Master Scheduler

Brad Foote Gear Works is hiring a Master Scheduler to join our team in Cicero, IL. The Master Scheduler role is a decision-making role, not clerical; it will require deep manufacturing understanding and includes Executive visibility and ownership of plant-wide scheduling performance. Given the level of this role, the selected individual will have the ability to influence capacity and capital planning decisions and have a direct impact on customer delivery performance.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Develop and maintain the Master Production Schedule (MPS) across all product lines and work centers
• Balance demand, capacity, and material availability to create executable schedules
• Establish schedule policies including time fences, frozen zones, and planning horizons
• Lead the monthly Sales, Inventory, and Operations Planning (SIOP) process
• Facilitate cross-functional consensus on demand, supply, and capacity plans
• Provide executive-level reporting on: demand vs. capacity gaps; backlog health; revenue forecast alignment
• Drive decisions on outsourcing, overtime, and capital investment needs
• Conduct detailed capacity analysis by work center, machine, and labor skill set
• Identify and manage constraints (machining centers, heat treat, inspection, etc.)
• Develop mitigation strategies: load leveling, alternate routings, subcontracting
• Partner with Operations on bottleneck elimination
• Drive system discipline and data accuracy (BOMs, routings, calendars)
• Lead continuous improvement of scheduling tools (finite scheduling systems, Advanced Planning & Scheduling (APS))
• Partner with Sales on realistic promised dates and backlog prioritization
• Work closely with Supply Chain to ensure material availability
• Coordinate with Production / Operations for schedule execution and issue resolution
• Collaborate with Finance on inventory targets and working capital
• Track and improve key KPIs: On-time delivery), schedule adherence, lead time reduction
• Lead root cause analysis on schedule misses and systemic issues
• Drive Lean / CI initiatives related to flow, batching, and planning efficiency
• All other duties as assigned

• 7+ years of production scheduling experience in a complex machining or discrete manufacturing environment
• Demonstrated expertise in finite capacity scheduling across constrained resources (machines, labor, outside processing)
• Deep understanding of multi-level BOMs, routings, and shop floor execution
• Strong ERP/APS capability (TCM, SAP, Oracle, or equivalent), with the ability to audit and improve system scheduling logic
• Proven ability to balance demand vs. capacity and drive executable schedules in a high-mix, low-volume environment
• Hands-on knowledge of machining operations (CNC, grinding, gear cutting, or similar)
• Experience coordinating with unionized production teams and frontline supervisors
• Advanced analytical skills (Excel, Power BI, or equivalent) with ownership of KPIs such as OTD, schedule adherence, and WIP
• Ability to perform rapid scenario planning and schedule recovery in response to disruptions
• Strong cross-functional leadership skills-able to align production, engineering, supply chain, and sales