Director, Integrated Planning Operations

LANTRONIX•Irvine, CA

About The Position

Lantronix Inc. is a global leader in Edge AI and Industrial IoT solutions, delivering intelligent computing, secure connectivity, and remote management for mission-critical applications across defense, industrial, and enterprise environments. Their expanding platform—spanning embedded compute, AI-enabled networking, PoE infrastructure, and edge software—enables real-time data processing and autonomous decision-making at the network edge, powering next-generation applications including robotics, smart cities, intelligent security, and NDAA-compliant unmanned systems. The Director, Integrated Planning & Operations is a senior operations leadership role responsible for translating global sales signals into executable supply plans across Lantronix’s fully outsourced CM/ODM manufacturing base in Asia. This role owns the end-to-end demand planning cycle, drives rigorous S&OP discipline, and leads strategic sourcing initiatives that reduce cost, compress lead times, and protect supply continuity. A primary mandate is eliminating end-of-quarter loading behavior by instilling smooth, data-driven demand shaping throughout the quarter. The Director leads a team of planning specialists and the US Warehouse & Logistics operation (Minnesota), and works in close partnership with the Director of Supply Chain (Asia-based CM/ODM execution) to ensure demand signals flow cleanly into supply commitments. This role is a critical bridge between commercial teams and operational delivery.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Industrial Engineering, Business, or a related technical discipline.
10+ years of progressive experience in demand planning, S&OP, and/or strategic sourcing within a hardware, electronics, or IoT product company.
Demonstrated experience owning and facilitating a formal S&OP process across commercial and operations functions.
Experience working with Asia-based CM/ODM or EMS partners (China, Taiwan, Thailand preferred).
Hands-on demand planning expertise: statistical forecasting, forecast accuracy management, safety stock modeling.
Strategic sourcing experience: RFQ/RFP management, supplier negotiation, commodity strategy, BOM cost analysis.
Strong proficiency in ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, or equivalent) and planning/analytics tools (Excel, BI platforms).
Excellent cross-functional communication skills — ability to present to executives and hold commercial teams accountable for forecast inputs.
Proven track record of reducing E&O, improving turns, and driving cost savings in a constrained-supply environment.

Nice To Haves

MBA or advanced degree.
APICS CPIM or CSCP certification.
Experience with tariff mitigation strategies (Section 301, USMCA, HTS classification).
Background in NPI sourcing and supply chain readiness.
Familiarity with IoT, embedded computing, networking, or Edge AI product categories.
Experience with China+1 sourcing strategy and geopolitical supply risk management.
Working knowledge of ISO 9001 quality management system as it pertains to supplier and planning processes.

Responsibilities

Own the global demand plan — consolidate and reconcile inputs from regional sales teams, Product Management, and Finance into a single, statistically-grounded demand signal.
Develop and maintain multi-horizon rolling forecasts (12–18 months) with appropriate granularity by product family, channel, and region.
Establish forecast accuracy KPIs and drive continuous improvement; hold commercial stakeholders accountable for forecast quality.
Lead demand sensing and signal analysis to identify trends, risks, and upside opportunities before they materialize as supply surprises.
Champion in-quarter demand smoothing — actively manage bookings pacing, backlog health, and order patterns to prevent end-of-quarter loading.
Own and facilitate the monthly S&OP cycle end-to-end: Demand Review, Supply Review, Pre-S&OP, and Executive S&OP.
Develop standardized S&OP materials including executive-ready dashboards, exception reports, and scenario analyses.
Drive consensus between Sales, Finance, and Operations on the final production plan; escalate unresolved gaps to VP Operations.
Deliver meaningful management updates at the Executive S&OP — surfacing risks, constraints, and recommended tradeoffs with clear financial impact.
Continuously improve S&OP process maturity; target progression from reactive to proactive to predictive planning posture.
Translate the approved demand plan into production orders and material pull signals in coordination with the Director of Supply Chain and Asia CM/ODM partners.
Manage inventory targets and stocking policies by SKU — balancing working capital efficiency against service level commitments.
Monitor and manage excess and obsolete (E&O) inventory; develop mitigation plans for aged or at-risk inventory.
Establish planning parameters (lead times, safety stock, min/max levels) in coordination with Supply Chain and Finance.
Drive Lantronix toward best-in-class inventory turns (5–8x target) from current levels.
Lead strategic sourcing initiatives for key commodities (semiconductors, modules, electronic components, contract manufacturing capacity) in coordination with the Director of Supply Chain.
Develop and execute sourcing strategies that improve cost, reduce lead times, and build supply resilience — including dual-sourcing, China+1, and regional diversification where applicable.
Lead RFQ/RFP processes for new components and manufacturing capacity; own negotiation strategy for strategic supplier contracts.
Partner with Engineering and Product Management on NPI sourcing, BOM cost modeling, and component selection.
Monitor tariff landscape (US-China, US-Taiwan, US-Thailand) and develop supply base strategies to mitigate exposure.
Maintain supplier market intelligence across key commodity categories; provide regular risk and opportunity briefs to VP Operations.
Directly manage and develop a team of planning specialists (Production Planning Specialist, Demand Planning Specialist) and the Sr. Manager, Global Logistics overseeing the Minnesota-based Warehouse & Logistics team, with expectation to build team capability and capacity over time.
Set clear performance expectations, provide ongoing coaching, and conduct formal reviews.
Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and data-driven decision-making within the planning team.
Partner with VP Operations to develop longer-term team structure and capability roadmap.
Serve as the primary planning interface between global Sales, Finance, and Operations — translating commercial dynamics into supply chain action.
Collaborate closely with the Director of Supply Chain to ensure demand plans are executable and supply constraints are reflected upstream in the demand signal.
Engage proactively with Asia CM/ODM partners on capacity planning, lead time management, and ramp schedules.
Provide VP Operations with regular reporting on forecast accuracy, plan attainment, inventory health, and sourcing performance.
Accountable for planning and directing all aspects of the operations of a major program or functional area.
Works to influence others in company to accept new practices, concepts, and approaches in a major functional area.