Sr. Executive PC&L- Central Material Planner

Job Title:

Location:

Department:

Reports To:

Job Purpose:

The Material Planner ensures timely material availability through demand analysis, inventory, transport and system management, and cross-team coordination to continuously optimize resources and performance.

Key Responsibilities:

Ensure Timely Availability of Materials: Plan and coordinate the supply of raw materials and purchased components to support uninterrupted production operations.

Analyze Demand and Forecast Requirements: Use customer schedules, historical data, ERP systems, and planning tools to anticipate material needs and align supply with production demand.

Manage Inventory Levels, Transportation and Boards: Balance inventory targets and cost efficiency by optimizing stock levels and coordinating inbound logistics to meet delivery timelines. Keep the Shipping and Receiving board current with shipment requirements and on-time execution performance tracking to support visibility and high delivery performance.

Coordinate with Suppliers: Communicate regularly with suppliers to confirm orders, track shipments, resolve issues, and ensure on-time delivery of materials.

Maintain Accurate ERP and MRP Data: Ensure timely and accurate updates in ERP systems and planning tools to reflect material status, order changes, and inventory movements.

Mitigate Supply Risks and Prevent Shortages: Identify potential supply chain disruptions and implement proactive measures to avoid material shortages or production delays.

Support Compliance and Customer Requirements: Ensure planning activities align with internal policies, industry standards, and customer-specific logistics and delivery expectations.

Drive Continuous Improvement Initiatives: Participate in efforts to reduce inventory and transportation costs, improve planning accuracy, and enhance overall supply chain performance.

Core Experience:

Mandatory:

Automotive manufacturing experience, ideally in a Tier 1 supplier environment

Material planning and control in a high-volume production setting

Inventory management and replenishment strategies

Demand analysis and forecast alignment using customer schedules and historical data

Supplier coordination for order confirmation, shipment tracking, and issue resolution

Inbound logistics and transportation planning

Receiving board management for visibility and performance tracking

Compliance with customer-specific logistics and delivery requirements

Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives

Optional but Valuable:

Experience with Just-In-Time (JIT) and Just-In-Sequence (JIS) logistics

Exposure to E-Kanban, RFID, or digital replenishment systems

Familiarity with web-portals and EDI systems

Experience with Product Lifecycle Management (e.g., Engineering changes, product launch, ramp-ups, aftermarket, or End of Business)

Experience with global sourcing or import/export logistics

Participation in cost reduction and inventory optimization initiatives

Functional Competencies:

Mandatory:

Language: English (proficient); Local Language (proficient)

SAP ERP system usage, especially in MM (Materials Management), PP (Production Planning) and WM (Warehouse Management)

Advanced Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUP, conditional formatting)

MRP execution and exception message handling

Inventory analysis and optimization

Material availability checks and shortage resolution

Basic statistical analysis for demand variability and safety stock calculation

Problem-solving tools (e.g., 5 Whys, Fishbone, PDCA)

Understanding of IATF 16949 and ISO 9001 standards

Optional but Valuable:

MES system familiarity

Power BI or Tableau for visualizing material flow and inventory KPIs

Project management

Lean Six Sigma tools applied to material flow and planning

Foreign language proficiency for supplier communication and global coordination

Education & Experience:

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, or related field (Master's degree preferred)

46 years of relevant experience in Material Planning within automotive manufacturing

Behavioral Competencies:

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

Effective communication and cross-functional collaboration

Results orientation and accountability

Agility in managing dynamic supply and demand conditions

Proficiency in ERP systems and planning tools