Job Description:

Production Planner

Huntsman is seeking a Production Planner supporting the Polyurethanes Division located in Costa Rica. This position will report to the S&OP Manager.

Job Scope

The Production Planner is responsible for developing, scheduling, and coordinating production activities for all packaging operations. This includes ensuring the availability of materials, packaging components, equipment capacity, and labor resources required to execute the packaging plan across drums, totes, IBCs, and other package formats. The role ensures efficient packing execution while maintaining alignment with demand, inventory targets, safety standards, and supply chain commitments.

In summary, as the Production Planner, you will:

Daily Production Scheduling & Coordination

• Develop and maintain short term (daily/weekly) production schedules for assigned packing lines based on forecast, orders, inventory levels, and plant capacity.

• Issue, update, and release production orders for all packaged SKUs.

• Coordinate with operations, warehouse, and quality to sequence packaging runs efficiently and minimize changeovers.

• Participate in daily production meetings to review previous day performance, constraints, and required adjustments.

Material & Packaging Component Readiness

• Ensure all required raw materials, packaging components (drums, totes, labels), and consumables are available before scheduled production.

• Check stock levels daily and create stock transfer requests or requisitions as needed.

• Monitor late purchase orders and escalate potential shortages.

• Maintain accurate MRP data related to packaging BOMs, rates, and lead times.

Inventory & Flow Management

• Monitor inventory at on site and off site warehouses, ensuring product availability and alignment to storage constraints.

• Create transfer orders for packaged goods and coordinate with logistics teams to execute timely movements.

• Work with supply chain to manage aging, slow moving, restricted, or blocked inventory.

Integration With Broader Production Planning

• Use production planning tools (Excel based models, MRP spreadsheets, and planning systems) to translate long term forecasts into packing schedules.

• Incorporate outage schedules, line constraints, labor availability, and maintenance windows into the packing plan.

• Adjust schedules due to demand/supply changes and communicate updates cross functionally.

Reporting & Performance Tracking

• Prepare required daily/weekly reporting (production performance, deviations, schedule adherence).

• Track material consumption, line output, and packing efficiency.

• Maintain accurate system entries for production confirmations, goods movements, and inventory adjustments.

Cross Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Demand Planning, Raw Material Planning, Warehouse, QA, and Logistics to resolve issues affecting packing operations.

• Support S&OE reviews by providing packing line capacity, constraints, and recovery plans.

• Liaise with Customer Service when order priority changes require production adjustments.

Qualifications

You must possess the below minimum qualifications to be initially considered for this position. Preferred qualifications are in addition to the minimum requirements and are considered a plus factor in identifying top candidates.

The candidate must have an unrestricted right to work for Huntsman in Costa Rica.

Candidates must be willing to work on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at our office located in AFZ, Heredia. Additional office days may be required as needed or during corporate visits.

Minimum Qualifications

Education required

• Bachelor’s Degree in Supply Chain, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, or related field.
• 4+ years of experience in production planning, preferably supporting packaging or filling lines.

Skills and knowledge

• Strong understanding of production planning, scheduling, and MRP logic.

• Ability to manage complex schedules and multiple packaging formats.

• Proficiency in ERP systems (SAP preferred) and Excel based planning tools.

• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities under time sensitive conditions.

• Effective communication skills to work across operations, supply chain, and quality.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a chemical manufacturing environment or hazardous materials packaging.

• Familiarity with packaging equipment constraints, changeovers, and run rate optimization.

• Experience using Power BI and/or automation tools to streamline reporting and scheduling processes. (Consistent with enterprise preference for analytics and automation in planning roles)

• APICS/ASCM certification (CPIM/CSCP) is a plus.

Additional Locations: