Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for a Knitting Planner

🎯 Role Definition

The Knitting Planner is the strategic linchpin of our textile manufacturing process, responsible for translating sales orders and forecasts into a tangible, efficient, and achievable production schedule for the knitting department. This role ensures the optimal utilization of machinery, materials, and manpower to meet production targets, quality standards, and customer delivery timelines. Success in this position directly impacts operational efficiency, cost management, and customer satisfaction by ensuring a seamless flow from yarn procurement to finished knitted fabric. The Knitting Planner acts as a central communication hub, coordinating between sales, supply chain, production, and quality assurance to navigate challenges and drive continuous improvement.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Production Coordinator / Assistant
Junior Production Planner
Textile Technician or Technologist

Advancement To:

Senior Knitting Planner / Planning Manager
Production Manager
Supply Chain Manager

Lateral Moves:

Material Planner / Raw Material Manager
Dyeing & Finishing Planner
Supply Chain Analyst

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop, maintain, and meticulously manage the daily, weekly, and monthly knitting production schedules to align with the master production plan and customer delivery deadlines.
Analyze sales orders, forecasts, and historical data to determine production requirements, including yarn consumption, machine allocation, and labor needs.
Perform detailed capacity planning for all knitting machines (e.g., circular, flatbed, warp) to ensure maximum utilization and identify potential production bottlenecks in advance.
Issue and manage knitting production orders within the company's ERP system, ensuring all necessary information regarding style, quantity, yarn type, and technical specifications is accurate.
Continuously monitor yarn and raw material inventory levels, coordinating with the procurement and warehouse teams to ensure timely availability and prevent production stoppages.
Act as the primary liaison between the knitting floor, the sales/merchandising team, and the dyeing/finishing departments to ensure a smooth and coordinated production flow.
Track production progress against the established schedule on a daily basis, identifying any deviations, delays, or issues that may impact output or delivery commitments.
Proactively troubleshoot production problems, such as machine downtime, quality issues, or material shortages, and collaborate with relevant teams to implement swift and effective solutions.
Generate and distribute regular production reports, including daily output, machine efficiency (OEE), adherence to schedule, and work-in-progress (WIP) status for management review.
Revise and adjust the knitting plan as needed in response to changing priorities, urgent customer requests, or unforeseen production challenges, while clearly communicating changes to all stakeholders.
Calculate material requirements (greige fabric, yarn) based on confirmed orders and plan the allocation of yarn to specific knitting machines to optimize for color, type, and lot.
Coordinate with the sampling department to schedule and prioritize the production of new development samples without disrupting the bulk production schedule.
Ensure that the production plan aligns with quality control checkpoints and standards, working closely with the QA team to build in time for inspections.
Maintain accurate data within the ERP/MRP system, including production lead times, machine capacities, and bill of materials (BOM) for knitted products.
Lead daily or weekly production planning meetings to review performance, discuss upcoming schedules, and align cross-functional teams on priorities and action plans.

Secondary Functions

Analyze historical production data to identify trends, patterns, and opportunities for process improvement in areas like machine efficiency, waste reduction, and lead time optimization.
Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis from management to inform strategic decision-making.
Contribute to the organization's continuous improvement initiatives by suggesting enhancements to planning processes, tools, and systems.
Collaborate with the technical/engineering team to understand the capabilities and limitations of new machinery or knitting techniques and incorporate them into the planning process.
Assist in the physical inventory counts of yarn and greige fabric, helping to reconcile system data with actual stock levels.
Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies if the planning team operates within such a framework.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Production Planning & Scheduling: Demonstrated expertise in creating and managing complex production schedules within a dynamic manufacturing environment.
ERP/MRP Systems: High proficiency in using Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Material Requirements Planning (MRP) software (e.g., SAP, Oracle, BlueCherry, or industry-specific systems).
Advanced Excel: Mastery of Microsoft Excel for data analysis, reporting, and modeling, including pivot tables, VLOOKUPs, complex formulas, and macros.
Textile Knowledge: A strong technical understanding of knitting processes, machine types (circular, flat, etc.), yarn properties, and fabric structures.
Capacity Planning: The ability to accurately calculate and forecast production capacity, identify constraints, and perform what-if scenario analysis.
Inventory Management: Solid understanding of inventory control principles to manage raw materials (yarn) and work-in-progress (WIP) effectively.

Soft Skills

Problem-Solving: An analytical and proactive mindset to quickly identify production issues, evaluate potential solutions, and implement effective corrective actions.
Attention to Detail: Exceptional accuracy and thoroughness in managing complex schedules, order details, and data entry to prevent costly errors.
Communication & Interpersonal Skills: The ability to communicate clearly, concisely, and professionally with individuals at all levels, from shop floor operators to senior management.
Time Management & Organization: Superb organizational skills with the ability to prioritize multiple, competing tasks in a fast-paced environment and meet tight deadlines.
Adaptability & Flexibility: The capacity to remain calm and effective while adjusting plans in response to unexpected changes, such as rush orders or machine breakdowns.
Collaborative Spirit: A strong team player who can build positive working relationships with cross-functional partners in procurement, production, quality, and sales.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience in a relevant field.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor's or Master's degree in a field directly related to manufacturing or textiles.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Textile Engineering / Textile Technology
Supply Chain Management
Industrial Engineering
Business Administration / Operations Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

3-7 years of direct experience in production planning, scheduling, or a related role within a manufacturing setting.

Preferred:

Specific experience as a planner within a textile mill, particularly in a high-volume circular or flat knitting environment.
Proven track record of managing production schedules that involve a high degree of complexity (e.g., multiple machine types, frequent style changes, diverse yarn inputs).