Material Planning & Logistics Manager

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced Material Planning & Logistics Manager to oversee and optimize the end-to-end material planning, inventory management, and logistics operations for our Native water purifier manufacturing plant. This role will be responsible for ensuring uninterrupted production by aligning material availability with demand forecasts, while driving efficiency, cost optimization, and service excellence in inbound and outbound logistics. The role demands strong leadership, cross-functional collaboration, and a sharp focus on OTIF (On Time In Full) deliveries, inventory turns, and logistics performance.

Key Responsibilities:-

Material Planning & Inventory Control

Develop and execute Material Requirement Planning (MRP) based on production schedules and sales forecasts.

Ensure the right materials are available at the right time to support uninterrupted manufacturing.

Monitor safety stocks, reorder levels, and optimize inventory turns while avoiding stockouts or excess.

Collaborate with sourcing/procurement teams to align supplier schedules with plant demand.

Logistics & Warehousing

Manage inbound logistics (supplier to plant) ensuring timely and cost-effective transportation. Oversee outbound logistics for finished goods distribution to warehouses/customers.

Optimize warehouse space utilization, layout, and storage systems for raw materials and finished goods.

Drive digitization/automation in warehouse and logistics processes (WMS, TMS, barcode/RFID systems).

Cost & Efficiency Management

Identify opportunities to reduce logistics costs, demurrage, and detention charges.

Implement efficient route planning, freight negotiations, and vendor consolidation.

Monitor and improve KPIs such as logistics cost per unit, inventory accuracy, and OTIF.

Cross-functional Collaboration

Work closely with production, procurement, quality, and sales teams for seamless supply chain execution.

Partner with suppliers and logistics service providers to drive reliability and performance.

Coordinate with finance for accurate reporting of material movement, freight costs, and working capital impact.

Compliance & Continuous Improvement

Ensure compliance with statutory, regulatory, and safety standards in logistics and warehousing.

Lead Kaizen/Lean initiatives in materials and logistics operations to eliminate waste.

Build and implement best practices for demand planning, scheduling, and distribution.

Key KPIs (Performance Metrics) :-

Material Availability Rate % of materials available as per production schedule.

Inventory Turns Frequency of inventory turnover vs. target.

OTIF (On Time In Full) – Supplier deliveries & outbound customer shipments.

Logistics Cost per Unit – Transportation & warehousing cost as % of sales/production.

Inventory Accuracy – System vs. physical stock variance.

Material Shortage Incidents – Number of line stoppages due to material unavailability.

Lead Time Adherence – Supplier delivery lead time vs. agreed SLAs.

Warehouse Utilization Efficiency – Space utilization & storage optimization metrics.

COGS Impact from Supply Chain – Contribution to reducing overall COGS via planning & logistics efficiency.

Key Skills & Competencies:-

Strong expertise in Material Planning (MRP, ERP systems), Logistics, and Warehousing.

Knowledge of manufacturing supply chains, preferably in consumer appliances, water purifiers, or FMCG.

Analytical and problem-solving skills with hands-on experience in SAP/ERP/WMS/TMS.

Vendor negotiation and contract management skills.

Strong leadership, team management, and cross-functional collaboration abilities.