Job Description

About This Role

The Senior Material Planner is responsible for ensuring uninterrupted material availability to support a high-volume kitting and production operation. This role develops and executes material planning strategies, manages inventory levels, prioritizes production orders, and drives cross-functional coordination between Supply Chain, Production, Purchasing, and Warehouse teams. The ideal candidate combines strong planning expertise with advanced data analytics skills to optimize inventory performance, improve material flow, and support on-time delivery objectives.

This is a remote position, candidates must be based out of Syracuse, NY, West Palm Beach, FL, Charlotte, NC, Indianapolis, IN, or Atlanta, GA.

Material Planning & Inventory Management

• Develop and maintain material plans that support production schedules and customer demand requirements.

• Ensure timely availability of raw materials, components, and consumables required for kitting and manufacturing operations.

• Monitor inventory levels, identify shortages and excess inventory, and implement corrective actions.

• Establish and maintain appropriate safety stock levels based on demand variability, lead times, and service level targets.

• Analyze inventory trends and recommend actions to reduce obsolete and slow-moving inventory.
  

Kitting Operations Support

• Coordinate material availability to ensure kits are built accurately and delivered to production on schedule.

• Prioritize material allocation based on production requirements, customer commitments, and business objectives.

• Collaborate with warehouse and production teams to resolve material constraints impacting kit completion.

• Monitor kit performance metrics and identify opportunities to improve throughput, accuracy, and efficiency.
  

Production Planning & Prioritization

• Review production schedules and prioritize work orders based on customer demand, material availability, capacity, and business priorities.

• Proactively identify potential supply disruptions and develop mitigation plans to minimize production downtime.

• Facilitate daily and weekly production planning meetings to align priorities across departments.

• Communicate material constraints, schedule risks, and recovery plans to leadership and stakeholders.
  

Data Analytics & Continuous Improvement

• Leverage ERP, MRP, and business intelligence tools to analyze inventory performance, demand trends, and planning effectiveness.

• Develop dashboards, reports, and KPIs that provide actionable insights for inventory management and production planning.

• Perform root cause analysis on material shortages, inventory discrepancies, and service level issues.

• Utilize advanced data analysis techniques to optimize inventory investment, forecast accuracy, and material flow.

• Lead continuous improvement initiatives that enhance planning processes, inventory accuracy, and operational efficiency.
  

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Procurement to manage supplier performance, expedite critical materials, and support sourcing strategies.

• Work closely with Production, Operations, Engineering, and Quality teams to support new product introductions and engineering changes.

• Serve as the primary escalation point for material planning and inventory-related issues.

• Mentor and provide guidance to junior planners and inventory team members.
  

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Business, Engineering

• 5+ years of experience in material planning, production planning, inventory management, or supply chain operations
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting manufacturing, assembly, or kitting operations.

• Strong understanding of MRP/ERP systems and inventory planning methodologies.

• Advanced analytical skills with demonstrated ability to interpret large datasets and translate findings into operational actions.

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables, complex formulas, and data analysis tools.

• Experience with business intelligence and reporting tools such as Power BI, Tableau, or similar platforms.

• Strong organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.

• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

• ASCM certification (CPIM, CSCP, or equivalent).

• Experience with SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, or similar ERP systems.

• Knowledge of SQL, Power Query, Power BI, or other advanced analytics tools.

• Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement experience.