Strategic Business Planner Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Job DetailsJob Location: Corporate Headquarters - Charlotte, NC 28278

Position Type: Full Time

Travel Percentage: Up to 10%

At Okuma America Corporation, delivering exceptional customer experiences begins with effective planning, collaboration, and execution. As an Integrated Business Planner, Capital Equipment, you will play a critical role in aligning customer demand, distributor commitments, and factory capacity to ensure successful delivery of Okuma's machine tool portfolio.

This position serves as a key link within the Sales & Operations Planning (SOP) process and partners closely with Regional Sales teams, Distributors, Supply Chain, Engineering, Manufacturing, and Global Operations. You will help balance customer expectations with operational capabilities, optimize factory build schedules, and support delivery commitments for both standard and highly customized engineered-to-order machine solutions.

• Partner with Sales, Distributors, and Operations teams to balance customer demand with available production capacity.
• Support the monthly Sales & Operations Planning (SOP) process by translating forecasts, orders, and market opportunities into actionable production plans.
• Evaluate changes in demand, project priorities, and supply conditions to help ensure delivery commitments remain achievable.
• Provide insights and recommendations that support informed planning and scheduling decisions.

• Work closely with Regional Sales teams and Distributor partners to coordinate delivery timelines for customer machine orders and strategic projects.
• Serve as a trusted resource for order scheduling, shipment timing, and delivery expectations.
• Communicate schedule risks, opportunities, and changes proactively to help ensure a positive customer experience.
• Help align customer needs with operational capabilities while supporting business objectives.

• Develop and maintain machine build schedules that optimize factory capacity and support on-time delivery performance.
• Prioritize production requirements based on customer commitments, business priorities, and resource availability.
• Coordinate with Supply Chain and Engineering teams to ensure materials, components, and technical requirements support planned production schedules.
• Monitor schedule performance and adjust plans as business conditions evolve.

• Build strong partnerships with Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Engineering, Logistics, Sales, and Global Operations teams.
• Facilitate alignment on production priorities, delivery commitments, and operational constraints.
• Lead discussions to resolve scheduling conflicts, evaluate trade-offs, and support effective decision-making.
• Help connect customer expectations with internal execution strategies across the organization.

• Monitor key planning and delivery metrics, including backlog health, schedule adherence, and on-time delivery performance.
• Identify trends, risks, and opportunities through data analysis and reporting.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives focused on planning effectiveness, data integrity, and operational responsiveness.
• Contribute to efforts that reduce lead times, enhance flexibility, and improve the overall customer experience.

Bachelor's Degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field required.

• Four (4) to six (6) years of experience in production planning, scheduling, supply chain, operations, or a related field.
• Experience supporting Sales & Operations Planning (SOP) or Integrated Business Planning (IBP) processes.
• Strong understanding of capacity planning, order management, forecasting, and long lead-time manufacturing environments.
• Experience working in capital equipment, machine tool, engineered-to-order, or industrial manufacturing environments preferred.
• Experience supporting distributor networks and customer-specific project requirements preferred.
• Experience leveraging Business Intelligence (BI) platforms and data analytics tools to support planning decisions preferred.
• APICS/ASCM certification, including CPIM, CSCP, or equivalent certification, preferred.

• Strong cross-functional communication skills with the ability to effectively partner with Sales, Operations, Supply Chain, Engineering, and distributor partners.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving capabilities with a focus on execution and continuous improvement.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, competing deadlines, and high-value customer projects.
• Strong understanding of ERP/MRP systems, production scheduling tools, and advanced Microsoft Excel capabilities.
• Experience utilizing Business Intelligence and analytics tools to support operational decision-making.
• Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to evaluate complex scenarios and make data-driven recommendations that support customer and business objectives.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across departments and global teams.

At Okuma, innovation is more than a goal. It is part of who we are. As one of the world's leading manufacturers of CNC machine tools, we invest in advanced technology, employee development, and strong customer relationships. Our team members enjoy a collaborative environment where knowledge sharing, continuous learning, and professional growth are encouraged.

At Okuma, we invest in our employees' well-being and professional growth.

• structured bonus opportunities
• a pension plan
• 401(k)
• medical
• dental
• vision coverage
• company-paid disability insurance
• flexible spending accounts
• wellness and gym reimbursement programs
• tuition reimbursement
• generous paid time off
• paid holidays
• parental leave
• flexible scheduling options

Okuma America Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to fostering an inclusive workplace. Qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to any status protected by applicable law.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to participate in the application process and perform the essential functions of the position.

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed and is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, or qualifications required. Responsibilities may change based on business needs.