Job Description

Overview

Join our dynamic team at our Toronto-based fresh vegetable and fruit processing facility as a Production Planner. This mid-level role is essential for optimizing production schedules, ensuring efficient use of resources, and meeting customer demands in a fast-paced food processing environment. The Production Planner will collaborate with production, procurement, and quality assurance teams to develop and maintain production plans for equipment like abrasion peelers, dicers, conveyors, optical sorters, and onion peelers, using Microsoft Office Suite tools, particularly Excel, to create and manage schedules. The role also involves hands-on monitoring of production floor performance, administering the front-end system for production data collection, and forecasting labour and material needs to ensure operational efficiency. This position is ideal for an analytical professional with mid-level experience in food processing, focused on balancing inventory, minimizing downtime, and upholding food safety standards (e.g., HACCP).

Responsibilities

Production Scheduling

Develop and maintain detailed production schedules using MRP tools, based on sales forecasts, customer orders, and inventory levels for fresh produce processing. Forecast and manage labour requirements by analyzing production volumes, shift patterns, and skill needs to ensure adequate staffing across all lines (e.g., peelers, dicers, sorters). Adjust schedules in real-time to accommodate changes in demand, raw material availability, or equipment issues (e.g., dicer maintenance), ensuring clear documentation in Excel.

Production Floor Monitoring:

Spend time on the production floor to monitor performance of equipment (e.g., abrasion peelers, dicers, optical sorters) and ensure alignment with production schedules. Observe production line operations to identify bottlenecks, delays, or inefficiencies (e.g., sorter misreads, conveyor jams) and report findings to the Production Team. Verify labour and material usage on the floor against planned schedules, coordinating with shift supervisors to address discrepancies. Check equipment uptime and downtime logs to ensure accurate data for schedule adjustments and performance reporting.

Front-End System Administration:

Administer the front-end production data collection system, ensuring accurate and real-time input of all production metrics (e.g., yield, downtime, labour hours, output per line). Train production staff on proper use of the system, troubleshoot data entry issues, and maintain system integrity to support reliable reporting. Extract and validate data from the system to inform scheduling, labour forecasting, and material planning decisions.

Labour and Material Planning:

Develop and manage labour schedules using MRP tools, forecasting staffing needs based on production volumes and shift requirements to optimize workforce allocation across production lines. Track labour efficiency metrics (e.g., hours per unit processed) and collaborate with production supervisors to address skill gaps or overtime needs for tasks like operating peelers and dicers. Forecast material requirements for raw produce, packaging, and maintenance supplies, creating procurement timelines in Excel to ensure timely delivery and minimize waste of perishable goods. Coordinate with suppliers and procurement teams to manage material lead times, quality specifications, and inventory replenishment, ensuring seamless integration with production schedules.

Resource Planning:

Coordinate with procurement to ensure timely availability of raw materials (e.g., vegetables, fruits) and packaging supplies. Optimize labour and equipment allocation (e.g., optical sorters, conveyors) to maximize efficiency and minimize waste in perishable goods production.

Inventory Management:

Monitor inventory levels of raw materials and finished products, forecasting needs to prevent stockouts or overproduction. Conduct regular inventory reconciliations and collaborate with the shipping/receiving team to align production with logistics.

Compliance and Collaboration:

Ensure production plans comply with food safety regulations (e.g., HACCP, FSSC 22000) and quality standards. Work closely with QA, maintenance, and production teams to resolve issues and support continuous improvement initiatives.

Forecasting and Optimization:

Use MRP tools and front-end system data to forecast production needs and create manual schedules or templates to manage seasonal variations in fresh produce demand. Participate in cross-functional meetings to align production with business goals.

Additional Duties:

Perform other tasks as assigned by the Management Team, such as assisting with budgeting or special projects.

Qualifications:

Education:

Diploma or degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Business Administration, or a related field; equivalent experience may be considered.

Experience:

3-5 years of mid-level experience in production planning or scheduling, preferably in food processing, manufacturing, or perishable goods industries. Familiarity with food processing equipment (e.g., peelers, dicers, sorters), production floor operations, and data collection systems is a strong asset.

Skills:

Strong analytical skills with advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel (e.g., pivot tables, formulas, data tracking), for creating and managing production schedules, labour forecasts, and material plans. Experience administering production data systems (front-end or similar) and training users on data entry protocols. Excellent organizational and problem-solving abilities to manage complex schedules, labour allocation, material supply chains, and system administration in a fast-paced environment. Effective communication skills for collaborating with cross-functional teams, including production, procurement, and QA staff. Knowledge of food safety regulations (e.g., HACCP) and lean manufacturing principles.

Physical Requirements:

Ability to spend approximately 30% of the workday on the production floor to monitor equipment performance, observe operations, and verify schedule adherence. Comfortable working in a refrigerated setting (e.g., cold storage areas) and navigating a noisy, fast-paced production environment. Ability to sit for extended periods in an office setting for data analysis, system administration, and planning tasks using Microsoft Office tools.

Eligibility:

Must have Permanent Resident (PR) or Canadian Citizen status, in line with company hiring policies.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Benefits:

Dental care Extended health care
Work Location: In person