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)

• 4–6 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