Position Summary
The Material Planning Analyst supports the Materials Manager in executing material utilization strategies across the organization. This role is responsible for maintaining accurate material reservations, supporting FIFO discipline, identifying inventory risks and opportunities, and coordinating with Sales, Product Management, Supply Chain, and Operations to help align available material with customer demand.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Manage and maintain accurate material reservations to optimize inventory utilization and service performance.
Support FIFO compliance by aligning earliest-due customer demand to the oldest appropriate available inventory.
Review blanket reservations and make reservation adjustments that support inventory flow and availability for transactional orders.
Identify misaligned reservations, over-reservations, underutilized material, and at-risk inventory before they affect customer commitments.
Partner with buyers, product managers, sales, planning, and operations to ensure material availability is understood and proactively managed.
Maintain accurate system data and planning inputs in Invex, IKE, or related ERP/inventory tools.
Prepare material utilization insights and trend information for the Materials Manager and cross-functional planning discussions.
Promote accountability by documenting recurring reservation errors, process gaps, and opportunities for training or corrective action.
DAILY AND WEEKLY TASK EXPECTATIONS
Daily Tasks | Weekly Tasks |
Review reservation exception reports and resolve additions, deletions, and changes. Communicate reservation issues, alternatives, and corrective needs to Sales and internal partners. Review PO over-reservation activity and coordinate corrective action. Validate FIFO alignment and correct material assignments where needed. Monitor incoming material availability and identify gaps affecting customer orders. |
Review blanket reservations and reposition demand to improve inventory flow. Analyze aging, excess, slow-moving, or underutilized inventory and recommend action. Summarize material utilization trends, recurring issues, and process improvement opportunities. Support planning discussions with Product Management, Buyers, Sales, and Operations. Track recurring reservation behaviors or process gaps for coaching and accountability. |
QUALIFICATIONS AND SUCCESS PROFILE
WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE
Accuracy | Inventory Flow | Cross-Functional Discipline |
Reservations are cleaner, exceptions are addressed promptly, and system data supports better planning. | FIFO usage improves, aging inventory is reduced, and material is redeployed before it becomes a service issue. Turns and T&E ratio improves quarterly | Sales, Product Management, Buyers, and Operations receive clear material guidance and repeat issues are documented. |