Green Jobs

Production Planner

A Production Planner is responsible for creating and implementing plans to ensure the working forest is operating efficiently and productively. Their primary role is to determine how to optimize the resources available to the forestry organization, including labor, equipment and raw materials.

A Forestry Production Planner works closely with other members of the forestry team to ensure everyone is working toward the same goals, such as foresters, loggers and equipment operators. This role also works closely with suppliers, customers and executive teams to develop and implement production plans to align with market and business objectives.

Education

A Bachelor’s Degree in forestry, business administration, logistics or operations management is often required. Experience in the forestry industry, operations and production planning is helpful.

Industry certifications, such as Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), can be beneficial for a career in production planning.

Helpful courses to take in high school include science, such as biology, environmental science and chemistry; mathematics; computer science; and business courses. Agriculture-focused courses such as horticulture and natural resources management are also beneficial.

Tools of the Trade

Production planners use various software and tools to develop and implement production plans company-wide. These include:

  • Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software - this software helps the production planner manage data across the forestry organization. It provides real-time information about costs, key performance indicators and other data.
  • Manufacturing Execution System (MES) software - this software helps the production planner control mill production processes. It tracks production rates, machine and equipment utilization, and quality metrics.
  • Production scheduling software - this software allows the production planner to schedule and sequence production activities to optimize resource use and minimize downtime. It helps eliminate delays and disruptions.
  • Basic Microsoft Office applications such as Excel and Word.

Important Skills

Good planning and organization skills are required for this position. Production planners need to be able to develop and organize detailed production plans that effectively drive the forestry organization forward. 

Attention to detail to ensure that production plans are complete and accurate, as well as carried out.

Good communication skills are needed to communicate effectively with a wide range of employees and stakeholders in the forestry organization.

Job Responsibilities

The production planner must have a full understanding of the forestry industry and the operations that take place. This individual also needs strong problem-solving and communication skills. Because this role requires communicating developed plans, the production planner must be comfortable speaking with diverse teams and stakeholders on a regular basis.

Responsibilities of the production planner may include:

  • Development of production plans.
  • Coordinate activities across departments in the forestry organization.
  • Monitor production for goal achievement.
  • Analyze data across the organization, from production levels to costs to key performance indicators. This helps the organization identify opportunities for improvement.
  • Management of inventory, such as logs and timber products. Production plans help to eliminate excessive waste and decrease costs.
  • Ensure production plans are in compliance with forestry standards and regulations.
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