Materials Reservations Specialist

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

• Experience in supply chain, inventory management, sales support, production planning, or metals distribution preferred.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to work accurately in exception reports and ERP/inventory systems.
• Working knowledge of FIFO, reservations, blanket orders, tagging, inventory turns, service levels, and material flow preferred.
• Ability to communicate professionally with Sales, Product Management, Buyers, Operations, and other internal partners.
• Strong problem-solving, prioritization, and follow-through skills in a fast-paced environment.
• Microsoft Office proficiency required; advanced Excel skills preferred.

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.