Senior Specialist I, Material Planning

Mission

Ensure timely material availability and supply continuity by translating demand signals, MRP requirements, and production needs into actionable material plans.

Execute day-to-day material planning activities, monitor shortages and inventory health, and drive proactive follow-up with suppliers, purchasing, sourcing, and internal stakeholders to support production execution and service levels.

 

Role

• Execute material planning for assigned Components categories in line with demand, supply plans, and production priorities.
• Support the definition and execution of supply strategies through supply planning policies, planning parameters, and advanced planning techniques such as run rate planning, liability agreements, scheduling agreements, buffers, and allocation rules.
• Translate MRP outputs and forecast changes into purchase requisitions, delivery follow-ups, and supplier action plans.
• Monitor material availability, shortages, and supplier commitments to protect production continuity.
• Maintain accurate planning parameters and master data inputs in collaboration with the Supply Planning Lead.
• Escalate supply risks, constraints, and exceptions with clear facts, impact assessment, and proposed mitigation actions.
• Support inventory health, supplier execution, and planning accuracy through disciplined follow-up and data-driven analysis.

 

Responsibilities

Supply Planning & MRP Governance

• Review MRP outputs and convert material requirements into actionable planning and purchasing signals.
• Monitor demand changes, shortages, and exception messages to identify required actions and priorities.
• Maintain and validate planning master data inputs such as lead times, MOQ, lot size, safety stock, and replenishment settings.
• Support continuous improvement of planning accuracy, data quality, and execution discipline.

 

Supplier Capacity & Scheduling Agreements

• Monitor supplier commitments against planned demand and identify gaps versus required delivery dates.
• Support the Supply Planning Lead in validating supplier capacity, flexibility, and commitment adherence.
• Follow up on scheduling agreements, open orders, and delivery confirmations to ensure supply execution.
• Highlight constrained parts and support prioritization decisions based on production impact and customer needs.

 

Material Demand & Supply Alignment

• Prepare and maintain time-phased material plans for assigned suppliers and part families.
• Work in close collaboration with Demand Planning to keep material plans, supplier readiness, and supplier risk assessment synchronized with demand evolution, forecast changes, and ramp-up / ramp-down scenarios.
• Align material requirements with supplier commitments, purchasing execution, and production priorities.
• Translate forecast changes, engineering updates, and ramp-up/ramp-down signals into material actions.
• Coordinate with Demand Planning, Production Planning, Purchasing, and Sourcing to resolve supply-demand mismatches.
• Support NPI and lifecycle transitions by tracking material readiness, cut-in/cut-out impact, and supplier execution.

 

Inventory Policy & Risk Management

• Monitor inventory levels, shortages, excess, and obsolete exposure for assigned materials.
• Support inventory policy execution, including safety stock, buffers, and coverage targets.
• Analyze material risks linked to demand variability, supplier delivery performance, lead time volatility, and engineering changes.
• Drive corrective actions and escalations to mitigate shortages while minimizing excess inventory exposure.

 

Risk Buy & Supply Strategy

• Support risk buy and buffer proposals with data on demand, inventory, supplier lead time, and production impact.
• Support the Supply Planning Lead in defining part- or supplier-specific supply strategies, including supply planning policies, run rate logic, liability agreements, scheduling agreements, buffer strategies, allocation priorities, and escalation mechanisms.
• Execute approved supply strategies by translating planning assumptions into MRP parameters, supplier commitments, purchase order actions, and delivery recovery plans.
• Provide analysis to balance material availability, excess risk, supplier liability, and supply constraints.
• Track early build and pull-in actions to secure material readiness for critical demand.
• Execute agreed mitigation plans and provide regular status updates on open supply risks.

 

Performance Management & Continuous Improvement

• Track KPIs: material availability, shortage closure, supplier OTD, inventory health, and planning data accuracy.
• Analyze root causes of material shortages, late deliveries, and planning master data issues.
• Support improvement actions in planning workflows, supplier follow-up routines, and exception management.
• Use ERP / Kinaxis and analytics tools to support planning decisions, reporting, and scenario follow-up.

 

Buying (Supplier & Order Management):

• Create, issue, and manage purchase orders (POs) from requisition to delivery, ensuring accuracy in pricing, quantity, delivery terms, and incoterms.
• Proactively expedite, de-expedite, and reschedule POs daily based on production priority changes and supplier lead times.
• Manage RTVs (Return to Vendor) for non-conforming materials – coordinate replacements, credits.
• Resolve invoice discrepancies (price/quantity mismatches, goods receipt issues) with Accounts Payable and suppliers.

 

Cross-functional Planning Integration

Collaborate with:

• Supply Planning Lead → priorities, supply strategy, escalation alignment, planning governance
• Demand Planning → forecast evolution, demand changes, ramp-up / ramp-down scenarios, supplier readiness review, and supply risk assessment synchronization
• Inventory Planning → safety stock, inventory health, excess and shortage mitigation
• ECO Planning → engineering changes, cut-in / cut-out impact, material readiness
• Sourcing / Purchasing → supplier commitments, PO execution, delivery recovery, supplier performance

Integrate demand evolution, supplier execution, inventory insights, and risk assessment into daily planning decisions and escalation routines.

 

Key Deliverables

• Accurate and executable material plans for assigned Components categories
• Supplier readiness view and risk assessment aligned with demand evolution and forecast changes
• Timely identification and closure of shortages and supply gaps
• Reliable supplier commitment tracking and delivery follow-up
• Improved inventory health through proactive planning and exception management
• Clear escalation of risks, impact, and mitigation actions to the Supply Planning Lead

 

Skills & Competencies

Technical

• Solid knowledge of material planning, MRP, inventory management, and supply chain execution
• Good understanding of supply planning policies and advanced planning techniques, including run rate planning, liability agreements, scheduling agreements, buffers, allocation logic, and supplier commitment models
• Good understanding of supplier follow-up, purchase order flow, lead times, and production requirements
• Experience with ERP / APS planning tools, preferably SAP and Kinaxis
• Strong analytical skills with ability to interpret data, identify risks, and propose practical actions

 

Leadership & Behavioral

• High ownership, discipline, and accountability in daily execution
• Strong communication and follow-up skills with suppliers and internal stakeholders
• Ability to work in a complex, fast-moving, high-mix manufacturing environment
• Structured problem-solving with proactive risk identification and escalation mindset

 

Experience & Education

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Business, Operations Management, or a related discipline, or equivalent practical experience.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in material planning, supply planning, purchasing, inventory management, or supply chain operations within a manufacturing environment.