Lead External Supply Planner - Contract Manufacturing

S&C Electric; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 117,000 - 175,000; Full time

Job summary

S&C Electric seeks a Lead External Supply Planner in Chicago to align Contract Manufacturing, Procurement, Sourcing, Operations and Engineering teams. You will drive supplier performance, improve delivery reliability, reduce lead times, and ensure material availability through data-driven decisions and cross-functional leadership.

The role emphasizes CTB readiness, risk management, and collaboration across the contract manufacturing network to support production and customer commitments.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of supplier management experience in manufacturing.
• Proven track record managing global sourcing projects with complex supply chains.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes for industrial products and components.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and drive project goals with minimal oversight.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and execution of supply plans for contract manufacturers to balance demand, capacity, and inventory targets.
• Drive CTB readiness and ensure components and materials are available to support production schedules.
• Identify opportunities to improve delivery reliability, capacity utilization, and production execution.
• Lead supplier and contract manufacturer performance reviews, drive improvements in service levels and lead times.
• Partner with sourcing and manufacturing leadership to set performance expectations and drive improvement initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, procedures, and data integrity in planning activities.

Skills

Experience in supplier management

Global sourcing projects

Manufacturing processes knowledge

Large-scale sourcing leadership

Job description

This position serves as a key liaison between Contract Manufacturing, Procurement, Sourcing, Operations, and Engineering teams, leading efforts to improve supplier performance, enhance supply reliability, reduce lead times, and support the achievement of business objectives. Through cross-functional leadership and data-driven decision making, the Lead External Supply Planner partners with contract manufacturing suppliers to identify and resolve supply chain challenges, drive continuous improvement initiatives, and ensure material availability to meet customer and production requirements within established lead time parameters.

Hours

8:00 am - 5:00 pm (Monday-Friday) Hybrid

Compensation

At S&C, we are dedicated to providing competitive and equitable compensation for all our team members, and we are committed to transparency in our pay practices. The estimated annual base salary range for this position is $116,534 - $174,812 Individual pay within this salary range is determined by several compensable factors, including performance, knowledge, job-related skills and experience, and relevant education or training. This role is also eligible for S&C's annual incentive plan (AIP), subject to eligibility criteria.

Essential Functions:

Capacity and Supply Management:

Lead the development and execution of supply plans for contract manufacturing partners, balancing customer demand, production capacity, material availability, and inventory targets. Drive Clear-to-Build (CTB) readiness at contact manufacturers by ensuring critical components and materials are available to support production schedules and customer commitments. Monitor and analyze supplier and contract manufacturer performance, identifying opportunities to improve delivery reliability, capacity utilization, and production execution. Lead supply and capacity reviews with internal stakeholders and external partners to proactively address constraints and align production priorities.

Optimization:

Lead initiatives to optimize supply planning strategies, inventory investments, and material flow across the contract manufacturing network while maintaining required service levels. Identify and implement process improvements that enhance planning efficiency, increase supply visibility, and improve inventory management practices. Utilize data analytics and performance metrics to drive continuous improvement in supply reliability, inventory health, and operational effectiveness. Support the development of scalable planning processes that improve responsiveness to changing business and customer requirements.

Risk Management:

Aid in the identification, assessment, and mitigation of supply chain risks impacting contract manufacturing operations and Clear-to-Build performance. Utilize advanced planning systems and data analytics to proactively identify material shortages, capacity constraints, and supplier risks. Partner with contract manufacturing network to develop and execute recovery plans and contingency strategies to minimize the impact of supply disruptions and support production continuity. Serve as a key escalation point for critical supply issues, coordinating cross-functional efforts to resolve challenges and mitigate business impacts.

E xternal Alignment:

Partner with Sourcing, Procurement, and Contract Manufacturing leadership to establish supplier and manufacturing partner performance expectations, improvement objectives, and capacity strategies. Drive supplier and contract manufacturer performance improvement initiatives focused on quality, delivery, responsiveness, lead-time reduction, and capacity readiness. Develop and maintain strong collaborative relationships with contract manufacturers, and key stakeholders to ensure alignment with business objectives and production commitments. Facilitate regular business reviews with external partners to evaluate performance, address risks, and identify continuous improvement opportunities.

Company Compliance:

Ensure compliance with all applicable company policies, procedures, quality standards, and regulatory requirements. Promote adherence to supply chain governance, planning processes, and data integrity standards across internal and external partners. Support audit readiness and maintain accurate planning records, reports, and documentation necessary to support business operations.

Skills, Knowledge & Experience

Required

• 7+ years of demonstrated experience working in a supplier management role in the manufacturing industry.
• Proven track record in managing global sourcing projects with complex supply chains, demonstrating deep knowledge of international sourcing strategies and supplier management.
• Sound understanding of manufacturing processes for industrial products and components.
• Ability to manage large-scale sourcing projects with minimal oversight, providing direction to cross-functional teams and ensuring project goals