WBC Production Planner

Job Description

Job Title:        WBC Production Planner

Department:   WBC                                                   

Position Summary:  The WBC Production Planner is responsible for the end-to-end planning and coordination of daily, weekly, and monthly production schedules to ensure manufacturing operations run efficiently, resources are used optimally, orders are fulfilled on time, and quality standards are consistently maintained. Serves as the plant’s system authority for production planning and materials movement, with responsibility for developing, executing, and maintaining production schedules for a single dairy and beverage manufacturing facility. This role owns planning data integrity within RELEX, MES, and SAP S/4HANA, ensuring alignment between demand, inventory, raw materials, labor, and equipment capacity while maintaining compliance with food safety, quality, and regulatory requirements.

Principal Duties

• Own production planning and the data ecosystem/data integrity across RELEX and SAP S/4HANA.  Ensure alignment across the end-to-end system from production to the customer.

• Govern planning parameters (forecast signals, safety stock, lot sizing, expiration visibility) to align production, distribution, and store demand.  Develop and execute the production schedules based on demand forecasts, orders, and production capacities.

• Analyze system and manufacturing data to identify gaps between planned and actual performance.

• Analyze and forecast resource requirements including manpower, equipment, and utilities based on planned production volumes.  Balance demand, shelf life, inventory targets, labor availability, and equipment constraints.

• Adjust production plans in real time in response to demand changes, downtime, staffing constraints, or ingredient availability.  Monitor inventory levels to support service targets while minimizing waste, excess, and obsolescence.

• Sequence production to optimize run efficiency, minimize changeovers, and manage perishability risk.

• Expand into MRP execution and operational reporting, tightly aligned to production planning and continuous improvement on machine rates and downtime. Oversee MRP execution, shelf-life management, and replenishment logic to optimize yield and total system cost.
• Optimize corrugation flow (McLane corrugation safety stock) by shifting to larger, bi-weekly batches to improve sugar yield and reduce cost.
• Support continuous improvement through data-led insights, supporting CI leadership with reporting and analytics.
• Identify opportunities across delivery routing, inventory positioning, and demand alignment (since stores drive production planning need).
• Partner on cross-functional initiatives and capital projects, supporting ROI/IRR evaluation and long-term investment strategy.
• Serve as the bridge between plant operations, corporate planning, and store operations.
• Promote strong system discipline and a data‑driven manufacturing culture across all operational teams.
• Prioritize best food safety practices by following all processes and procedures and report any food safety issues to the supervisor or manager.
• Comply with and manage all Wawa GMPs, policies and procedures.
• Provide overall direction and support for team and monitor and assess individual work in accordance with high standards of excellence.  Provide feedback, coaching, support, opportunities for development, complete performance appraisals, take corrective action when appropriate, and participate in hiring decisions.
• Other duties as assigned.

Essential Functions:

• Ability to work well individually as well as in a team environment
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Excellent customer service skills
• Detail oriented and excellent organizational skills
• Excellent analytical and problem solving skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Effectively prioritize and manage multiple system‑related initiatives simultaneously
• Influence cross‑functional teams without direct authority
• Maintain a high degree of accuracy, discipline, and attention to detail
• Be able to observe and support operations throughout the manufacturing facility, including processing, packaging, and warehouse areas
• Strong understanding of yield management, lot‑level traceability, and genealogy
• Ability to support plant operations during off‑shift or peak production periods as needed.

Basic Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems, Supply Chain, Operations Management, Engineering, or related field preferred