Material and Inventory Planner

Kirby Company; Cleveland (OH); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with company matching

Job summary

Kirby Company is seeking a Material and Inventory Planner to balance material availability with financial efficiency. The role leads forecasting, production scheduling, and inventory strategies, partnering with Sales, Operations, and Procurement to align supply chain with business goals.

Responsibilities include managing production schedules, coordinating with suppliers, and maintaining ERP/MRP data integrity to ensure on-time delivery and optimal inventory levels.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain or related field; CPIM is a plus.
• 2+ years of demand, material, and production planning in manufacturing.
• Strong ERP/MRP, Excel, and Microsoft Office experience; Epicor a plus.
• Excellent analytical and dashboard development skills.

Responsibilities

• Leads supply chain alignment across Sales, Operations, Finance, Procurement and Engineering.
• Develops data-driven forecasts by analyzing historical sales and trends.
• Monitors KPIs such as service level, inventory turns, and forecast accuracy.
• Creates and maintains production schedules to meet demand and capacity.
• Manages purchase orders and targets stock levels to minimize stockouts.
• Tracks orders and ensures timely receipt to support production schedule.
• Maintains ERP/MRP data accuracy for materials and finished goods.
• Serves as SME on ERP/MRP systems and drives improvements.
• Performs scenario planning and post-project analysis.
• Contributes to cross-functional projects with Operations, IT, Sales and Finance.
• Develops operational and executive level reports for decision-making.

Skills

ERP/MRP

Excel

Microsoft Office

Dashboard development

Analytical skills

Epicor

Education

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain

CPIM certification

Job description

The Material and Inventory Planner is a critical driver of operational performance, responsible for balancing material availability with financial efficiency. This role owns the balance between customer demand, production capability, and working capital efficiency, ensuring the right materials are available at the right time, without excess or obsolescence.

This analytical, Subject Matter Expert (SME) in Material Requirements Planning (MRP) leads the development of data-driven forecasts, production schedules, and inventory strategies and drives continuous improvement in service, cost, and inventory performance. The role partners cross-functionally with Sales, Operations, Production, Purchasing, Warehousing, Engineering and Quality to ensure supply chain execution aligns with business objectives and customer expectations.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Leads supply chain alignment across Sales, Operations, Finance, Procurement and Engineering
• Develops data-driven forecasts by compiling and analyzing historical sales, seasonality, and market trends, aligning inventory with sales and financial goals.
• Monitors key KPIs such as service level, inventory turn, and forecast accuracy and provides actionable insights and recommendations to leadership.
• Creates and maintains production schedules to align manufacturing output with customer demand, material availability, and capacity constraints, ensuring efficient operations and on-time delivery.
• Manages purchase orders to statements of work and master supply agreements. Sets targets for stock levels to minimize both stock-outs and excess inventory. They are specifically responsible for slow-moving and obsolete inventory reduction strategies.
• Tracks order status, confirming delivery dates, and following up with suppliers and procurement to ensure timely receipt in support of production schedule
• Maintains accurate item, lead time, and inventory data in the ERP/MRP system for materials, components, and all aftermarket and finished goods inventory.
• Serves as SME on ERP/MRP systems; improving data integrity, planning parameters, system configuration, and utilization to drive expansion of software features to improve supply chain performance.
• Performs non-routine duties such as scenario planning, execution, and post-project analysis on large-scale projects.
• Leverages supply chain experience to participate in business-wide projects involving Operations, Engineering, IT, Sales, and Finance.
• Develops operational and executive-level reports that allow for timely, efficient, and effective decision-making.

Required Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain or related field preferred; CPIM certification is a plus.
• 2+ years of experience, including demand planning, material planning, production planning, and scheduling experience in manufacturing required; Distribution planning is a plus.
• Strong experience using ERP/MRP, Excel, and Microsoft Office; Epicor expertise is a plus.
• Excellent analytical and report development skills; Dashboard development is a plus.

Physical Require

• On-site role in a manufacturing environment (mix of office and production floor)
• Regular walking on the shop floor and interaction with operators, supervisors, warehouse, and quality.
• May occasionally lift or move boxes of materials up to 25-30 lbs. with or without reasonable accommodations.

What We Offer

• 401(k) with company matching
• Collaborative, family-oriented culture with a proud legacy and innovative vision.