Materiel Inventory Advisor

Federal Express Corporation; Memphis (TN); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Federal Express Corporation is seeking a strategic advisor for the SCM organization in Memphis to enhance inventory planning, demand forecasting, risk assessment, and analytical support. You will guide supplier selection, performance management, and contract negotiations while collaborating with cross-functional teams to meet cost, lead time, service, and quality goals.

You will deliver actionable intelligence on components and MRO trends, shape sourcing strategies, and drive data-driven

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent preferably in Aerospace, SCM, Business/Finance, Economics, or quantitative discipline.
• Six (6) years professional experience that includes inventory planning and materiel management in aviation (parts, MRO services), operational contract execution or tactical supplier management, financial or market analysis, or cross-functional project/program leadership.
• Experience with warranty, repairs, supplier disputes, or air carrier operations preferred.

Responsibilities

• Advise SCM SMEs, reviewing inventory strategies to align with operational and financial objectives.
• Formulate strategic inventory models to optimize levels for materiel readiness and risk mitigation.
• Identify and resolve part availability issues to support maintenance and operations.
• Provide inputs to financial/market analyses to guide leadership on sourcing and stocking strategies.
• Deliver long-term forecasting, capital/operating impact analyses and regulatory considerations.
• Address Quality Escapes and LOIs/VDRs.

Skills

Inventory management

Excel/Analytics

Power BI

Negotiations

Project management

Supplier management

Communication

Risk analysis

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace, SCM, Business/Finance, Economics, or quantitative discipline

Tools

ERP software

SAS

SharePoint/Office 365

Job description

A strategic advisor to the Supply Chain Management (SCM) organization, providing inventory planning, demand forecasting, risk assessment, and analytical support. This role will ensure materiel readiness and mitigate supply chain risks. The advisor acts as an internal liaison and provides guidance to support supplier selection, performance management, contract negotiation and execution, and supplier relationship management. Collaborates with cross-functional teams (Materiel Management, Engineering, Quality, Finance, Legal) to ensure inventory and supplier decisions meet cost, lead time, service level, and quality objectives. Provides actionable intelligence on components, MRO trends, and supplier capabilities, delivering the insights needed to shape sourcing strategies and optimize value. Acts as a subject matter expert, facilitator, and mentor within SCM, enabling teamwork through data-driven insights, streamlined processes, and best practices implementation. Performs other duties as assigned.

Essential Functions

• Advise Supply Chain Management subject matter experts (SMEs), reviewing inventory strategies, plans, and decisions to ensure alignment with operational and financial objectives.
• Formulate strategic inventory models and advise operational teams on optimizing levels to maintain aircraft materiel readiness and mitigate financial, obsolescence, and service disruption risks.
• Proactively identify and resolve industry-wide and internal part availability issues to support maintenance repairs and overall operations, preventing potential disruptions before they occur.
• Produce inputs to financial and market analysis for high-value components and repair services to guide leadership on optimal sourcing, stocking, and repair-vs-purchase strategies and support negotiation positions.
• Provide technical direction and business planning support to senior management including long-term forecasting, capital/operating impacts, and regulatory/compliance considerations.
• Address Quality Escapes and research and answer Letters of Investigation (LOIs) and Voluntary Disclosure Reports (VDRs).
• Provide strategic input during supplier negotiations, proposing contract language to improve and support SCM objectives, and influence the structuring of high-value vendor agreements; help design supplier performance frameworks and consult with SCM teams on escalation processes to drive continuous improvement.
• Evaluate and deliver SCM recommendations for business intelligence, reporting, and analytics solutions (dashboards, models) to inform inventory and supplier decisions and to highlight risks and opportunities.
• Direct root-cause analysis initiatives by interpreting technical documentation (parts catalogs, engineering drawings, maintenance manuals) and counsel management on strategic interventions to prevent recurring disruptions.
• Implement and execute strategic supply chain management initiatives, including the development of new programs to address internal gaps and achieve quick wins.
• Support quarterly audits of vendor usage and performance via dashboards and audit Materiel contract and Supplier capability loads to ensure accuracy and identify opportunities for optimization.
• Develop and deliver presentations on findings, program updates, and strategic recommendations to senior leadership.
• Architect and champion best practices, desktop procedures, and training for SCM and materiel workgroups; advise cross-functional teams through mentoring, coaching, and developing SMEs across Supply Chain Management.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent preferably in Aerospace, Supply Chain Management, Business/Finance, Economics, or another quantitative discipline.

Minimum Experience

Six (6) years professional experience that includes a combination of: inventory planning and materiel management in aviation (parts, MRO services), operational contract execution or tactical supplier management, financial or market analysis, or cross-functional project/program leadership. Experience with warranty, repairs, supplier dispute resolution, or air carrier operations preferred.

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• Advanced working knowledge of inventory management and enterprise resource planning software.
• Advanced Excel skills and proficiency with analytics and BI tools (Power BI, SAS, or equivalent). Familiarity with AI and its applications in supply chain is a plus.
• Familiarity with SharePoint and Office 365 applications.
• Financial modeling and market analysis experience preferred to develop business cases and evaluate sourcing and inventory planning options.
• Proven project and program management skills with the ability to lead cross-functional initiatives.
• Experience supporting negotiations and supplier management activities.
• Ability to interpret and operationalize contract language to drive vendor accountability and maximize performance during daily operations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, stakeholder engagement, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to interpret technical documentation (manuals, drawings, schematics) and apply findings to inventory and repair decisions.
• Analytical mindset with the ability to perform root-cause analysis and present actionable recommendations to multiple levels of management.
• Proven ability to develop others through mentoring, coaching and formal training.
• Knowledge of airline/MRO market dynamics, regulatory considerations, and supply chain risk management.

Additional Details

This posting will close at 5PM on September 21, 2026. The desired location for this position is Memphis; TN. Employees will be required to work at the FedEx location five days a week.

Applicants Have Rights Under Federal Employment Laws

• Know Your Rights
• Pay Transparency
• Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
• Employee Polygraph Protection Act

E-Verify Program Participant: Federal Express Corporation participates in the Department of Homeland Security U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' E-Verify program (For U.S. applicants and employees only).

• E-Verify Notice (bilingual)
• Right to Work Notice (English) / (Spanish)

Federal Express Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer including, Vets/Disability.

Reasonable accommodations are available for qualified individuals with disabilities throughout the application process. Applicants who require reasonable accommodations in the application or hiring process should contact [e-mail].