Planner / Master Scheduler

Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 109,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.

Abbott serves the Irish market with a diverse range of healthcare products including diagnostics, medical devices and nutritionals products. In Ireland, Abbott employs over 4,000 people across nine sites. We have six manufacturing facilities located in Clonmel, Cootehill, Donegal, Longford and Sligo and a third-party manufacturing management operation in Sligo. Abbott has commercial, support operations and shared services in Dublin and Galway. We have been operating in Ireland since 1946.

Abbott Ireland Nutrition Division Cootehill Cavan

Abbott Nutrition produces a range of infant formulae in all pack sizes under the brand name “Similac”. To complement the range of “Similac” infant formulae, the facility also manufactures a range of follow on formulae under the brand name of “Gain”. The essential ingredient is liquid skim milk and this is combined with carbohydrate, vegetable oils, vitamins and minerals. The product is blended, pasteurised, dried and packaged at the site and once packaged, is distributed to Europe, South East Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and Canada.

 Established in 1975, Abbott Nutrition in Ireland is the largest powder manufacturing facility for the production of infant formulae within the Abbott Corporation worldwide.  Approximately 1,000 dairy farms in Ireland and Northern Ireland supply quality milk to the Cootehill facility which processes 500,000 litres per day. This secure supply together with Ireland’s reputation as a green, clean environment is of significant strategic importance to Abbott Nutrition.

Please note any offer of employment for this position is conditional upon the successful completion of a pre-employment medical examination, including drug and alcohol screening, conducted by a medical

practitioner designated by the Company

Scheduler

• Work with Planning Center (ALOG) and supply chain members to meet target performance on KPIs (including service to customers and inventory levels).

• Make optimum use of all plant systems including MCS (Stock control system) and Infor Advanced Schedule (Scheduling Software) to record and action planning activities.

• Material master data troubleshooting – analyse and solve material master matters and provide support for efficient daily operations

• Ensure short, medium and long term plan is aligned with financial Latest Best Estimate (LBE) and plant capacity

• Support ERP activities

• Identify potential bottlenecks and provide options around eliminating such bottlenecks

• Facilitate weekly operations Handshake Meeting. Liaise with stakeholders to create, maintain and communicate the Finite production schedule. Agree weekly targets

• Ensure alignment between Demand signals received from ALOG and Infor Advanced Schedule

• Provide weekly output projections to Finance

Materials Planner

• Provide data to support development of annual Plan and Product Cost.

• Maintain local planning policies and procedures in line with overall Abbott requirements.

• Monitor inventories and action slow moving or obsolete stock.

• Schedule materials to meet plant operational requirements, while ensuring efficient and effective purchasing practices.

• Manage key metrics to measure of performance against set targets. Analysis of data to assist in driving good decision making and to report findings to appropriate audience.

• Analysis of MRP parameters (reorder point, min lot size, rounding values, etc.) on an on-going basis

• Coordinate activities within cross functional team through planning meetings and communication to ensure all team members are aligned to achieve the above.

• This Job function will change where update procedures to GMP, EHS, Technical / New Equipment, Quality Procedures & SOP’s are made.

• This list of responsibilities may change depending on plant needs and employees are expected to be adaptable and flexible where this need arises.

Major Responsibilities

• To provide a Scheduling / Planning function to ensure plant output is in line with market needs and agreed schedules through the supply chain.  Provide backup expertise to other areas involved in planning and backup to the other Material functions of Purchasing & Warehouse.

• Inventory control system accuracy.

• Ensure product availability, providing visibility of the customer throughout the site an alignment of production plan.

• Ensure effective management of Master Production Schedule/Material Requirement Planning

• Ensure effective management of Inventory

• This function reports to the Planning Manager within the overall Materials Management function.

Education Required

The Planner is responsible for detailed plant scheduling and coordinating the flow of information and product through the supply chain. The role is a key contact with important customers, with suppliers, with Abbott Distribution and also with other Abbott locations.

• Bachelor’s Degree: Appropriate qualification in either Purchasing/ Production Planning e.g. Diploma in Purchasing or relevant APICS (American Production and Inventory Control Society) examinations.

Or

• General Degree with relevant Manufacturing experience.

• This will provide a basic understanding of the purchasing techniques being used in Abbott Cootehill required for the position.

Knowledge

• Excellent interpersonal skills and communication skills.

• Some level of experience in a planning role is desirable but can be compensated by training.

• Good team working skills are required but also the ability to work alone on own initiative.

• A high level of computer literacy is required.

• Good logic and computing capability is required.

• A high level of integrity is essential.

• The ability to handle complex issues in a high profile, immediate environment is required.

• Ability to adapt and change as the needs of business dictates.

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