Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Material Analyst

🎯 Role Definition

This role requires a detail-oriented and analytically-minded Material Analyst to become a cornerstone of our supply chain operations. In this critical role, you will be the driving force behind our inventory strategy, ensuring the seamless flow of materials from suppliers to production. You will leverage data-driven insights to forecast demand, optimize stock levels, and mitigate risks, directly impacting our operational efficiency and bottom line. This is an exciting opportunity for a proactive problem-solver to make a tangible impact, collaborating with cross-functional teams including procurement, production, and engineering to build a resilient and cost-effective supply chain. If you are passionate about turning complex data into actionable material plans, we want to hear from you.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Inventory Coordinator
Procurement Assistant / Junior Buyer
Supply Chain Intern / Co-op

Advancement To:

Senior Material Analyst / Lead Analyst
Supply Chain Manager / Inventory Manager
Demand Planner or Senior Planner

Lateral Moves:

Logistics Analyst
Production Planner
Procurement Specialist / Buyer

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Analyze inventory levels, historical consumption, and future demand forecasts to determine optimal reorder points and ensure continuous material availability for production.
Develop, implement, and refine advanced inventory control strategies to optimize stock levels, minimize carrying costs, and prevent both stockouts and excess inventory.
Forecast material requirements based on complex variables including production schedules, historical data, sales forecasts, and market trends using statistical modeling techniques.
Collaborate closely with procurement and purchasing teams to issue timely purchase orders, expedite critical deliveries, and ensure materials align with production deadlines.
Monitor, evaluate, and report on key supplier performance metrics, including on-time delivery, quality acceptance rates, and cost-effectiveness, driving continuous improvement.
Maintain impeccable data integrity within the company's ERP/MRP system, including item masters, vendor lead times, safety stock calculations, and multi-level bills of materials (BOM).
Proactively identify, classify, and manage slow-moving and obsolete (SLOB) inventory, developing and executing disposition plans to mitigate financial losses.
Generate and present regular, insightful reports and KPIs on inventory health, material consumption, forecast accuracy, and supplier performance to senior management.
Conduct thorough root cause analysis for material shortages, unexpected delivery delays, and inventory discrepancies, implementing robust and sustainable corrective actions.
Serve as a key liaison between production planning and scheduling teams to synchronize material availability with the dynamic manufacturing build plan.
Actively participate in New Product Introduction (NPI) projects by meticulously planning material requirements for prototypes, pilot runs, and initial mass production.
Lead and/or support cycle counting programs and annual physical inventory audits to ensure system-to-physical inventory accuracy and compliance.
Analyze and manage the downstream impact of Engineering Change Orders (ECOs) on material planning, existing inventory, and open purchase orders.
Develop and nurture strong, collaborative relationships with key suppliers to ensure a reliable, transparent, and efficient supply chain partnership.
Analyze total cost of ownership for materials, including unit price, freight, duties, and holding costs, to identify cost-saving opportunities.
Identify and champion process improvement initiatives within the material planning and inventory management functions to drive efficiency, reduce waste, and increase agility.
Ensure strict compliance with all company policies and industry regulations pertaining to material handling, storage, and traceability.
Track inbound shipments and coordinate with logistics and receiving departments to troubleshoot delays and ensure the timely and accurate receipt of materials into the system.
Resolve complex invoice discrepancies related to quantity, pricing, or terms by collaborating effectively with accounts payable and suppliers.
Utilize advanced data analysis and visualization tools to create dynamic dashboards that provide actionable, real-time insights into material flow and inventory status.
Support strategic sourcing initiatives by providing comprehensive data-driven analysis on material usage patterns, supplier capabilities, and market conditions.
Manage and optimize consignment inventory programs and vendor-managed inventory (VMI) relationships to streamline supply and reduce on-hand inventory.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc analytical requests from supply chain leadership and cross-functional partners.
Participate in cross-functional continuous improvement projects (e.g., Kaizen events) focused on supply chain optimization.
Assist in the training of new team members on ERP systems and internal material planning processes.
Contribute to the development and documentation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for inventory and material management.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

ERP/MRP Systems: Deep proficiency with enterprise resource planning systems such as SAP (MM/PP modules), Oracle, NetSuite, or Epicor.
Advanced Excel: Mastery of Microsoft Excel, including complex formulas, VLOOKUP/INDEX-MATCH, pivot tables, macros, and data modeling.
Data Analysis & Forecasting: Strong ability to perform statistical analysis and apply various forecasting models to predict material needs.
SQL: Experience writing and executing SQL queries to extract, manipulate, and analyze data from relational databases.
Inventory Management Principles: In-depth knowledge of inventory strategies like ABC Analysis, Just-in-Time (JIT), Safety Stock calculation, and Kanban.
Data Visualization: Familiarity with tools like Tableau or Power BI to create compelling dashboards and reports that communicate insights effectively.
Bill of Materials (BOM) Management: Solid understanding of BOM structures, revisions, and their impact on material requirements.

Soft Skills

Analytical & Problem-Solving: A sharp, investigative mindset with the ability to dissect complex problems and develop logical, data-backed solutions.
Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex information clearly to diverse audiences.
Attention to Detail: Meticulous and highly organized, capable of managing vast amounts of data with exceptional accuracy.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Proven ability to work effectively with teams across procurement, production, engineering, and finance.
Negotiation & Influence: Strong interpersonal skills to manage supplier relationships and influence internal stakeholders towards optimal outcomes.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's Degree from an accredited institution.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in a relevant field.
Professional certifications such as APICS CPIM (Certified in Production and Inventory Management) or CSCP (Certified Supply Chain Professional) are highly desirable.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Supply Chain Management
Logistics
Business Administration (with a concentration in Operations or Analytics)
Industrial Engineering
Data Analytics or Statistics

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

2-5 years of direct experience in a material planning, inventory control, purchasing, or supply chain analysis role.

Preferred:

Experience within a fast-paced manufacturing, electronics, or distribution environment is strongly preferred.
Demonstrable experience in a role that required significant data analysis and ERP system usage.