Career Profile: Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks

Salary and Outlook

According to the US Department of Labor, there are 377,900 people employed as production, planning, and expediting clerks in the United States. The median annual salary is $48,040. Entry level employees earn approximately $31,550 per year and senior employees earn approximately $76,440 per year.

Estimates do not include other potential benefits such as health insurance, overtime, or retirement benefits that may be offered by employers.

Job Duties

• 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.
• Confer with establishment personnel, vendors, or customers to coordinate production or shipping activities and to resolve complaints or eliminate delays.
• Examine documents, materials, or products and monitor work processes to assess completeness, accuracy, and conformance to standards and specifications.
• Record production data, including volume produced, consumption of raw materials, or quality control measures.
• Calculate figures, such as required amounts of labor or materials, manufacturing costs, or wages, using pricing schedules, adding machines, calculators, or computers.
• Compile information, such as production rates and progress, materials inventories, materials used, or customer information, so that status reports can be completed.
• Compile and prepare documentation related to production sequences, transportation, personnel schedules, or purchase, maintenance, or repair orders.
• Maintain files, such as maintenance records, bills of lading, or cost reports.
• Contact suppliers to verify shipment details.
• Plan production commitments or timetables for business units, specific programs, or jobs, using sales forecasts.
• Establish and prepare product construction directions and locations and information on required tools, materials, equipment, numbers of workers needed, and cost projections.
• Provide documentation and information to account for delays, difficulties, or changes to cost estimates.
• Distribute production schedules or work orders to departments.
• Review documents, such as production schedules, work orders, or staffing tables, to determine personnel or materials requirements or material priorities.
• Requisition and maintain inventories of materials or supplies necessary to meet production demands.
• Arrange for delivery, assembly, or distribution of supplies or parts to expedite flow of materials and meet production schedules.
• Confer with department supervisors or other personnel to assess progress and discuss needed changes.

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