Position: Material Planner
Summary/Objective
Works with engineers and other key stakeholders to develop a demand plan. Secure materials & outside services on a just-in-time basis to support production schedules. Identify, build, and maintain vendor relationships. Create and maintain purchasing release in accordance with company and management guidelines. Tracks vendor quality and performance and provides feedback to management and vendors.
Essential Functions
- Evaluates and acts upon the MRP requirement levels for assigned commodities. Generates and adjusts purchase releases to support production schedules. Effectively communicates areas of concern to appropriate departments, individuals and/or suppliers. Inputs, maintains, and adjusts records or transactions to ensure system validity.
- Effectively communicates forecasted requirements to external suppliers.
- Objectively measures and communicates supplier performance to support supply chain continuous improvement efforts. Interfaces with Suppliers, Quality, Purchasing, and Engineering to quickly resolve quality, delivery, or cost issues.
- Drives increased inventory turnovers.
- Supports internal customers sourcing new projects/products by proactively planning materials to ensure uninterrupted flow of products to customers as required.
- Ensures quick resolution of shipping discrepancies, receiving errors, and invoice errors, and authorizes all inventory adjustments. Coordinates adjustments to ship dates or quantities on open releases as necessary.
- Works to eliminate excess and obsolete parts and rationalize similar parts.
- Participates in Value Stream Mapping and Kaizen events that will eliminate waste and result in significant benefits (Growth, Safety, Quality, Delivery, and Cost) throughout the Supply Chain.
- Engenders a spirit of cooperation throughout Logistics and supply chain to insure responsiveness to the customer.
- Performs other job-related duties as assigned.
Competencies
- Excellent analytical, problem solving/decision making skills; ability to make timely, effective, fact-based decisions. Includes a strong working knowledge of word processing, spreadsheet, and scheduling software.
- Proficient in ERP systems and Microsoft office suite software (e.g., Word, Excel, Access, MS project, etc.).
- Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to perform and produce results in multi-functional teams.
- Proven ability to develop collaborative relationships and influence up, down, and across organizational lines.
- Knowledge of supplier and component qualification processes
- Time Management
Supervisory Responsibility
This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities but does serve as a coach and mentor for other positions in the department.
Work Environment
- This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines. This position is sometimes required to go to the plant floor.
- Must be 18 years or older
Physical Demands
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or listen. This is largely a sedentary role; however, some filing is required. This would require the ability to lift files, open filing cabinets and bend or stand on a stool as necessary.
Position Type/Expected Hours of Work
This is a full-time position. Days and hours of work are Monday through Friday. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required as job duties demand.
Travel
Little to no travel is expected for this position.
Required Education and Experience
- Bachelor’s Degree in business or technical field and a minimum of 2 years of related experience
- Direct experience working with suppliers from low-cost regions (India, China, Eastern Europe, Etc.).
- Direct experience implementing lean concepts (Value Stream Mapping, Kaizen Leadership, 5S, etc.).
- Bilingual in both English and Chinese – both written and oral
Preferred Education and Experience
- Master’s Degree in business or technical field and two to five years of related experience.
Other Duties
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.