Production Planner

Senior Production Planner

Company: DART Aerospace

Department: Production / Planning

Reports to: Master Planner

Location: Kirkland, Montreal, QC – 100% On-site

Experience: 8–10 years

Employment Type: Full-time, Permanent

Languages: Fluent French & English – Mandatory

About DART Aerospace

DART Aerospace is a global aerospace manufacturer specializing in mission-critical equipment, aftermarket solutions, and certified products for the helicopter and aerospace industries.

With more than 1,100 Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs) and over 5,000 products distributed worldwide, DART supports civil, military, firefighting, utility, law enforcement, EMS, OEM, and other aerospace customers across more than 120 countries.

Our Kirkland facility supports specialized aerospace manufacturing activities, including aerial firefighting equipment, mission-critical systems, and technically regulated aerospace programs.

The Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced and highly autonomous Senior Production Planner to support production planning, scheduling, and operational execution at our Kirkland manufacturing facility.

Reporting to the Master Planner, you will play a critical role in translating the master production schedule into realistic, executable production plans while proactively identifying material shortages, capacity constraints, scheduling conflicts, and delivery risks.

This position requires a senior-level manufacturing professional with a strong understanding of production operations, ERP/MRP systems, material planning, and cross-functional coordination.

You will be expected to take ownership of production priorities, anticipate operational challenges, recommend practical solutions, and drive continuous improvement in planning processes.

We are looking for someone who brings more than scheduling experience: a seasoned planner who understands manufacturing realities, can make informed decisions under pressure, and takes accountability for production execution.

Key Responsibilities

Production Planning & Scheduling

• Independently manage daily and weekly production planning activities in alignment with the master production schedule.
• Create, release, monitor, and close production jobs and work orders in Plex ERP.
• Establish and adjust production priorities based on customer demand, material availability, manufacturing capacity, and operational constraints.
• Analyze production schedules to anticipate bottlenecks, shortages, and potential delivery delays.
• Monitor work-in-progress (WIP), production output, and order completion against established schedules.
• Develop and recommend recovery plans when production falls behind schedule.
• Coordinate competing priorities across multiple production lines, work orders, and departments.
• Provide accurate production status updates, risk assessments, and actionable recommendations to the Master Planner.

Manufacturing Execution & Operational Coordination

• Act as a key planning partner to Production Supervisors and shop-floor teams.
• Maintain strong visibility into manufacturing activities, production constraints, and operational priorities.
• Proactively address scheduling disruptions caused by material shortages, quality issues, labor constraints, or equipment availability.
• Coordinate with Production, Purchasing, Quality, Engineering, and Warehouse teams to resolve operational issues.
• Support production ramp-up activities and changing manufacturing requirements.
• Ensure production commitments remain realistic and aligned with available capacity and resources.

Material Planning & Readiness

• Review material requirements against production demand and scheduled work orders.
• Ensure availability of raw materials, components, and production kits before releasing jobs.
• Identify and anticipate material shortages that could impact production schedules.
• Collaborate closely with Purchasing and Warehouse teams to improve material readiness and reduce production interruptions.
• Coordinate with Quality Control regarding inspection status, quarantined materials, and release requirements.
• Support First Article Inspection (FAI) readiness and production-related material staging.

ERP, MRP & Data Management

• Maintain accurate production planning information in Plex ERP.
• Analyze production orders, material consumption, labor reporting, and job completion data.
• Ensure accurate work order transactions, job closure, and variance reconciliation.
• Review and maintain planning parameters, including lead times, lot sizes, and production quantities.
• Use ERP reporting and advanced Excel tools to identify trends, evaluate risks, and support operational decisions.
• Ensure data accuracy, planning discipline, and strong transactional controls.

Process Improvement & Planning Optimization

• Identify opportunities to improve production scheduling, material flow, and planning efficiency.
• Recommend and implement improvements to planning processes and ERP utilization.
• Support the development of planning KPIs, reporting tools, and operational performance indicators.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives focused on schedule adherence, productivity, inventory accuracy, and on-time delivery.
• Share planning expertise and best practices with operational stakeholders.
• Provide guidance and technical support on complex planning issues.

What We're Looking For

Required Qualifications

• 8–10 years of progressive experience in production planning, manufacturing scheduling, materials planning, or manufacturing operations.
• Proven senior-level experience in a manufacturing environment, with responsibility for complex production schedules and operational priorities.
• Fluent bilingual communication skills in French and English, both written and spoken – mandatory.
• Strong hands-on experience with ERP/MRP systems. Plex is preferred; SAP, Oracle, Epicor, Microsoft Dynamics, or similar platforms are acceptable.
• Advanced Excel proficiency, including pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, data analysis, and reporting.
• Solid understanding of MRP principles, Bills of Materials (BOMs), work orders, inventory management, and production scheduling.
• Demonstrated ability to manage material shortages, capacity constraints, production delays, and competing priorities.
• Experience coordinating production activities across multiple departments.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to translate manufacturing data into actionable decisions.
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and proactively resolve operational issues.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and commitment to data accuracy.
• Comfortable working directly with shop-floor teams in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Strong Assets

• Experience in aerospace, defense, automotive, medical devices, or another regulated manufacturing industry.
• Experience in high-mix / low-volume manufacturing environments.
• Previous involvement in production ramp-up, manufacturing transfers, or operational expansion.
• Advanced knowledge of multi-level BOMs and complex material requirements.
• Experience interpreting engineering drawings and technical manufacturing documentation.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing capacity planning and production sequencing.
• Experience with Power Query, Power BI, or advanced planning analytics.
• Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, continuous improvement, or production optimization methodologies.
• APICS CPIM or CSCP certification.

The Senior Profile We're Looking For

You are an experienced manufacturing planner who understands that successful production planning requires more than maintaining schedules.

You anticipate issues before they affect production, understand the relationship between materials, capacity, quality, and delivery commitments, and know how to prioritize effectively in a changing manufacturing environment.

You are comfortable challenging unrealistic schedules, making recommendations based on data, and working directly with operational teams to find practical solutions.

You bring:

• Autonomy: You manage your responsibilities independently and require minimal supervision.
• Manufacturing expertise: You understand production processes, material flows, and shop-floor realities.
• Proactive problem-solving: You anticipate risks rather than simply reacting to them.
• Strong decision-making: You can assess competing priorities and recommend effective solutions.
• Accountability: You take ownership of planning accuracy, execution, and results.
• Cross-functional leadership: You influence and coordinate stakeholders without necessarily having direct reports.
• Continuous improvement mindset: You actively look for ways to improve planning performance and operational efficiency.

Compliance & Eligibility Requirements

Due to the nature of DART Aerospace's operations, including work involving controlled aerospace and defence programs, technical data, military-related products, and export-controlled information, this position is subject to applicable international trade compliance and export-control requirements.

For this specific position, candidates must be Canadian citizens in order to meet the required access and compliance requirements.

Eligibility will be verified as part of the recruitment and onboarding process in accordance with applicable DART Aerospace policies and regulatory requirements.

Why Join DART Aerospace?

• Join a global aerospace manufacturer supporting mission-critical operations worldwide.
• Play an important role in supporting production growth and operational performance at our Kirkland facility.
• Work closely with experienced manufacturing and supply chain professionals.
• Contribute directly to production efficiency, manufacturing reliability, and customer delivery performance.
• Bring your expertise to a hands-on, technically demanding aerospace environment.

Ready to take ownership of complex production planning challenges?