PRODUCTION SCHEDULER: What They Do & How to Become One

Generally, when thinking of choosing a career to pursue or changing a profession, one of the determining factors is the demand and expected growth rate of such a profession. And when these a put to test among many other factors including the salary, becoming a production scheduler might not be bad at all. Yes, production scheduler jobs are in demand and it is projected to grow by 1% from 2018 to 2028. A Production Scheduler is someone responsible for creating, updating, and maintaining production schedules that will ensure optimal productivity and timely delivery of products. Read on to learn about a production scheduler job description, duties, salary software, and how to become one.

What Is a Production Scheduler?

A production scheduler is a business expert who organizes, manages, and schedules workflows for a production team. Their skills guarantee that a production crew will be able to complete their work on time without sacrificing quality. They can plan work according to their particular dynamic since they have a thorough understanding of the production process and the abilities and competencies of their team. The production scheduler is the person other team members generally go to when they have questions regarding the weekly schedule or want input on how to enhance a production process.

What Does a Production Scheduler Do?

Generally, within a production team, a production scheduler is in charge of a broad range of responsibilities. To create the daily, weekly, and even monthly schedules for a production project, they collaborate with every team member. In order to provide production members with prompt solutions to concurrent production challenges, schedulers must, however, possess exceptional multitasking abilities. They produce reports based on the project’s flow and priorities and pass across information about production’s current state or necessary modifications to production.

When difficulties arise during production, the scheduler is also responsible for redistributing resources to the affected departments. In addition, they make sure everyone working on production has access to the resources they need to do their jobs effectively. Production schedulers have other tasks such as:

Keeping track of different production timelines at once
Keeping production on track to meet deadlines
Improving Productivity and Workflow in Manufacturing
Analyzing performance to identify potential improvement areas and how they may be enhanced.
Developing both long- and short-term timetables for production

Production Scheduler Job Description

At company X, we are looking to add a Production Scheduler to our team as a production company. You will be responsible for the management and flawless operation of the manufacturing schedules. To create schedules, you will work along with the production manager and production planner.

Additionally, you must be able to review and modify the schedule as needed when the need arises. Likewise, you must make sure that the inventory and manufacturing resources are organized beforehand. You should also be able to see problems during production and figure out how to fix them.

As a production scheduler, you should be knowledgeable about different production planning software. Additionally, you should be extremely well-organized and have good planning skills. It will also be a plus if you can multitask and set priorities well.

Responsibilities:

Creating and maintaining schedules
Resolving any production-related problems
Reviewing the production process, detecting any problems, and making suggestions for improvement
Ensuring that the company deadlines and production schedules are met
Making necessary changes or adjustments to the production schedules
Managing production resources, including personnel and physical stocks
Putting together and delivering production reports
Coordinating the production schedule with the production manager and production planner
Preparing all the tools and supplies needed for production in advance
When creating production schedules, take sales forecasts and employee capacity into account.

Requirements:

A bachelor’s degree in management, production management, or any related field.
Proven work experience in the production department (production scheduler, production planner, production worker, or in a position that is comparable)
Total understanding of the production process
Knowledge of production planning applications including plex cloud ERP, preactor Express, and Fishbowl inventory
Powerful analytical and problem-solving abilities
Excellent organizational, planning, and time management skills
Good communication skills
Excellent computing skills
Powerful leadership abilities
Ability to handle pressure and tight deadlines

Is Production Scheduling Hard?

Scheduling is generally a challenging field. The plan must be constantly adjusted in order to account for a wide range of variables. This may include machine breakdowns, delays in material deliveries, changes in sub-supplier priorities, and others.

What Are the 3 Types of Schedulers?

There are three different scheduler types that the operating system of a production company may feature. They are;

A long-term scheduler (also a high-level scheduler, an admission scheduler.)
A mid-term or medium-term scheduler
And a short-term scheduler.

What Are the Necessary Skills for a Production Scheduler?

The following are some of the most crucial skills and abilities a production scheduler needs to perform at their best:

#1. Scheduling Skills

Basically, the primary role of schedulers is scheduling. As such, scheduling skills are one of the most crucial abilities a production scheduler should have. Their main responsibilities include establishing team member schedules and creating an operating timetable for the production project. A production scheduler may establish a deadline in accordance with the demands of their stakeholders and take into account a variety of factors while constructing the timeline, such as the size of the team or the nature of the project.

#2. Time-Management Skills

Production schedulers require excellent time management abilities due to the high volume of daily tasks. This ability will enable them to not only complete important tasks on time but also keep their teammates on track. Production schedulers who are able to effectively manage their time will have fewer delays in their plans.

#3. Organizational Skills

To prioritize jobs, meet deadlines, and adhere to any requirements, a production scheduler organizes their responsibilities. They can keep track of various timetables and meet their quotas with the aid of the organization. In addition, they can become more efficient and reduce the likelihood of scheduling blunders or errors by streamlining their operations.

#4. Abilities to Multitask

Multitasking is the ability to effectively and efficiently handle several tasks at once. This is especially important for production schedulers, who typically have multiple pressing production projects and duties to perform daily. They can use this expertise to accomplish both their own goals and those of others.

#5. Communication Skills

Scheduling a production is a job that calls for collaboration with others and open lines of communication with everyone involved in the project. These abilities allow them to effectively convey project goals, objectives, and timetables to team members, keeping everyone on the same page. They can use these abilities to give others insightful criticism that will ultimately improve their performance. Hence, a scheduler needs to be able to express themselves clearly and concisely in writing so that their emails, memos, and reports are digestible.

#6. Proficiency in the Use of Computers

The ability to use a computer is also crucial for the job of a production scheduler. To generate reports, timetables, and production plans, they employ a suite of computer programs and tools, including project management software. They also use these mediums, along with email and video conferences, to have conversations with their teams. A scheduler’s ability to manage their workload and deal with minor troubleshooting procedures depends on their familiarity with computers and their willingness to learn new applications.

#7. Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking Skills

Unexpected issues can arise during the manufacturing process, forcing the team to reevaluate their next steps or find a workaround. In this case, a scheduler’s critical thinking skills are put to the test as they determine the best course of action. They should be able to identify the root of the issue and come up with a workable solution by employing problem-solving skills.

Production scheduler salary

The average annual salary for a production scheduler in the United States as of July 17, 2023, is $61,717.

In case you need a quick pay estimator, that comes out to about $29.67 per hour. This amounts to $5,143 per month or $1,186 each week.

The bulk of Production Scheduler salaries presently ranges between $48,000 (25th percentile) and $72,500 (75th percentile), with top earners (90th percentile) making $85,000 annually across the United States, according to ZipRecruiter, which reports yearly wages as high as $93,500 and as low as $30,500. However, the average salary range for a Production Scheduler varies substantially (by as much as $24,500), depending on skill level, region, and years of experience. As such, there may be numerous prospects for progression and greater pay.

According to recent job posts on ZipRecruiter, there is a strong demand for Production Schedulers in New York, NY, as well as the neighborhood. Out of the 50 states in the country, New York has the tenth-highest production scheduler wages

What Are the Four Stages of Production Scheduling?

The four phases of production planning and control in the manufacturing industry are as follows:

Routing
Scheduling
Dispatching
Follow-Up.

What Is the Difference Between a Production Scheduler and a Production Planner?

The primary distinction between planning and scheduling is that planning specifies what must be done and how much, while scheduling specifies who must conduct the tasks and when.

The impact of modifications in production, pauses, malfunctions, scraps, and other factors is anticipated by scheduling. On the other hand, planning establishes the overall course of production and dynamically determines target stock levels to satisfy future demand. Finally, although scheduling responds to real-time production and supports decisions that are made immediately as well as in the short- and medium-term, planning supports key decisions about production capacity over a medium-long period. Operations planning and production scheduling are two separate but related activities.

How to Become a Production Scheduler

A Production Scheduler is someone whose job it is to create, update, and maintain production schedules that will ensure optimal productivity and timely delivery of products. They incorporate supplies, inventory, resource availability, and delivery commitments into schedules by collecting data from internal teams. Schedulers are experts who keep tabs on how things are going in the factory each day and make adjustments to the schedule as needed due to fluctuations in the supply of raw materials, new designs, or other resources.

To become a production scheduler, you must have manufacturing experience in this field or industry. You may also need to possess a postsecondary degree in a related field, depending on the sector and nature of the position, as many employers now require it. In addition, you need to have great organizational and time management abilities to perform the duties. Since you frequently engage with other staff members, this position necessitates good communication skills, tough skin, and the physical stamina to stand and walk for extended periods of time.

Production Scheduler Software

Production scheduler software are tools used in services and logistics that help producers make the best use of their machinery, production lines, and resources. Below are some of the best software available for a production scheduler in 2023;

Tactic
SyteLine
Craftybase
FactoryLogix MES
Odoo
OmegaCube ERP
Visual Planning
monday.com
QT9 ERP
InkSoft
ProShop
JobBOSS²
Mandelbulb 3D

Conclusion

Being a production scheduler calls for exceptional time management and organizing skills. Experts in this area can find work in a variety of sectors and take on a wide range of responsibilities, such as assisting with production and problem-solving.

In addition, to become a production scheduler, you must have manufacturing experience in your industry. You may also require a postsecondary degree in a related field, depending on the sector and nature of the position. Likewise, you need to have good communication skills to be able to corroborate with people and perform the duties, as well as the physical stamina to stand and walk for extended periods of time.