Manager, Planning

As Chemring Energetic Devices (CED) celebrates 50 years of building products that protect our country, protect the individual warfighter, and send rockets into outer space, our growth is creating new opportunities to expand our team with talented individuals who want to shape the next era of mission-critical innovation. CED is well situated in Downers Grove, Illinois — a commuter train ride west of Chicago and a short drive from farmland.

About the Role

The Manager, Planning holds accountability for plant-wide material planning, inventory control, and plant scheduling to ensure on-time delivery to CED’s customer base. This position is the subject matter expert on optimization of MRP demand planning, cross-functional collaboration, and compliance to regulatory standards. The Manager, Planning maintains accurate manufacturing orders, monitors execution, manages inventory flow, and effectively communicates updates across the organization.

Responsibilities

• Holds accountability for leadership of the Planning function and act as focal point for all Planning Department activities
• Responsible for workload distribution, assignment, and balancing within the Planning Department
• Oversee the use and optimization of the D365 MRP system to determine hardware needs and supplier delivery schedules
• Provides accurate capacity insights to support RCCP and MPS adjustments to the rest of the organization
• Oversee material availability, component flow, shortages, aging inventory, and discrepancies; support cycle count and inventory health reviews
• Coordinate cross-functional updates with Engineering, Production, Purchasing, Quality, and Program Management to ensure alignment with schedule requirements
• Validate shop floor activity through throughput checks, labor reporting review, and WIP visibility
• Partner with Engineering, Machine Shop, and Quality to ensure tooling, fixtures, routings, and parameters are production ready
• Participate in daily stand-ups, weekly D365 working sessions, and production readiness meetings
• Identify and support continuous improvement opportunities related to planning accuracy, system data, and process flow
• Maintain compliance with company policies, procedures, documentation standards, and operational expectations; support planning-related audits, reporting, and standardization
• Participate in continuous improvement, data cleanup, and system enhancement efforts
• Assess employee performance and provide coaching, feedback, and training opportunities to the team
• Generate reports and present information to senior leadership and other stakeholders
• Comply with government and corporate laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures
• Ensure 100% compliance with the Chemring Operational Framework, Code of Conduct, and U.S. Code of Ethics and Business Conduct
• Perform special projects and additional duties as assigned

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in business, supply chain management, engineering, or a related field preferred; or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in supply chain, planning, scheduling, or inventory management within a manufacturing environment
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in a supervisory role
• Lawful US Person (ITAR restrictions)
• Must be eligible to possess explosives under the Safe Explosives Act of 2003 (as amended) as required by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) for all employees of Chemring Energetic Devices
• Professional certification by the American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS) preferred

Skills

• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, production flow, and lean principles
• Experienced with MRP systems (D365 preferred)
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret capacity, material availability, inventory signals, and production execution data
• High proficiency in Excel and other planning software/tools
• Ability to interpret technical procedures, schedules, and diagrams to resolve issues
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to write clear reports, present schedule risks, and collaborate and influence effectively across the organization
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, maintain data accuracy, and communicate delays/material risks

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Paid time off
• Disability insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Life insurance and other voluntary supplemental insurance coverages
• Parental leave
• Adoption assistance
• Tuition assistance
• Employer/partner discounts

Pay

Current salary range for this role is $102,500 to $138,500 per year. At CED, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at the top of the range for their role, and compensation decisions may vary based upon, but not limited to, education, skills, experience, proficiency, performance, shift, location, and geography. In addition to base salary, the total compensation package may also include participation in a bonus, commission, or incentive program.

Schedule

CED follows a 9/80 work schedule allowing employees to enjoy alternating Fridays off.

Physical and Other Requirements

• Lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, or otherwise moving objects, weighing up to 20 pounds occasionally and/or a negligible amount of weight frequently
• Involves sitting much of the time but may involve routine periods of walking or standing
• Daily and extensive use of computer