Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks

What the job really is

Coordinate and expedite the flow of work and materials within or between departments of an establishment according to production schedule. Duties include reviewing and distributing production, work, and shipment schedules; conferring with department supervisors to determine progress of work and completion dates; and compiling reports on progress of work, inventory levels, costs, and production problems.

At a glance

• Sector: Office & Administrative
• O*NET-SOC code: 43-5061
• O*NET job zone: 2 — some preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Provide documentation and information to account for delays, difficulties, or changes to cost estimates.
• Distribute production schedules or work orders to departments.
• Revise production schedules when required due to design changes, labor or material shortages, backlogs, or other interruptions, collaborating with management, marketing, sales, production, or engineering.
• Review documents, such as production schedules, work orders, or staffing tables, to determine personnel or materials requirements or material priorities.
• Arrange for delivery, assembly, or distribution of supplies or parts to expedite flow of materials and meet production schedules.
• Confer with establishment personnel, vendors, or customers to coordinate production or shipping activities and to resolve complaints or eliminate delays.
• Requisition and maintain inventories of materials or supplies necessary to meet production demands.
• Confer with department supervisors or other personnel to assess progress and discuss needed changes.
• Plan production commitments or timetables for business units, specific programs, or jobs, using sales forecasts.
• Compile information, such as production rates and progress, materials inventories, materials used, or customer information, so that status reports can be completed.
• Examine documents, materials, or products and monitor work processes to assess completeness, accuracy, and conformance to standards and specifications.
• Compile and prepare documentation related to production sequences, transportation, personnel schedules, or purchase, maintenance, or repair orders.

Tools and technology

Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Google Docs, Intuit QuickBooks, MEDITECH software, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Project Management Specialists
• Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks
• First-Line Supervisors of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand
• First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers
• Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping
• First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers
• First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers
• Procurement Clerks

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 2 (some preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.