Materials Planner

Job Summary: The Material Planner is responsible for forecasting material requirements, analyzing inventory levels, and developing supply plans to ensure the availability of materials needed to support production and customer demand. This role monitors inventory performance, safety stock, lead times, reorder points, and material requirements while identifying potential shortages, excess inventory, and supply risks. The Material Planner works closely with Purchasing, Sales, Operations, Production, Engineering, and suppliers to align material availability with demand and production schedules. The position also supports purchase planning, inventory optimization, forecasting accuracy, reporting, and continuous improvement of material planning processes to maintain appropriate inventory levels while minimizing shortages and excess inventory. Qualifications : Bachelors Degree Position Reports To: Director of Operations & Quality Responsibilities: · Demand forecasting: Develop and maintain material forecasts based on historical demand, sales projections, seasonality, and business requirements. · Inventory management: Monitor inventory levels, safety stock, reorder points, excess/obsolete inventory, and inventory turns. · Perform cycle counting to ensure stock accuracy, supports supply chain efficiency, and minimize discrepancies between system records and physical inventory · Material requirements planning: Translate demand and production requirements into material needs and purchasing recommendations. · Supply planning: Coordinate with purchasing, suppliers, production, and operations to ensure materials are available when needed. · Purchase planning: Review planned orders and recommend purchase quantities and timing based on demand, lead times, MOQ, and current inventory. · Inventory analysis: Identify shortages, overstock conditions, slow-moving materials, and potential supply risks. · Lead-time management: Monitor supplier lead times and adjust planning parameters to minimize disruptions. · Production support: Ensure materials are available to support production schedules and customer demand. · Cross-functional communication: Work closely with Purchasing, Sales, Operations, Production, Engineering, and Finance to align supply with business needs. · Data analysis/reporting: Maintain planning data and generate reports/KPIs related to inventory, forecast accuracy, shortages, and material availability. · Continuous improvement: Identify opportunities to improve forecasting accuracy, inventory efficiency, planning processes, and overall supply-chain performance. · Risk management: Proactively identify potential material shortages, supplier constraints, and other supply risks and develop mitigation plans. · ERP/MRP Expertise: Extensive experience in using and implementing ERP/MRP systems to manage inventory planning, data integrity, and material requirements effectively. MANUALLY /SUPPORTED BY THE ERP. REAL ERP EXPERIENCE, NOT QUICKBOOKS (SAP, ORACLE, ECI MACOLA) · Manages / maintains ERP/MRP data integrity through review and maintenance of Standard Costs, BOM configurations, Min/Max inventory levels, Lead-time offset, Economic Order Quantities, and any other relevant data · Inventory Forecasting Software: Proficiency in interfacing forecasting tools with sales data for accurate demand planning. This is not as important as being able to clearly describe the process of forecasting and how to get it done using a manual system. Skills: · Cycle Counting · Attention to Detail: Critical for maintaining accurate inventory levels, tracking discrepancies, and ensuring data integrity in ERP/MRP systems. Must be a 'stickler' for details, with a desire to provide accurate data they have verified in a mostly manual tracking system. MS Excel and other tools would be critical for success here. They MUST display good skill with…

View the full posting and apply