NWC Material Planner: In this role you are responsible for ensuring the timely availability of materials by managing replenishment processes, creating and tracking purchase requisitions, and coordinating with suppliers to resolve delivery issues and shortages.
Education
- Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Engineering, or related field.
- APICS/ASCM, CIPS, or other supply chain certifications are desirable.
Experience
- Experience in material planning, inventory management, warehouse management, production planning, supply chain, procurement, or logistics.
- Experience working in an ERP/MRP environment (SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, etc.).
- Experience collaborating with suppliers, manufacturing, procurement, and warehouse teams.
Technical Skills
Strong knowledge of:
- Material Requirements Planning (MRP)
- Inventory management principles
- Supply and demand planning
- Production planning processes
- Procurement and replenishment processes
- Warehouse and logistics operations
- MTO process
- Proficiency in ERP systems (SAP preferred).
- Good Microsoft Excel skills.
- Ability to analyse large data sets and generate actionable insights.
- Understanding of key supply chain KPIs and reporting.
Core Responsibilities
- Manage replenishment activities and purchase requisitions.
- Follow up on supplier deliveries and address supply shortages.
- Supply data administration in SAP.
- Plan and execute Inventory management calendar activities: MRP updates, SLOB analysis, scrap process, stock take process.
- Ensure material availability to support production.
- Monitor inventory levels and optimize stock.
- Review and maintain planning parameters, lead times, and safety stock levels.
- Coordinate with procurement, production, logistics, and suppliers to resolve supply issues.
- Support inventory reduction initiatives.
- Resolve issues related to supplier invoicing.
Analytical Competencies
- Strong problem-solving skills.
- Ability to identify material shortages and potential risks proactively.
- Data-driven decision-making capability.
- Ability to perform root cause analysis and implement corrective actions.
- Capacity to balance inventory, service level, and cost objectives.
Communication & Collaboration
- Team player is critical.
- Strong stakeholder management skills.
- Ability to work cross-functionally with Procurement, Engineering, Manufacturing, Logistics and Suppliers.
- Ability to influence stakeholders and drive actions.
Planning & Organizational Skills
- Strong organizational and prioritization skills.
- Ability to manage multiple materials and deadlines simultaneously.
- Attention to detail and accuracy.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
Behavioural Competencies
- Proactive mindset.
- Accountability and ownership, persistence.
- Continuous improvement orientation.
- Resilience under pressure, ability to work with ambiguity and changing priorities.
- Teamwork and collaboration.
- Supervision competences: inbound team.
Preferred Knowledge
- Warehouse management.
- Six Sigma methodology.
- S&OP processes.
- Demand Planning concepts.
- Supply chain risk management.
- Capacity planning and production scheduling basics.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
A Material Planner is typically measured on:
- Material availability (%)
- Production line stoppages due to material shortages
- Inventory accuracy
- Days of Inventory on Hand (DOH)
- Excess and obsolete inventory