Production & Inventory Control Manager

Wabtec; Kansas City (MO); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Shuttlewagon is seeking a Production & Inventory Control Manager to lead production scheduling, inventory control, and material planning across our facility. You will manage a team of buyer/planners and drive data-driven improvements to ensure on-time delivery and optimized inventory levels.

The role requires 5+ years in supply chain/operations within manufacturing, strong leadership and communication skills, and experience with MRP systems (Syspro) and lean practices.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, or Business (or equivalent demonstrated combination of education and experience).
• 5+ years of supply chain/materials/operations/procurement management experience in manufacturing.
• 2 years of supervisory or managerial experience preferred.
• APICS Certification preferred.
• Experience with MRP systems, Syspro and S099 will be plus.
• Proficient MS Office, particularly Excel and PowerPoint.
• Superior verbal and written communication skills.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively to team members and management.
• Ability to hold themselves accountable for results.
• Ability to think critically and troubleshoot problems.
• Ability to work in a team setting.
• Ability to independently solve problems.
• Ability to lead and motivate employees.
• Desire to win.

Responsibilities

• Oversees Production Scheduling
• Establishes and maintains departmental production schedules to ensure on-time delivery.
• Establishes and maintains department procedures consistent with divisional/site goals
• Manages a team of buyer/planners/schedules and coordinates with Strategic Sourcing teams to manage supply chain and key suppliers, including shortage management and countermeasures.
• Implements defined replenishment strategies within Syspro ERP system, and Kanban/pull systems as appropriate.
• Owns business processes and data within the function required to effectively run the business
• Collaborates with Operational Management to optimize production planning, detailed scheduling, and material replenishment process for maximum utilization of the plant facilities and resources
• Develops targets, systems, and procedures for balancing optimal inventory levels with customer availability and market leading lead times
• Collaborates with warehouse team to review and improve inventory accuracy and cycle counting programs
• Champions lean activity related to materials in direct support of facility business needs
• Analyzes operational variances, extracts and reviews historical data, production efficiencies, and on-time adherence while working with operational teams to identify and implement improvement opportunities.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Problem solving

Teamwork

Lean

Education

Bachelor’s degree (Engineering / Supply Chain / Business)

Tools

Syspro

S099

Kanban

MRP

Job description

Who will you be working with?

The Production & Inventory Control (P&IC) Manager is responsible for the development and implementation of effective, facility-wide Production & Inventory Control activities to support material flow, inventory optimization and on-time delivery. Areas of responsibility include managing production scheduling, Inventory Control, and business processes related to production builds and aftermarket sales. The P&IC Manager will manage a team of buyer/planners and schedulers and report directly to the Operations Manager.

How will you make a difference?

The Production & Inventory Control Manager will play a critical role in ensuring the efficient flow of materials, optimized inventory levels, and on-time delivery performance across the Shuttlewagon operation. By leading production scheduling, inventory control, and material planning activities, this individual will help create a responsive and efficient supply chain that supports both production and aftermarket business needs.

Through collaboration with operations, engineering, sales, quality, and supply chain teams, the Production & Inventory Control Manager will drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhance production planning, improve inventory accuracy, reduce operational variances, and strengthen supplier performance. This role will use data-driven decision making to identify opportunities for greater efficiency, improved customer delivery performance, and year-over-year inventory optimization.

By championing lean practices, fostering cross-functional partnerships, and promoting a strong culture of safety, quality, and accountability, the Production & Inventory Control Manager will directly contribute to operational excellence and help Shuttlewagon deliver exceptional value to its customers.

What do we want to know about you?

• Bachelor's Degree, required in Engineering, Supply Chain, or Business (or equivalent demonstrated combination of education and experience).
• A minimum of 5 years of supply chain/materials/operations/procurement management experience in manufacturing environment.
• 2 years of supervisory or managerial experience preferred.
• APICS Certification preferred.
• Must have previous experience using MRP systems, and be knowledgeable in routings and BOM applications.
• Experience with MRP systems, Syspro and S099 will be plus.
• Proficient utilization of MS Office, particularly Excel and PowerPoint.
• Superior verbal and written communication skills.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively to team members and management.
• Ability to hold themselves accountable for results.
• Ability to think critically and troubleshoot problems.
• Ability to work in a team setting.
• Ability to independently solve problems.
• Ability to lead and motivate employees.
• Desire to win.

What will your typical day look like?

• Oversees Production Scheduling
• Establishes and maintains departmental production schedules to ensure on-time delivery.
• Establishes and maintains department procedures consistent with divisional/site goals
• Manages a team of buyer/planners/schedules and coordinates with Strategic Sourcing (Sourcing Managers) teams to manage supply chain and key suppliers, including shortage management and countermeasures.
• Implements defined replenishment strategies within Syspro ERP system, and Kanban/pull systems as appropriate.
• Owns business processes and data within the function required to effectively run the business
• Collaborates with Operational Management to optimize production planning, detailed scheduling, and material replenishment process for maximum utilization of the plant facilities and resources
• Develops targets, systems, and procedures for balancing optimal inventory levels with customer availability and market leading lead times
• Collaborates with warehouse team to review and improve inventory accuracy and cycle counting programs
• Champions lean activity related to materials in direct support of facility business needs
• Analyzes operational variances, extracts and reviews historical data, production efficiencies, and on-time adherence while working with operational teams to identify and implement improvement opportunities.
• Assist in supplier on-time delivery and quality measures
• Drive YOY inventory reduction and accuracy improvements & customer on-time performance.
• Participate in Engineering, Project Management, Sales, Quality and Operations Planning sessions, and contribute in the development of operations plans to support organizational goals
• Communicate Operational plans and gap analysis to the Leadership Team at regularly scheduled intervals
• Promote effective Health, Safety and Environmental programs and practices, ensuring that high standards of site safety are established and met
• Demonstrate personal commitment to a safety and quality culture
• Establishes clear responsibilities and processes for monitoring work and measuring results
• Identifies and addresses general root causes to safety and quality problems