Parts Inventory Analyst

JOB PURPOSE

This position identifies and manages all New Product Introduction (NPI) /New Market Introduction (NMI) programs for the product group. They communicate with product groups during collaboration meetings to determine product support and parts stocking strategies. Responsible for improving Aftermarket NPI parts availability.

JOB DUTIES: The incumbent is primarily responsible for achieving the Aftermarket Parts readiness metrics required at NPI Gateway 6 to meet the product groups Parts Stocking goals prior to first ship date of the new product/program. Current targets include meeting 100% stocking for critical parts, >95% availability for all serviceable parts within sales region and >90% stocking of Class A & B parts. This may involve working with various groups including global purchasing, supplier expediting, service engineers, and product group collaboration meetings.

• Responsibilities include to track upcoming NPI programs in the NPI authorizations database. Update Model Distribution Plans to cascade sales forecasts information to part level details used by analysts for parts stocking.

• Facilitate the Service Parts Blitz meetings to collaborate with the product group, service engineers, and related personnel in determining serviceability strategy for new content on NPI programs.
• The specialist acts in the role of team lead for parts product analysts and lead analysts. They provide key information on setting availability, initial order quantities, service levels, and other parts stocking parameters related to products and specific NPI programs. The specialist also helps escalate issues within the engineering teams such as missing data or late engineering releases.
• The Specialist also acts as Parts Product Analyst by working on ECNs linked to upcoming NPI or to the existing models.
• The specialist manages inventory and services for NPI parts (full production + 36 months). After initial part setup, the specialist analyzes the missing parts and escalates issues to meet requirements.

BACKGROUND/EXPERIENCE

• Bachelors degree in Engineering / Maths / Science / Commerce
• 6 to 8 years related industry experience. Caterpillar NPI Authorizations experience in Parts Inventory Management with background in parts distribution and Inventory Management Systems will be preferred.
• Should possess good product knowledge, familiarity with parts inventory procedure, practices, and policies
• Must have excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities
• Strong technical skills in MS Office
• Good oral and written communication skills
• Strong customer focus and ability to work effectively with a wide variety of people
• Must be willing to work in US shift timing to have enough overlap with US-based process partners and product groups

DESIRED SKILLS

APICS CPIM or CSPC National Certification

Skill DescriptorsBusiness Acumen: Knowledge of business concepts, tools, and processes that are needed for making sound decisions in the context of the company's business; ability to apply this knowledge appropriately to diverse situations.Level Working Knowledge: Comments on the organization's business model and financial goals. Communicates key considerations for business decision making process. Cites examples of types of information needed to make sound business decisions. Participates in business task to get things done in own unit or area. Caters to key stakeholders and their priorities.

Standard Operating Procedures: Knowledge of established standard operating procedures (SOP); ability to design, implement and evaluate standard operating procedures affecting daily and strategic business operations in order to increase operational efficiency.Level Basic Understanding: Compiles current research relevant to standard operating procedures. Explains usage of standard operating procedures in business operations. Describes main issues and considerations when using standard operating procedures. Identifies key features and functions of standard operating procedures.

Effective Communications: Understanding of effective communication concepts, tools and techniques; ability to effectively transmit, receive, and accurately interpret ideas, information, and needs through the application of appropriate communication behaviors.Level Working Knowledge: Delivers helpful feedback that focuses on behaviors without offending the recipient. Listens to feedback without defensiveness and uses it for own communication effectiveness. Makes oral presentations and writes reports needed for own work. Avoids technical jargon when inappropriate. Looks for and considers non-verbal cues from individuals and groups.

Problem Solving: Knowledge of approaches, tools, techniques for recognizing, anticipating, and resolving organizational, operational or process problems; ability to apply knowledge of problem solving appropriately to diverse situations.Level Working Knowledge: Identifies and documents specific problems and resolution alternatives. Examines a specific problem and understands the perspective of each involved stakeholder. Develops alternative techniques for assessing accuracy and relevance of information. Helps to analyze risks and benefits of alternative approaches and obtain decision on resolution. Uses fact-finding techniques and diagnostic tools to identify problems.

Data Gathering and Reporting: Knowledge of tools, techniques and processes for gathering and reporting data; ability to practice them in a particular department or division of a company.Level Working Knowledge: Detects and summarizes patterns in data and findings by producing simple reports. Assesses common problems and obstacles surrounding data-gathering. Customizes data fields to meet clients' needs. Interprets and explains results of a data-gathering initiative. Participates in projects to gather data for needs analysis

Data Visualization: Knowledge of principles, techniques and processes of data visualization; ability to create high quality figures effectively for various business scenarios and storytelling.Level Working Knowledge: Creates figures for regular data visualization tasks in an honest and compelling way. Develops or uses appropriate tools and software, such as Tableau and Datawrapper, to generate different types of data visualization. Follows established standards and procedures to obtain, aggregate and analyze data for visualization. Outputs statistical models into charts, graphs and maps to demonstrate outliers, patterns and trends of data. Employs data visualization in documents or reports to tell informative and compelling stories.

Inventory Management - MFG: Knowledge of processes and methods of inventory management; ability to effectively manage local or distributed inventories of raw materials, work-in-progress and finished goods.Level Working Knowledge: Follows processes to take stock, release inventory or return into processing; resolves discrepancies. Tracks inventory information for a specific product group or location. Works with basic tasks of inventory management for a specific location.

Produces basic inventory management reports for senior staff to reconcile the inventory balances. Performs the receiving, ticketing, checking in and distributing of inventory items for a specific location.