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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for an Incoming Planner

💰 $65,000 - $90,000

Supply ChainLogisticsPlanningManufacturingProcurement

🎯 Role Definition

As an Incoming Planner, you are the conductor of our inbound supply chain orchestra. Your primary mission is to ensure a seamless and timely flow of raw materials, components, and goods from our global network of suppliers directly to our production lines and warehouse facilities. You will be instrumental in preventing stock-outs, optimizing inventory levels, and maintaining production continuity. This role requires a meticulous, proactive, and analytical individual who thrives on solving complex logistical puzzles and building strong relationships with both internal teams and external partners. You are the critical link that translates production demand into a tangible, executable material plan, directly impacting our operational efficiency and ability to meet customer commitments.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Supply Chain Coordinator
  • Logistics Analyst or Coordinator
  • Procurement Expeditor or Junior Buyer

Advancement To:

  • Senior Incoming Planner / Senior Material Planner
  • Supply Chain Manager
  • Logistics or Materials Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Production Planner
  • Demand Planner
  • Sourcing Specialist or Buyer

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Develop, maintain, and execute comprehensive material requirement plans (MRP) by analyzing demand forecasts, production schedules, and current inventory levels within the ERP system.
  • Issue and manage purchase orders to a diverse portfolio of domestic and international suppliers, ensuring all order parameters like price, quantity, and delivery dates are accurate.
  • Act as the primary operational point of contact for suppliers, proactively communicating schedule changes, managing delivery expectations, and expediting critical parts as needed.
  • Continuously monitor supplier on-time delivery performance, holding suppliers accountable for commitments and collaborating with the procurement team to drive performance improvements.
  • Proactively identify and mitigate potential supply chain risks, including part shortages, transit delays, customs holds, and quality issues, developing and communicating robust recovery plans.
  • Analyze and manage inventory levels to achieve key performance indicator (KPI) targets, such as inventory turns, days of supply, excess & obsolete (E&O) reduction, and service levels.
  • Coordinate closely with freight forwarders, carriers, and our internal logistics team to ensure the timely and cost-effective transportation of all inbound materials.
  • Maintain data integrity within the ERP system (e.g., SAP, Oracle), including supplier lead times, safety stock parameters, minimum order quantities, and item master data.
  • Lead cross-functional meetings with Production, Warehousing, Quality, and Engineering teams to review material status, align on priorities, and resolve any inbound-related challenges.
  • Analyze and manage the impact of Engineering Change Orders (ECOs) on materials, ensuring a smooth transition for new parts and minimizing obsolescence of phased-out components.
  • Generate and present regular reports and dashboards on inbound supply chain performance, providing clear insights and actionable recommendations to leadership.
  • Resolve receiving and invoicing discrepancies by collaborating with warehouse and accounts payable teams to ensure accurate transaction processing.
  • Manage the Return to Vendor (RTV) process for non-conforming materials, coordinating with the Quality department and suppliers to ensure timely disposition and credit.
  • Participate actively in New Product Introduction (NPI) projects, representing the planning function to establish the supply chain for new components and ensure material readiness for launch.
  • Drive continuous improvement initiatives within the inbound planning process, identifying opportunities to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and implement best practices.
  • Develop and optimize inventory strategies, such as Just-in-Time (JIT), Kanban, or Vendor-Managed Inventory (VMI), where applicable.
  • Ensure all inbound shipments comply with international trade and customs regulations by providing necessary documentation and coordinating with trade compliance specialists.
  • Conduct root cause analysis for any material-related production stoppages or disruptions and implement effective corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
  • Forecast and manage inventory for non-production items, such as packaging materials and MRO supplies, to support operational needs.
  • Collaborate with the sourcing team on supplier business reviews, providing performance data and operational feedback to support strategic supplier relationship management.
  • Champion clear-to-build (CTB) reporting, providing visibility to the entire organization on material availability against the production plan.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data analysis and reporting requests from supply chain leadership to inform strategic decision-making.
  • Contribute to the ongoing evaluation and improvement of supply chain planning systems, tools, and software.
  • Collaborate with the Procurement team to support strategic sourcing initiatives and supplier consolidation projects.
  • Participate in physical inventory counts and cycle counting programs, assisting in the reconciliation of discrepancies to ensure high inventory accuracy.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • ERP/MRP Proficiency: Deep, hands-on experience with enterprise resource planning systems such as SAP (MM/PP), Oracle, NetSuite, or similar platforms.
  • Advanced Excel Skills: Mastery of Excel for data analysis, including pivot tables, VLOOKUP/INDEX-MATCH, complex formulas, and data modeling.
  • Supply Chain Fundamentals: Strong theoretical and practical understanding of inventory management concepts like Safety Stock, EOQ, Reorder Points, and JIT.
  • Material Requirements Planning (MRP): Proven ability to run, interpret, and action MRP outputs to drive purchasing and scheduling decisions.
  • Data Analysis: Ability to analyze large datasets to identify trends, forecast demand, and measure performance (experience with BI tools like Tableau or Power BI is a plus).
  • Logistics & Transportation Knowledge: Familiarity with shipping modes, freight terms (Incoterms), and coordinating with logistics providers.
  • Procurement Process Acumen: Understanding of the procure-to-pay (P2P) lifecycle, including purchase order management and supplier communication.
  • Bill of Materials (BOM) Interpretation: Ability to read and understand multi-level BOMs and their impact on material requirements.
  • Lean/Six Sigma Principles: Knowledge of continuous improvement methodologies and their application in a supply chain context.
  • Project Coordination: Ability to manage small-to-medium scale projects, such as implementing a new inventory strategy or managing an NPI launch from a material perspective.

Soft Skills

  • Analytical & Problem-Solving Mindset: A natural ability to dissect complex problems, perform root cause analysis, and develop effective solutions.
  • Exceptional Communication: The capacity to communicate clearly and concisely with diverse stakeholders, from shop-floor teams to suppliers and senior management.
  • Meticulous Attention to Detail: A commitment to accuracy in data entry, order placement, and analysis is non-negotiable.
  • Superb Organization & Prioritization: Proven ability to manage multiple competing priorities in a fast-paced environment with a strong sense of urgency.
  • Proactive & Self-Directed: A "get-it-done" attitude with the initiative to anticipate problems before they occur and act independently.
  • Collaborative Spirit: A team player who excels at building and maintaining positive working relationships across functions.
  • Adaptability & Resilience: The ability to remain effective and composed when faced with unexpected challenges, schedule changes, and supply chain disruptions.
  • Influencing & Negotiation: Skill in persuading suppliers and internal partners to align on schedules and priorities, especially in high-pressure situations.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's Degree from an accredited institution.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor's Degree with a specialization in a relevant field.
  • Professional certifications such as APICS (CPIM, CSCP) or a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt are highly valued.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Supply Chain Management
  • Logistics
  • Business Administration
  • Operations Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 3-5+ years of direct experience in a material planning, production planning, procurement, or closely related supply chain function.

Preferred:

  • Experience working within a fast-paced manufacturing, CPG, or distribution environment is strongly preferred.
  • Demonstrable experience working with a global supply base and navigating international logistics.
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