Manager - Supply Planning

Description:

This role is part of the Materials function within a Global Supply Chain Center of Excellence and reports to the Operations Manager Materials. The Supply Planning Manager will support global business operations by leading supplier planning activities and managing a team of buyers and planners. The role focuses on building a scalable, capable organization through standard processes, continuous improvement, and strong collaboration with cross-functional teams.

Key Responsibilities:

- Lead and support supplier planning activities across multiple sites using standardized processes and best practices.

- Manage and develop a team of 10+ buyers and planners through mentoring, training, cross-functional exposure, and succession planning.

- Build organizational capability by identifying skill gaps, hiring when required, and implementing development plans.

- Collaborate with cross-functional teams such as S&OP, inventory, operations, and procurement to improve key materials performance metrics.

- Drive performance improvements in areas such as supplier on-time delivery, inventory optimization, cost reduction, and days of inventory on hand (DOH).

- Ensure strong engagement with internal customers by understanding expectations, tracking customer-facing KPIs, and resolving issues in a timely manner.

- Support business growth by scaling supplier planning operations and taking on new transitions and responsibilities.

- Use clear communication and presentations to align global, regional, and local stakeholders with business objectives.

- Enable the team to deliver measurable business impact, including inventory reduction and cost savings initiatives.

- Apply structured quality and process discipline, including escalation management, root cause analysis, risk assessment, and corrective actions.

- Coach and guide team members to drive continuous improvement and resolve complex operational challenges.

- Support and lead inventory optimization and improvement projects.

- Analyze data to identify performance gaps and recommend improvement opportunities.

Qualifications & Experience:

- 8-12 years of experience in materials planning, supplier planning, or inventory management.

- Strong knowledge of materials planning concepts such as MRP, replenishment planning, forecasting accuracy, and inventory performance metrics (DOH).

- Experience using data and analytics tools such as Power BI, SQL, Python, or similar platforms.

- Bachelors degree required; Masters degree in Materials, Production, Operations, or Supply Chain Management preferred.

- Engineering background is an added advantage.

Key Skills & Competencies:

- Strong leadership and team management skills.

- Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder management abilities.

- Customer-focused mindset with the ability to work effectively with senior leadership and cross-functional teams.

- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a global, fast-paced environment.