Inventory & MRO Analyst

Jack Link's Protein Snacks•Perry, GA

10d•$44 - $47•Onsite

About The Position

The Inventory & MRO Analyst is responsible for optimizing maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) inventory to ensure maximum equipment uptime in a highly automated, multi-line food manufacturing facility. This role manages a multi-million-dollar repair and maintenance (R&M) budget, drives inventory accuracy, and ensures critical spare parts availability for continuous production in a USDA-regulated environment. The ideal candidate combines data analytics, maintenance planning, and inventory control expertise to reduce downtime, improve asset reliability, and control costs.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, Engineering, Business, or related field (or equivalent experience)
3–7+ years in MRO inventory, maintenance planning, or supply chain roles in manufacturing
Experience in high-speed, automated production environments required
Strong knowledge of MRO inventory management and spare parts planning
Experience with CMMS/ERP systems (SAP PM/MM preferred)
Advanced Excel and data analysis skills (Power BI/Tableau a plus)
Understanding of reliability concepts (MTBF, MTTR)
Analytical and data-driven decision-making
Strong cross-functional collaboration
Cost control and financial acumen
Continuous improvement mindset (Lean/6 Sigma preferred)
Detail-oriented with strong organizational skills

Nice To Haves

Food manufacturing or USDA-regulated experience preferred

Responsibilities

Design and continuously refine inventory segmentation strategy (critical spares vs. consumables vs. long-lead items vs. rarely used insurance spares).
Perform criticality analysis (ABC + equipment criticality) to identify parts that directly impact production uptime.
Build and maintain dynamic min/max and safety stock models using usage variability, supplier lead times, and equipment failure patterns.
Drive risk-based stocking strategies, including zero-stock tolerance for uptime-critical components and vendor-managed inventory (VMI) where viable.
Lead SKU rationalization initiatives to identify duplicates and standardize components.
Actively manage inventory lifecycle, introducing new parts and phasing out obsolete components.
Translate maintenance strategies into inventory requirements (PM kits, PdM replacement profiles, breakdown/spare readiness models).
Work directly with Maintenance Planners to pre-stage parts for shutdowns and build kitted jobs.
Analyze failure data (via CMMS) to identify chronic part failures and recommend component adjustments.
Support planned outage execution by ensuring parts availability weeks in advance and creating contingency plans.
Embed reliability concepts like MTBF alignment with stocking and MTTR reduction via parts readiness.
Serve as the day-to-day steward of a multi-million-dollar R&M budget.
Develop annual MRO spend forecasts by asset class and maintenance strategy.
Conduct monthly variance analysis to identify cost spikes and partner with maintenance to correct cost drivers.
Drive cost-out initiatives, including repair vs. replace analytics, use of refurbished components, and reduction in emergency purchases.
Monitor and reduce inventory carrying costs and excess and obsolete (E&O) inventory.
Track and improve financial KPIs such as inventory turns, cost per operating hour, and maintenance cost per pound produced.
Own MRO data governance within CMMS/ERP, ensuring item master accuracy and BOM integrity.
Build and maintain analytics dashboards for stockout events, parts usage trends, and spend analysis.
Perform predictive analysis to anticipate part demand and identify hidden inefficiencies.
Provide actionable insights to maintenance leadership, plant leadership, and supply chain teams.
Classify suppliers based on criticality and lead supplier performance management.
Negotiate blanket POs, consignment/VMI programs, and emergency supply agreements.
Develop multi-sourcing strategies for high-risk parts and mitigate risks of single-source dependency.
Coordinate rapid-response sourcing during uptime emergencies.
Establish best practices for MRO storeroom operations, including logical bin locations and clear labeling.
Lead and enforce cycle counting programs and investigate/resolve discrepancies.
Drive 5S and visual management in storeroom areas.
Improve technician experience through fast part identification and retrieval.
Implement controls for unauthorized withdrawals and untracked parts usage.
Act as the bridge between Maintenance, Operations, Finance, and Procurement.
Participate in daily production/maintenance meetings, weekly reliability reviews, and budget reviews.
Educate internal stakeholders on inventory implications and cost vs. reliability trade-offs.
Influence behavior to reduce hoarding and promote a planned vs. reactive maintenance culture.
Ensure all MRO processes comply with USDA requirements and food safety standards.
Manage proper storage of food-grade lubricants, chemicals, and maintenance materials.
Maintain audit-ready documentation and support internal and external audits.
Lead or support Lean / Six Sigma initiatives for storeroom optimization and inventory reduction.
Implement barcode/RFID solutions and mobile technician part issuance.
Drive CMMS maturity improvements and benchmark against industry best practices.