Material Planning Analyst

Role Definition

Responsible for scheduling, planning, and oversight of material procurement, production, and delivery.

Responsibilities

• Coordinating flow of materials within the manufacturing facility. Coordinating transfer of materials (premium freight) to and from inventory or warehouse.
• Developing and executing material planning for a product line. Ensuring that all material requirements for assigned programs are satisfied within the allocated time frame.
• Scheduling and controlling the release of materials. Monitoring material inventory in the plant, in the warehouse, and by critical suppliers.
• Building up and following up procurement plan realization to ensure they align with business objectives.
• Tracking and analyzing supplier performance metrics. Collaborating and negotiating with supplier to deliver materials per requirements.

Skill Descriptors

Accuracy and Attention to Detail: Understanding the necessity and value of accuracy; ability to complete tasks with high levels of precision.

Level Basic Understanding:

• Explains the importance of accuracy in own function or unit.
• Identifies tasks or outputs that require accuracy and detail-level attention.
• Identifies the procedures for making sure that results are mistake-free.
• Describes consequences of errors within own unit or function.

Analytical Thinking: Knowledge of techniques and tools that promote effective analysis; ability to determine the root cause of organizational problems and create alternative solutions that resolve these problems.

Level Basic Understanding:

• Names specific tools or techniques that can be used to support the analytical thinking process.
• Describes specific software applications or products used for business analytics.
• Gives examples of how analytical thinking has been used to resolve problems.
• Helps others research and learn more about business analytics tools and applications.

Distribution Requirements Planning (DRP): Knowledge of the process, issues and considerations for systematically managing distribution of inventory for multiple plants or warehouses; ability to apply related knowledge and experience in real practice.

Level Basic Understanding:

• Explains basic measurements of operational distribution performance.
• Describes common bottlenecks and delays in distributions.
• Describes the role of a distribution center in the supply chain.
• Describes the basic process of moving materials or goods.

Forecasting: Knowledge of forecasting tools, approaches and practices; ability to determine product demand and estimate production requirements and loads.

Level Basic Understanding:

• Identifies common forecasting tools and techniques.
• Describes the roles and responsibilities of demand forecasting staff.
• Explains sources of information for forecasting demand.
• Names several forecasting indexes or measurements.

Inventory Management - MFG: Knowledge of processes and methods of inventory management; ability to effectively manage local or distributed inventories of raw materials, work-in-progress and finished goods.

Level Basic Understanding:

• Identifies basic tools and approaches for inventory management.
• Describes basic functions and reports needed for inventory management.
• Cites examples of seasonal considerations and adjustments to planned versus actual inventory.
• Describes basic benchmarks for inventory management.

Manufacturing Requirements Planning (MRP): Knowledge of the processes, practices and systems used in manufacturing requirements planning (MRP); ability to optimize planning for manufacturing cycles and ensure capacity and materials availability.

Level Basic Understanding:

• Describes basic concepts of materials and capacity management processes and procedures.
• Describes product life cycle and associated MRP cycle.
• Identifies parameters and considerations used in making decisions about production runs.
• Describes the use of bills of materials and other documentation needed to provide supplies.

Problem Solving: Knowledge of approaches, tools, techniques for recognizing, anticipating, and resolving organizational, operational or process problems; ability to apply knowledge of problem solving appropriately to diverse situations.

Level Basic Understanding:

• Explains the value of a disciplined approach to problem solving.
• Describes problem reporting and escalation practices.
• Utilizes accepted procedures for problem analysis and resolution.
• Identifies key aspects of problem-solving techniques used in own area.

Supplier Management - MFG: Knowledge of processes and methods to effectively manage business relationships and transactions with suppliers of raw materials or product components; ability to apply related knowledge, experience and skills into real practice.

Level Basic Understanding:

• Describes the typical tasks associated with using and managing suppliers.
• Defines common terms and conditions of agreements with suppliers.
• Explains the organizational process for soliciting and selecting suppliers.
• States the roles and responsibilities of one's own and suppliers' staff.