Materials Planner I

Job Summary

The Materials Planner is responsible for ensuring the timely availability of raw materials and packaging required to support production schedules and customer commitments. This role manages material requirements planning (MRP) by balancing customer demand, inventory investment, supplier performance, lead times, production capacity, and service objectives.

Operating in a complex co-manufacturing environment, the Materials Planner collaborates closely with Production Planning, Operations, Procurement, Customer Account Managers, Quality, Supply Chain, and external customers to identify risks, resolve supply constraints, and ensure materials are available to support production. The role serves as a key link between demand, supply, and manufacturing and drives continuous improvement in planning processes, inventory management, and material flow.

Essential Functions

• Develop and maintain material requirements plans that ensure the availability of ingredients and packaging to support production schedules and customer service objectives.
• Utilize MRP and planning systems to analyze demand, inventory, lead times, supplier performance, and production requirements to generate time-phased replenishment plans.
• Monitor inventory levels and production schedules to proactively identify material shortages, excess inventory, and supply risks that may impact manufacturing or customer commitments.
• Manage planning parameters and master data within ERP and planning systems to ensure accurate planning outputs and inventory visibility.
• Coordinate material planning activities for both customer-supplied and company-procured ingredients, ensuring clear ownership and accountability for material readiness.
• Partner closely with Procurement, Operations, Customer Account Managers, Quality, Warehousing, and Supply Chain teams to ensure alignment between demand, supply, and production requirements.
• Identify, communicate, and escalate material constraints, supply disruptions, and inventory risks while developing recovery plans that minimize operational and customer impact.
• Collaborate with suppliers, customers, and internal stakeholders to resolve material availability issues and support service level objectives.
• Support production readiness by coordinating material availability, quality release requirements, and inventory disposition decisions.
• Participate in Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) processes by providing material availability insights, inventory analysis, capacity considerations, and supply risk assessments.
• Evaluate demand trends, consumption patterns, and forecast changes to identify potential supply challenges and opportunities for inventory optimization.
• Provide sourcing, procurement, and operational teams with forward-looking material requirements and planning assumptions.
• Monitor key planning performance metrics including material availability, inventory accuracy, service levels, inventory turns, aging inventory, and planning effectiveness.
• Develop reports, analyses, and recommendations that support informed business decisions and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Identify and implement process improvements that enhance planning accuracy, inventory visibility, material flow, and operational efficiency.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for planning systems, planning processes, and inventory management best practices.
• Provide timely and effective communication regarding material risks, inventory concerns, supplier performance issues, and recovery plans.
• Keep stakeholders and leadership informed of critical supply chain issues affecting production schedules, customer commitments, or inventory objectives.
• Promote a culture of collaboration, accountability, continuous improvement, and customer focus through effective communication and partnership.

Additional Functions

• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Attend cross functional and internal meetings as deemed appropriate
• Comply with all safety policies, practices and procedures. Report all unsafe activities to supervisor and/or Human Resources.
• Participate in proactive team efforts to achieve departmental and company goals.
• Provide leadership to others through example and sharing of knowledge/skill

Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Business, Logistics, Engineering, or a related field required; or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in material planning, demand planning, supply planning, inventory management, procurement, or manufacturing operations, preferably within a food, ingredient, co-manufacturing, or consumer packaged goods environment.
• Demonstrated experience utilizing ERP and planning systems (SAP, JDA/Blue Yonder, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, or similar) to manage inventory, demand, and material requirements planning processes.
• Strong understanding of MRP, inventory management, forecasting, replenishment planning, safety stock strategies, lead-time management, and supply chain best practices.
• Proven analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to evaluate complex data, identify root causes, assess risks, and develop practical solutions.
• Experience balancing customer service requirements, inventory investment, supplier performance, and operational constraints to achieve business objectives.
• Ability to analyze and interpret operational data, inventory metrics, supplier performance, production schedules, and financial impacts to support decision-making.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to effectively communicate material risks, inventory concerns, recovery plans, and recommendations to cross-functional teams and leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to influence and collaborate with Operations, Procurement, Customer Account Managers, Quality, Warehousing, and Supply Chain teams to resolve issues and drive results.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment while maintaining attention to detail and meeting deadlines.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, reporting tools, and business systems.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize work, manage competing demands, and adapt to changing business conditions.
• Ability to apply mathematical and statistical concepts, including ratios, percentages, forecasts, inventory calculations, and trend analysis, to support planning decisions.
• Demonstrated commitment to continuous improvement, process optimization, and operational excellence.

Typical Physical Activity

Physical Demands

• Regularly involves talking or listening, sitting, and the use of hands and fingers.
• Frequently involves reaching with hands and arms.
• Occasionally involves standing and walking.

Physical Requirements

• Manual dexterity sufficient to reach/handle items, works with the fingers.
• Involves light physical activity performing non-strenuous daily activities of an administrative nature.

Typical Environmental Conditions

• Well-lighted, heated and/or air-conditioned indoor office setting with adequate ventilation.
• May occasionally be exposed to loud noise levels (i.e. manufacturing equipment), when in the production area.
• May occasionally be exposed to humidity, intense heat, and fumes and toxic chemicals when in the production area.

Travel Requirements

• Occasional overnight travel (up to 20%) by land and/or air.

Disclaimer

Must perform the essential duties and responsibilities with or without reasonable accommodation efficiently and accurately without causing significant safety threat to self or others. The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and/or skills required of all personnel so classified.