documentation and recordkeeping

· Highly organized work habits, including proactive follow-up, schedule tracking, document control, and timely completion of planning and purchasing tasks.

Attributes: 

· High school diploma or equivalent required; associate degree in business, supply chain, manufacturing, or related field preferred.

· Experience in production planning, scheduling, inventory control, manufacturing coordination, or a related operational role.

· Experience with purchasing, vendor communication, raw material planning, or procurement support preferred.