Time Delivery Supply Chain

Wijitha Wimalasena

Production Planning Manager

adwno9@r.postjobfree.com • 919-***-****

LinkedIn • Cary, North Carolina

Summary

Visionary leader with a passion for excellence and 15+ years of expertise in creating, modifying, and managing production schedules for manufacturing and supply chain industries. Excel at reviewing production performance and update planning rates as per the plant capabilities and available capacity. Extensive track record of streamlining operations, while delivering measurable cost savings, quality improvements, and profitability by integrating lean enterprising and process improvement projects. Collaborate with executives, on-site teams, suppliers, and key parties to align priorities and achieve goals. Adept at leveraging a data-driven approach to forecast demand and supply, measure KPIs, track metrics, and analyze results. Highly proficient in SAP and Microsoft Office.

Areas of Expertise

Global & Local Production Planning

Capacity Planning

Process/Performance Improvement

Supply Chain Management

Supply/Demand Planning

Team Building & Leadership

Strategy Development & Execution

Lean Manufacturing Techniques

Regulatory Compliance

Professional Experience

MAS Holdings Pvt Ltd., Colombo-Sri Lanka 2021 – Present

Deputy General Manager - Planning

Promoted through roles of increasing scope, responsibilities, and authority for a global apparel manufacturing company. Oversee all aspects of scheduling, capacity planning, labor forecasting, resource utilization/allocation, supply chain operations, and strategy development for manufacturing facilities with over $1B annual revenue. Catalyze production workflow by planning and prioritizing operations to ensure maximum performance and minimum delay. Study market environments, analyze customer insights, and keep track of seasonal fluctuations to schedule and allocate resources. Monitor raw materials and finished goods to track and maintain inventory and material availability. Liaise with leaders and cross-functional teams to formulate LRP, Hoshin, and growth strategies. Provide support to leadership in matters regarding succession planning and career development.

●Drove continuous improvement through planning; pioneered quality-user manual for internal use that increased efficiency and accuracy by identifying gaps in the planning department; introduced profitability-based plan that saved 1-5% costs through freight savings; integrated auto-planning tool that reduced planning carder and allocated human resources appropriately as per workload.

●Spearheaded projects on software automation, rapid manufacturing, Vendor-managed inventory (VMI), SI/CR/Speed with cross-functional teams to support company goals and vision.

●Collaborated with business teams to craft capacity expansion and reduction plans on a local and global scale.

●Established open lines of communication with 52 executives while supervising eight direct report managers.

●Recommended viable solutions and crafted effective capacity plans by forecasting and monitoring medium/long -term views and trends to streamline order fulfillment and flow processes.

●Leveraged lean planning and manufacturing methodologies to optimize production processes/capacity, deliver measurable cost savings, enhance quality and service levels, reduce risks, and steer profitability.

●Tracked, measured, and benchmarked departmental activities to ensure productivity and operational efficiency by monitoring key performance indicators (KPI) and managing P&L.

Divisional Planning Manager, Colombo-Sri Lanka 2017 – 2021

Oversaw the production process to ensure delivery of high-quality products that meet customer needs. Defined cost estimates, budgets, and budgeted capacity. Recommended viable solutions and corrective actions by identifying and assessing current needs and areas of improvements. Prepared and submitted planning reports to senior management for weekly/monthly reviews.

●Effectively planned and regulated 2.2M standard hours capacity per month across 12 manufacturing facilities for both local and global production plants.

●Played key role in achieving revenue targets and managing all labor/people concerns during COVID.

●Led full life cycle of process enhancement and seamless inventory management projects for PVH Corp.

●Refined strategic product plans by guiding decision making to make better-informed and smart supply/supply-chain decisions by administering demand forecasting and projection.

●Optimized product mix quality and service levels for maximum profitability and better capacity utilization using data analytics, budgeting, and advance seasonal planning.

●Leveraged management and analytic skills to achieve capacity flexibility for partnered plants.

Production Planning Manager, Colombo-Sri Lanka 2013 – 2017

Managed day-to-day operations including scheduling, material allocation, inventory management, and supply chain distribution. Maintained staffing levels based on workload volumes and company targets; developed, assigned, and delegated roles to on-site employees. Tracked and managed material shortages. Made changes to production schedules to ensure meeting production deadlines.

●Successfully planned, controlled, and managed approximately 350K standard hours of capacity per month.

●Streamlined material management and drove operation excellence by ensuring production loading, improving scheduling plans, tracking chassis continuity, identifying challenges, and recommending viable solutions.

Deputy Manager- Planning and Supply Chain - Rapid Biyagama-Sri Lanka 2010 – 2013

Directed end-to-end production process for a special facility created for late-buy demand customers, expedited deliveries and speed production. Collaborated with teams to map work cycles, monitor daily input & output, and align supplier base to meet production schedules. Ensured on-time delivery performance and distribution of supplies in compliance with forecasts by liaising with merchandising teams. Kept track of RM availability, commercial/strategy alignment, and shipments daily.

●Proactively identified gaps and implemented solutions to reduce waste and drive minimum production lead time.

●Optimized warehouse space utilization of Raw Materials (RM) and Finished Good (FG) to consolidate production flow by arranging Inventory Distribution based on demand and regulating just-in-time RM and FG movement.

●Reduced freight costs and supply chain lead times through RM Localization.

Senior Executive – Supply Chain-Panadura-Sri Lanka 2009 – 2010

Led supplier alignment project with key suppliers (Silueta/Strechline). Liaised with suppliers to monitor delivery of materials and coordinated with planning teams to prioritize and align delivery dates. Interfaced with commercial teams to ensure timely supply of raw materials to multiple facilities.

●Key member of steering team to ensure seamless end-to-end connections/alignment with suppliers and consumers.

Additional Experience as Executive Planning at MAS Holdings PVT LTD and Planning and Costing Executive at Orient Garment Pvt. Ltd.

Education

Master of Business Administration, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

Diploma in Garment Industry Management, Garment Industry Management Institute, Sri Lanka

Diploma in Electronical & Telecommunication Engineering, Open University of Sri Lanka

Professional Training

Training, Consultancy, and Managerial Leadership, MDF Lean Practitioners Program

Certifications

Lean Manufacturing – Yellow/Blue/Green Belt

Publications available upon request.

Contact this candidate