Associate Manager, Production & Material Planning

Job description

***Please Note:**To conform with the United States Government Space Technology Export Regulations, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., conditional resident, asylee or refugee (protected individuals as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.* At **CesiumAstro**, we are developers and pioneers of out-of-the-box communication systems for satellites, UAVs, launch vehicles, and other space and airborne platforms. We take pride in our dynamic and cross-functional work environment, which allows us to learn, develop, and engage across our organization. If you are looking for hands-on, interactive, and autonomous work, CesiumAstro is the place for you. We are actively seeking passionate, collaborative, energetic, and forward-thinking individuals to join our team. We are looking to add an **Associate Manager, Production & Material Planning** to our team. In this role, you will be responsible for coordinating and overseeing production scheduling, material requirements planning (MRP), and demand/supply alignment to support program execution and on-time delivery. This role manages a team of planners and works cross-functionally to ensure accurate forecasts, material availability, planning discipline, and alignment between manufacturing capacity and program needs. Operating within a regulated aerospace and defense environment, this leader ensures compliance, drives data-driven decision-making, and supports operational efficiency and continuous improvement. ### JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES - Oversee the development, maintenance, and execution of the master production schedule. - Ensure production plans align with capacity, labor availability, material readiness, and customer/program requirements. - Monitor schedule performance, identify constraints, and develop mitigation plans to prevent delays. - Support engineering changes, configuration control, and production readiness activities. - Lead coordination with Operations to level-load production and resolve scheduling conflicts. - Manage daily/weekly MRP execution to ensure accurate demand signals, planned orders, and material flow. - Review and validate BOM accuracy, planning parameters, lead times, and lot sizing. - Monitor material shortages and drive cross-functional recovery plans to maintain schedule adherence. - Collaborate with Procurement to resolve supplier delays, expedite needs, and strategic material risks. - Ensure planning data integrity to support forecast accuracy, inventory health, and system reliability. - Lead, coach, and develop a team of Production Planners and Material Planners. - Provide clear direction, workload prioritization, and performance feedback. - Work closely with Operations, Engineering, Procurement, Quality, and Program Management to support program success. - Communicate planning risks, material constraints, and schedule updates to leadership and stakeholders. - Support new product introduction (NPI), ramp-up planning, and operational readiness. - Ensure planning and scheduling practices align with AS9100 requirements, internal policies, and customer standards. - Maintain audit-ready documentation and data accuracy within ERP/MRP systems. - Identify opportunities to streamline processes, improve forecast accuracy, and enhance material flow. - Support root cause analysis and corrective actions for planning, scheduling, or material-related issues. - Reinforce standard work, process discipline, and planning performance metrics (OTD, schedule adherence, accuracy). ### JOB REQUIREMENTS AND MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Industrial Engineering, or related field. - 4-7 years with BS - Degree focus in supply chain planning or procurement experience, including 2–5 years in leadership roles. - Ability to prioritize workload, multitask, and meet deadlines in a dynamic environment. - Strong understanding of production planning, material planning, scheduling principles, and MRP logic. - Familiarity with aerospace/defense manufacturing processes, lead times, and configuration control. - Working knowledge of BOM structure, routings, capacity planning, and shop floor workflows. - Ability to interpret engineering drawings, planning parameters, and manufacturing documentation. - Problem-solving skills using root cause analysis and corrective action methodologies. - Experience with ERP/MRP systems (SAP, Oracle, NetSuite). - Understanding of FAR/DFARS and AS9100 requirements as they relate to planning and documentation. - Clear communication skills for cross-functional collaboration and production meetings..