Material Planner

Abbott; Ireland; On-site; EUR 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

Abbott Kilkenny is seeking a Material Planner to ensure seamless materials flow for manufacturing operations. You will maintain inventory accuracy, plan replenishments to meet production needs, and collaborate with multiple departments and suppliers to prevent disruption.

Join Abbott Kilkenny’s team to support world-class diagnostics and medical devices production, contributing to real-time supply chain excellence and continuous improvement initiatives across the site.

Qualifications

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to build effective relationships across multiple stakeholders.
• Excellent organizational skills with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to manage priorities and work effectively in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Minimum of 2 years' experience using SAP in planning, supply chain, logistics or manufacturing.
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills for data analysis and interpretation.
• Experience in material planning, inventory management, or supply chain operations.
• Knowledge of manufacturing, production planning, and inventory control principles.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain material plans and replenishment schedules aligned with production requirements and customer demand.
• Analyse demand forecasts, production schedules, and inventory trends to determine material requirements.
• Manage inventory levels and safety stock policies to ensure continuity of supply and minimise obsolescence risk.
• Monitor supplier orders, track inbound shipments, and expedite critical materials when required.
• Collaborate with Supply Chain, Production, Quality, and Warehouse teams to ensure timely material availability.
• Coordinate transport and logistics activities to support timely collection and delivery of materials.
• Align inbound delivery schedules with warehouse capacity and resource availability.
• Issue and manage supplier call-offs for vendor-managed inventory.
• Build and maintain supplier relationships to support reliable supply performance.
• Monitor supplier performance against key metrics and drive corrective actions.
• Maintain material planning parameters and SAP master data for accurate outputs.
• Prepare and present reports on inventory levels, material availability, supplier performance, OTIF, and risks.
• Identify and implement continuous improvement initiatives in material planning and inventory management.
• Proactively identify supply risks and develop mitigation plans.

Skills

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Organizational skills

Prioritization

Analytical thinking

Problem solving

Attention to detail

Education

NFQ Level 7 qualification (or equivalent) in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, Operations Management, or related discipline

Tools

SAP

Excel

Job description

JOB DESCRIPTION:

About Abbott

Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 122,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.

Abbott in Ireland

Abbott has maintained a strong presence in Ireland since 1946 and celebrates its 80th anniversary in the country in 2026. The company supports the Irish healthcare sector with a broad portfolio spanning diagnostics, diabetes care, medical devices and nutritional products. Today, Abbott employs more than 6,500 people across ten sites located in Dublin, Donegal, Clonmel, Cootehill, Galway, Kilkenny, Longford and Sligo

Please note any offer of employment for this position is conditional upon the successful completion of a pre-employment medical examination, including drug and alcohol screening, conducted by a medical practitioner designated by the Company.

Diabetes Care Kilkenny

Our new manufacturing facility in Kilkenny, reflects the growing demand for Abbott's global Diabetes Care products. The facility will be a centre for world‑class engineering, quality, medical device manufacturing, and other science‑based professionals to produce life‑changing technologies, including the FreeStyle Libre 3, a system that automatically delivers real‑time, up‑to‑the‑minute glucose readings, with the smallest and thinnest wearable glucose sensor that provides unsurpassed 14‑day accuracy and optional glucose alarms directly to smartphones. This enables people with diabetes to live the best and fullest lives they can.

At Abbott in Kilkenny, you can shape your career as you help shape the future of healthcare.

Purpose of the role

The Material Planner will play a key role in ensuring the seamless supply of materials to support our manufacturing operations. This position is critical in maintaining optimal inventory levels, supporting production requirements, and driving overall operational efficiency.

Working closely with Supply Chain, Production, Quality, and external suppliers, you will be responsible for ensuring materials are available when needed while maintaining effective inventory control and supply continuity.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain material plans and replenishment schedules aligned with production requirements and customer demand.
• Analyse demand forecasts, production schedules, and inventory trends to accurately determine material requirements.
• Manage inventory levels and safety stock policies to ensure continuity of supply while minimising excess inventory and obsolescence risks.
• Monitor supplier order fulfilment, track inbound shipments, and expedite critical materials when required.
• Collaborate with Supply Chain, Production, Quality, and Warehouse teams to ensure timely material availability and efficient inventory flow.
• Coordinate transport and logistics activities to support the timely collection and delivery of materials.
• Align inbound delivery schedules with warehouse capacity and resource availability to ensure efficient receipt of goods.
• Issue and manage supplier call‑offs for vendor‑managed and supplier‑held inventory.
• Build and maintain strong supplier relationships to support reliable supply performance and effective issue resolution.
• Monitor and evaluate supplier performance against key metrics, driving corrective action where required.
• Maintain material planning parameters, master data, and replenishment settings within SAP to support accurate planning outputs.
• Prepare and present regular reports on inventory levels, material availability, supplier performance, OTIF delivery, and supply chain risks.
• Identify, lead, and implement continuous improvement initiatives to enhance material planning, inventory management, and supply chain performance.
• Proactively identify potential supply risks and develop mitigation plans to minimise operational disruption.
• Support new product introductions and material transitions by ensuring timely material availability and effective supply planning.

Education & Experience

• NFQ Level 7 qualification (or equivalent) in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, Operations Management, or a related discipline.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to build effective relationships across multiple stakeholders.
• Excellent organizational skills with a strong attention to detail.
• Ability to manage priorities and work effectively in a fast‑paced manufacturing environment.
• Minimum of 2 years' experience using SAP in a planning, supply chain, logistics, or manufacturing environment.
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills with the ability to analyse and interpret data.
• Experience in material planning, inventory management, or supply chain operations.
• Knowledge of manufacturing, production planning, and inventory control principles.
• Strong analytical and problem-so