Inventory & MRO Analyst

Jack Link's Protein Snacks•Perry, GA

9d•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

Strategic MRO Inventory Optimization: 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: Zero-stock tolerance for uptime-critical components, Vendor-managed inventory (VMI) where viable. Lead SKU rationalization initiatives: Identify duplicates across OEMs or lines, Standardize components across similar equipment. Actively manage inventory lifecycle: Introduce new parts for new equipment or upgrades, Phase out obsolete or end-of-life components.
Deep Maintenance & Reliability Integration: Translate maintenance strategies into inventory requirements: PM (Preventive Maintenance) kits, PdM (Predictive Maintenance) replacement profiles, Breakdown/spare readiness models. Work directly with Maintenance Planners to pre-stage parts for shutdowns, rebuilds, and changeovers, Build kitted jobs for faster wrench time execution. Analyze failure data (via CMMS) to identify chronic part failures, Recommend higher-spec or alternative components, Adjust stocking levels based on real failure curves. Support planned outage execution: Ensure all parts are available weeks in advance, Create contingency plans for critical equipment. Embed reliability concepts: MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure) alignment with stocking, MTTR (Mean Time to Repair) reduction via parts readiness.
Financial Ownership & R&M Cost Control: 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: Identify cost spikes by line, failure type, or supplier. Partner with maintenance to correct cost drivers. Drive cost-out initiatives, including repair vs. replace analytics, use of refurbished/rebuilt components, and reduction in emergency purchases and premium freight. Monitor and reduce inventory carrying costs and excess and obsolete (E&O) inventory. Track and improve financial KPIs: Inventory turns, Cost per operating hour, Maintenance cost per pound produced.
Advanced Data Analytics & Decision Support: Own MRO data governance within CMMS/ERP: Item master accuracy, BOM integrity for all key assets. Build and maintain analytics dashboards, such as stockout events vs. downtime impact, parts usage trends, and spend by vendor, category, and asset class. Perform predictive analysis: Anticipate part demand based on production schedules and historical failures. Identify hidden inefficiencies: Overstocked but unused items, frequently expedited parts. Provide actionable insights to Maintenance leadership, Plant leadership, and Supply chain teams.
Vendor Strategy & Supply Risk Management: Classify suppliers based on criticality. Lead supplier performance management: On-time delivery, Lead-time consistency, Pricing competitiveness. Negotiate blanket POs, consignment/VMI programs, and emergency supply agreements. Develop multi-sourcing strategies for high-risk parts. Mitigate risk of single-source dependency and long-lead imported components. Coordinate rapid-response sourcing during uptime emergencies.
Warehouse & Inventory Control Excellence: Establish best practices for MRO storeroom operations: Logical bin locations, Clear labeling and barcoding standards. Lead and enforce cycle counting programs. Investigate and resolve discrepancies. Drive 5S and visual management in storeroom areas. Improve technician experience: Fast part identification and retrieval. Implement controls for unauthorized withdrawals and untracked parts usage.
Cross-Functional Leadership: 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 of maintenance decisions and cost vs. reliability trade-offs. Influence behavior to promote a planned vs. reactive maintenance culture.
Regulatory, Food Safety & Audit Readiness: 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. Support internal and external audits.
Continuous Improvement & Digitization: Lead or support Lean / Six Sigma initiatives such as storeroom optimization and inventory reduction. Implement barcode/RFID solutions and mobile technician part issuance. Drive CMMS maturity improvements. Benchmark against industry best practices for MRO inventory turns and maintenance cost as % of asset value.