Production Planning & Inventory Control Manager

Melewar Steel Tube Sdn Bhd; Shah Alam; On-site; MYR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Melewar Steel Tube Sdn Bhd in Shah Alam invites a seasoned Production Planning & Inventory Control Manager to lead monthly production plans and weekly schedules. You will align demand, raw materials and factory capacity with sales and procurement, while safeguarding inventory health and capital turnover.

Responsibilities include driving data‑driven planning, KPI monitoring, capacity analysis, and cross‑functional coordination to ensure on‑time delivery and optimal efficiency across the plant.

Qualifications

• Strong analytical capability to interpret demand forecasts and inventory trends.
• Experience leading planning teams and driving process improvements.
• Proven ability to coordinate Sales, Procurement and Production with business priorities.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage monthly production plans and weekly schedules based on orders and forecasts.
• Establish a structured planning process to optimise machine utilisation and changeover efficiency.
• Lead planning coordination with Sales, Procurement, Production, and Logistics to align priorities.
• Monitor production progress and adjust plans to meet delivery commitments.
• Assess capacity and bottlenecks with Head of Manufacturing and implement improvements.
• Establish rolling forecasts for production and materials to improve forward planning.
• Prepare management reports on production performance and inventory positions.
• Conduct root-cause analysis of planning deviations and drive corrective actions.

Skills

Analytical

Leadership

Cross-functional coordination

Education

Degree in Supply Chain Management, Production Management, Manufacturing Engineering or a related discipline.

Tools

ERP/MRP

Excel

Job description

Production Planning & Inventory Control Manager

Lead and strengthen the production planning and inventory control function by establishing effective planning systems, procedures, and controls that align production with customer demand, raw material availability, and factory capacity.

The role is responsible for driving efficient production scheduling, timely order fulfilment and optimal resource utilisation, while maintaining adequate inventory of common and fast-moving pipe sizes to support sales requirements. A key priority is to establish strong inventory discipline to prevent overproduction, minimise slow-moving and obsolete stock, improve inventory turnover and optimise working capital.

Working closely with Sales, Procurement and Production, the Planning Manager is expected to drive a structured, data-driven planning process, strengthen cross-functional coordination and accountability, and continuously improve planning efficiency to support smooth plant operations and overall business profitability.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Develop and manage monthly production plans, supported by weekly production schedules, based on confirmed sales orders, demand forecasts, delivery commitments, raw material availability and production capacity.
• Establish a structured planning process to optimise machine utilisation, production sequencing, size assortments, material yield and changeover efficiency.
• Lead regular planning coordination with Sales, Procurement, Production, and Logistics to align production priorities with customer requirements and available resources.
• Identify potential demand and capacity mismatches, escalat e risks and recommend appropriate corrective actions.
• Monitor production progress against plans, identify potential delays and coordinate timely adjustments to minimise disruptions and ensure delivery commitments are met.
• Work closely with the Head of Manufacturing to assess production capacity, identify bottlenecks and implement practical solutions to improve planning effectiveness.
• Establish a rolling production and material requirements forecast to improve forward planning and minimise last minute changes.
• Review outstanding customer orders, delivery priorities and finished goods availability to ensure effective order fulfilment.
• Ensure sufficient raw material availability and prepare size assortments by coordinating procurement requirements and monitoring inventory levels to meet production and sales demands.
• Establish a systematic and data-driven planning process with clear approval authority, accountability and control over production decisions.
• Strengthen the accuracy and reliability of planning data, including inventory records, production capacity, material requirements, lead times and outstanding orders.
• Improve the utilisation of MRP systems and planning tools to enhance planning accuracy, inventory visibility and reporting efficiency.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance production flow, reduce lead times, improve inventory turnover and optimise working capital.
• Establish and monitor planning KPIs covering on-time delivery, production schedule adherence, inventory turnover, material availability, stock ageing and production efficiency.
• Prepare regular management reports highlighting production performance, outstanding orders, inventory positions, capacity utilisation and potential operational risks.
• Establish and monitor planning KPIs covering on-time delivery, production schedule adherence, inventory turnover, material availability, stock ageing and production efficiency.
• Conduct root-cause analysis of planning deviations, excess inventory and delivery delays, and drive timely corrective actions.
• Promote cross-functional collaboration and a culture of proactive planning, timely decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Coordinate with Sales, Procurement, Production, Warehouse, and Logistics to ensure smooth production scheduling and timely order fulfilment.
• Ensure sufficient stock availability of common and fast-moving pipe sizes through effective production planning to support sales demand and timely order fulfilment.
• Optimise production capacity, machine utilisation, and material allocation to minimise downtime and production delays.
• Monitor slow-moving inventory, work-in-progress (WIP), and finished goods to improve inventory turnover.
• Identify production bottlenecks and implement corrective actions to improve planning efficiency.
• Prepare production planning reports and outstanding order status updates for Management.
• Work closely with the Factory Head and obtain the necessary approval from the Head of Manufacturing for production scheduling and adjustments.
• Lead and supervise the Planning team, ensuring accuracy, efficiency, and compliance with company procedures.
• Establish and monitor planning KPIs to improve on-time delivery, production efficiency, and inventory management.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Education

• Degree in Supply Chain Management, Production Management, Manufacturing Engineering or a related discipline.

Experience

• Preferably 8 years or more of relevant experience in production planning, material planning and inventory control, including at least 3 years in a managerial or supervisory capacity.
• Experience in steel pipe/tube manufacturing, steel processing or other coil-based manufacturing industries would be a strong advantage.
• Proven experience in establishing or improving production planning systems, inventory controls and standard operating procedures.
• Strong understanding of MTO/MTS planning, inventory management, production capacity planning, materials requirements planning and manufacturing operations.
• Production Planning & Scheduling: Strong knowledge of capacity planning, production sequencing, material allocation and manufacturing efficiency.
• Inventory Management & Control: Ability to optimise inventory levels, manage MTO/MTS production, minimise slow-moving stock and improve inventory turnover.
• Planning Systems & Process Improvement: Proven ability to establish and improve planning systems, SOPs, approval procedures and inventory controls.
• Analytical & Problem-Solving Skills: Strong analytical capability to interpret demand forecasts, inventory trends and production constraints, and develop practical solutions.
• ERP/MRP & Technical Proficiency: Proficient in ERP/MRP systems, advanced Excel and data-driven planning and reporting tools.
• Cross-Functional Coordination: Strong communication and coordination skills to align Sales, Procurement and Production with business priorities.
• Leadership & Change Management: Ability to lead teams, drive process improvements, enforce planning discipline and establish accountability.
• Commercial & Business Acumen: Understanding of how production planning and inventory decisions affect operational efficiency, working capital and profitability.

A leading manufacturer of steel products in Malaysia. Our products are widely used in the construction, furniture, automotive, bicycle and engineering industries. We are looking for qualified individual for the following position: