Production Planner/Scheduler

Position Summary

Join Zoetis Atlanta as a Production Planner and Scheduler and play a vital role in ensuring reliable, cost-effective, and compliant product supply that supports animal health worldwide. As a key member of our Atlanta Planning Team, you will develop and execute production and purchasing plans across short-, mid-, and long-term horizons, managing material availability, production scheduling, preventive maintenance coordination, and inventory optimization. This role requires strong collaboration with Procurement, Manufacturing, Quality, Engineering, and Distribution teams, along with hands-on expertise in SAP master data management and MRP systems. You will also support planning activities for packaging startup and scale-up operations, ensuring seamless integration of new capabilities into our manufacturing ecosystem.

(Near-term) Responsibilities in a Startup Environment: In a startup environment, the Production Planner/Scheduler will adapt quickly to changes, lead in developing and optimizing new processes, and identify opportunities for innovation and improvement. This role involves close collaboration with cross-functional teams, managing inventory and resources efficiently, and troubleshooting unexpected challenges. The Production Planner/Scheduler will also contribute to scaling production processes, support integration of SAP S/4HANA, participate in diverse tasks to support the dynamic needs of the startup, and ensure the sustainability and scalability of all procedures as the company grows. Specific activities would include planning materials for equipment commissioning and engineering runs for filling and packaging. The successful candidate will need to be flexible to perform activities outside of the standard requirements to assist other departments during scale up of staffing and processes.

What You Will Achieve in Your First 6-12 Months

Establish reliable production schedules for filling and packaging that align with project plan minimizing any negative impact to the schedule.

Optimize preventive maintenance and calibration scheduling to maximize equipment uptime and ensure GMP compliance.

Strengthen master data accuracy in SAP (material masters, BOMs, vendor records) to improve MRP reliability and procurement efficiency.

Contribute to the SAP S/4HANA migration by validating master data integrity, testing planning workflows, and ensuring seamless transition of production scheduling, MRP, and procurement processes to the new platform.

Build trusted partnerships with Manufacturing, Quality, Procurement, and Engineering to streamline material flow and resolve supply chain challenges proactively.

Support packaging startup and scale-up planning by coordinating material requirements, capacity planning, and cross-functional alignment during commissioning and qualification activities.

Key Responsibilities

Planning & Scheduling

• Develop and maintain production schedules for equipment, instruments, reagents, and consumables to meet customer demand and inventory objectives.
• Schedule/Coordinate preventive maintenance and calibrations with Engineering and Quality teams.
• Analyze MRP data to ensure production levels align with sales forecasts, safety stock targets, and capacity constraints.
• Prepare and manage short- and long-term purchasing plans (6-24 months) to support uninterrupted supply.
• Monitor and adjust safety stock levels and inventory models to optimize material flow and minimize waste.
• Support planning activities for packaging startup and scale-up, including material staging, capacity modeling, and coordination of FAT, SAT, CQV, media fills, and engineering runs.

SAP Master Data & Inventory Management

• Maintain accurate master data in SAP, including material creation, extension, and updates to BOMs, vendor records, and planning parameters.
• Initiate and approve purchase orders; manage vendor relationships and proactively mitigate supply risks.
• Collaborate with Global Procurement and Sourcing to ensure continuity of supply and cost-effective sourcing strategies.
• Maintain inventory levels within site objectives and lead disposition of slow-moving or distressed inventory.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Manufacturing, Quality, Engineering, and Finance to ensure BOM accuracy, timely material release, and cost-effective operations.
• Support new product introductions, engineering changes, and site transfer initiatives by coordinating material and capacity planning.
• Act as liaison between internal teams and external suppliers to align production schedules, quality standards, and delivery commitments.
• Collaborate across functions during packaging startup and scale-up phases to ensure resource availability, process readiness, and regulatory compliance.

Process Improvement & Compliance

• Apply Lean, Right First Time (RFT), and Operational Excellence methodologies to identify and implement process improvements.
• Ensure compliance with GMP, regulatory requirements, and company policies in all planning and procurement activities.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives through data analysis, root cause investigation, and cross-functional problem-solving.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business Administration, Industrial Engineering, or a related field, OR equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in supply chain, production planning, materials management, or procurement.
• Experience in biotech, pharmaceutical, or regulated manufacturing environments strongly preferred.
• Experience supporting startup, commissioning, or scale-up operations is highly desirable.

Technical Skills

Must-Have:

• Working knowledge of SAP ERP systems, including master data management, MRP/MPS processes, and production planning modules (e.g., PP, MM).
• Demonstrated ability to create, extend, and maintain material masters, BOMs, and vendor records in SAP.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUP, data analysis) and other Microsoft Office applications.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret demand forecasts, inventory reports, and production data.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Nice-to-Have:

• Experience with SAP APO (SNP, PP/DS) or other advanced planning systems.
• Familiarity with procurement platforms such as Ariba.
• APICS certification (CPIM, CSCP) or equivalent supply chain credential.
• Knowledge of GMP, quality systems (CAPA, deviations), and regulatory compliance in pharmaceutical or biotech manufacturing.
• Experience with commissioning and qualification activities (FAT, SAT, CQV) in regulated environments.

Work Environment & Physical Requirements

• Primarily office-based with occasional work on the production floor.
• May require use of PPE (e.g., safety shoes, eye protection).
• Flexibility to work extended hours, weekends, or holidays as needed.

Any unsolicited resumes sent to Zoetis from a third party, such as an Agency recruiter, including unsolicited resumes sent to a Zoetis mailing address, fax machine or email address, directly to Zoetis employees, or to Zoetis resume database will be considered Zoetis property. Zoetis will NOT pay a fee for any placement resulting from the receipt of an unsolicited resume.

Zoetis will consider any candidate for whom an Agency has submitted an unsolicited resume to have been referred by the Agency free of any charges or fees. This includes any Agency that is an approved/engaged vendor but does not have the appropriate approvals to be engaged on a search.

Notice: Zoetis Recruiters will contact candidates via email from an address ending in @zoetis.com and may also initially connect with candidates through LinkedIn, including LinkedIn InMail. Zoetis does not use Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, or other web-based/generic email domains to communicate about job opportunities, interviews, or offers of employment. If you receive a recruitment-related email message claiming to be from Zoetis that does not come from @zoetis.com, please treat it as suspicious. For your security, do not reply, click links, open attachments, share personal or financial information, or send money in response to unexpected or questionable recruitment communications.