Production Planner
Richemont — Production Planner in La Chaux‑de‑Fonds. Responsible for production scheduling, capacity planning and material coordination for Swiss manufacturing operations.
Overview
Richemont is a leading luxury goods group with a strong heritage in fine watches, jewellery and accessories. The company operates a network of Swiss ateliers and maisons and combines artisanal craftsmanship with industrial precision. As an employer it emphasises technical excellence, long-term brand stewardship and cross-disciplinary collaboration across design, manufacturing and distribution.
Role & Responsibilities
- Develop, maintain and execute the master production schedule to ensure on‑time delivery against customer and internal requirements.
- Translate demand forecasts and sales orders into detailed production plans, balancing capacity, materials and lead times.
- Coordinate with procurement, workshop supervisors, quality and logistics to resolve scheduling conflicts and bottlenecks.
- Perform capacity planning and load levelling for manufacturing lines and subcontractors; recommend short‑ and medium‑term mitigation measures.
- Drive Material Requirements Planning (MRP) runs and follow up on purchase orders and component availability to avoid production stoppages.
- Monitor production KPIs (OTD, throughput, WIP) and prepare regular reports for operations and commercial stakeholders.
- Support continuous improvement initiatives (Lean, 5S, process standardisation) to increase efficiency and reduce lead times.
- Manage exceptions, expedite critical parts and lead cross‑functional problem‑solving sessions when disruptions occur.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Supply Chain, Logistics, Industrial Engineering or a technical discipline; professional qualifications in production planning advantageous.
- Proven ability to work cross‑functionally and to prioritise in a fast‑paced, precision manufacturing environment.
- Strong analytical skills with attention to detail and a methodical approach to planning and problem solving.
- Excellent communication skills capable of liaising with workshop teams, procurement, quality and external partners.
- Demonstrated experience implementing production schedules and improving operational performance (Lean methods desirable).
Skills
Experience
Typically 3+ years of production planning or scheduling experience in precision manufacturing; prior exposure to watchmaking, jewellery or high‑precision assembly operations is strongly preferred.
Education
Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or equivalent; or a professional diploma in production planning.
Culture
Richemont’s workplace culture blends exacting Swiss craftsmanship with collaborative, multidisciplinary teams. Pressure for precision is balanced by a long‑term commitment to skills development, apprenticeship models and continuous improvement across ateliers and production sites.