Material Planning Team Lead

Kerry; Kuala Lumpur; On-site; MYR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Kerry in Bandar Utama, Malaysia, seeks an experienced Material Planning Team Lead to drive uninterrupted supply and inventory optimisation. You will lead a cross-functional team, coordinate with suppliers, and implement continuous improvement to meet production and customer service goals.

Ideal candidates bring 3–5 years in supply chain planning, SAP proficiency, and strong leadership capabilities. This full-time role offers growth in a global foods and nutrition environment at Kerry.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in supply chain management or related field.
• 3–5 years in supply chain planning and material planning.
• 2–3 years leading a team.
• Experience in manufacturing or FMCG is advantageous.
• ERP experience, SAP preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop the Material Planning team to drive performance.
• Oversee material planning to ensure timely material availability for production.
• Monitor planning alerts and mitigate risks with stakeholders.
• Maintain planning master data, lead times, and sourcing info.
• Support NPI by coordinating material readiness.
• Lead supplier performance reviews and escalate issues.
• Coordinate tolling and subcontracting material dispatch.
• Communicate risks and service impacts to Procurement and Operations.
• Track KPIs like OTIF, inventory health, and planning effectiveness.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Analytical mindset

Communication

Team coaching

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Supply Chain Management

Tools

SAP ERP

Microsoft Excel

Power BI

Job description

About Kerry

Kerry is the world's leading taste and nutrition company for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Every day we partner with customers to create healthier, tastier and more sustainable products that are consumed by billions of people across the world. Our vision is to be our customers' most valued partner, creating a world of sustainable nutrition. A career with Kerry offers you an opportunity to shape the future of food while providing you opportunities to explore and grow in a truly global environment.

Requisition ID 65869

Position Type FT Permanent

About The Role

The Material Planning Team Lead is responsible for leading and developing the Material Planning team to ensure uninterrupted material supply, inventory optimization, and operational excellence across the site. This role serves as the subject matter expert for material planning processes, driving effective supplier collaboration, cross-functional stakeholder engagement, and continuous improvement initiatives to support business objectives and customer service requirements.

Work Location 1 Powerhouse - Bandar Utama - 5 mins walk from Bandar Utama MRT Station

Reporting to Planning Manager

Team Leadership & Capability Building

• Lead, coach, and develop the Material Planning team to foster a high-performing, collaborative, and customer-focused culture.
• Provide guidance and expertise on material planning processes, systems, and best practices.
• Set clear team objectives, monitor performance, and drive accountability for operational and service delivery targets.
• Ensure adequate workload management, resource planning, and capability development within the team.

Material Planning & Supply Management

• Oversee material planning activities to ensure timely material availability in support of production and customer requirements.
• Monitor planning alerts, including rescheduling messages, over-coverage, under-coverage, and shortage reporting, proactively identifying risks and implementing mitigation plans.
• Review material supply constraints and communicate impacts, risks, and recovery actions effectively to business stakeholders.
• Ensure accuracy and maintenance of planning master data, including material parameters, lead times, sourcing information, and planning settings.
• Support New Product Introduction (NPI) activities by coordinating material readiness and planning requirements.

Supplier & Operational Management

• Lead daily operational reviews covering supplier delivery performance, inbound material shortages, open purchase orders, and supplier confirmations.
• Manage escalations related to material supply issues, working closely with Procurement, Manufacturing, Warehousing, and suppliers to resolve challenges.
• Participate in supplier performance reviews and provide planning insights to support supplier relationship management and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure effective execution of indirect material procurement activities, including packaging, pallets, and other operational supplies.

Tolling & Subcontracting Coordination

• Oversee material dispatch and replenishment activities for tolling and subcontract manufacturing operations, ensuring component and inventory accuracy within ERP systems.
• Collaborate with internal and external partners to maintain continuity of supply and service delivery.

Communication & Stakeholder Management

• Serve as the primary escalation point for complex material planning issues affecting business operations.
• Facilitate effective communication with Procurement, Operations, Customer Service, Supply Planning, and external suppliers through SAP planning tools, Teams, email, and other communication platforms.
• Ensure planning exceptions, risks, and service impacts are proactively communicated and managed.

Performance Management & Continuous Improvement

• Track, analyze, and report key Material Planning KPIs, including supplier OTIF, material availability, inventory health, and planning effectiveness.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to improve planning accuracy, supplier performance, inventory management, and process efficiency.
• Ensure planning teams consistently utilize root cause analysis and reason codes to identify recurring issues and implement sustainable corrective actions.

Qualifications And Skills

• Bachelor's Degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, Logistics, Operations Management, or a related discipline. Experience
• Minimum 3-5 years of experience in Supply Chain Planning, Material Planning, Procurement, or related Supply Chain functions.
• At least 2 to 3 years of experience leading, coaching, or managing a team.
• Experience within a manufacturing environment is preferred.
• Food Ingredients, Food Manufacturing, Beverage, FMCG, or Consumer Goods industry experience is advantageous.

Technical Skills

• Experience using ERP systems, preferably SAP.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
• Experience with Power BI or other reporting and analytics tools is advantageous.
• Strong understanding of MRP, inventory management, supplier management, and material planning processes.

Competencies

• Strong leadership and people management skills.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication capabilities.
• Analytical mindset with strong problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple activities in a fast-paced environment.
• Continuous improvement mindset with experience driving operational efficiencies.

Beware of scams online or from individuals claiming to represent us. A Kerry employee will not solicit candidates through a non-Kerry email address or phone number. In addition, Kerry does not currently utilise video chat rooms (e.g., Google Hangouts) to conduct interviews. Refuse any request that asks you to provide payment to participate in the hiring process (e.g., purchasing a "starter kit", investing in training, or something similar). Kerry will not ask you to pay any money at any point in the hiring process with the exception of reimbursable travel expenses. In addition, any payments made by Kerry will be from official firm accounts bearing the Kerry name.