Lead External Supply Planner - Contract Manufacturing

S&C Electric Company•Chicago, IL

9d•$116,534 - $174,812•Hybrid

About The Position

This position serves as a key liaison between Contract Manufacturing, Procurement, Sourcing, Operations, and Engineering teams, leading efforts to improve supplier performance, enhance supply reliability, reduce lead times, and support the achievement of business objectives. Through cross-functional leadership and data-driven decision making, the Lead External Supply Planner partners with contract manufacturing suppliers to identify and resolve supply chain challenges, drive continuous improvement initiatives, and ensure material availability to meet customer and production requirements within established lead time parameters.

Requirements

7+ years of demonstrated experience working in a supplier management role in the manufacturing industry.
Proven track record in managing global sourcing projects with complex supply chains, demonstrating deep knowledge of international sourcing strategies and supplier management.
Sound understanding of manufacturing processes for industrial products and components.
Ability to manage large-scale sourcing projects with minimal oversight, providing direction to cross-functional teams and ensuring project goals are met.
Great critical thinking, organizational, planning and project management skills, coordinating internal and external resources, creative problem-solving when obstacles arise, and juggling a heavy volume of diverse operational/tactical projects to deadlines and budgets.
Great interpersonal skills to establish meaningful relationships built on mutual trust and respect, navigate and resolve conflict, moderate behaviors and foster collaborative working relationships amongst a diverse audience.
Sound communication skills, (written, verbal, listening and presentation) able to liaise with internal and external stakeholders at all levels from leadership to support staff.
Ability to influence senior leaders and cross-functional teams toward making sound supply management decisions.
Sound business acumen and analytical skills with the ability to use and analyze data to drive informed decisions, problem-solve difficult issues and leverage data and learnings to drive continuous improvement.
Excellent financial acumen and numerical ability to make strategic financial decisions and participate in negotiations to maximum effectiveness.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office products including Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint
Ability to travel internationally.
Bachelor’s degree in business administration, a related field, or equivalent experience.

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated experience using Oracle Sourcing functions
Master’s degree in business administration (MBA)
Certified in Supply Management (CSM)
Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM)
Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP)

Responsibilities

Lead the development and execution of supply plans for contract manufacturing partners, balancing customer demand, production capacity, material availability, and inventory targets.
Drive Clear-to-Build (CTB) readiness at contact manufacturers by ensuring critical components and materials are available to support production schedules and customer commitments.
Monitor and analyze supplier and contract manufacturer performance, identifying opportunities to improve delivery reliability, capacity utilization, and production execution.
Lead supply and capacity reviews with internal stakeholders and external partners to proactively address constraints and align production priorities.
Lead initiatives to optimize supply planning strategies, inventory investments, and material flow across the contract manufacturing network while maintaining required service levels.
Identify and implement process improvements that enhance planning efficiency, increase supply visibility, and improve inventory management practices.
Utilize data analytics and performance metrics to drive continuous improvement in supply reliability, inventory health, and operational effectiveness.
Support the development of scalable planning processes that improve responsiveness to changing business and customer requirements.
Aid in the identification, assessment, and mitigation of supply chain risks impacting contract manufacturing operations and Clear-to-Build performance.
Utilize advanced planning systems and data analytics to proactively identify material shortages, capacity constraints, and supplier risks.
Partner with contract manufacturing network to develop and execute recovery plans and contingency strategies to minimize the impact of supply disruptions and support production continuity.
Serve as a key escalation point for critical supply issues, coordinating cross-functional efforts to resolve challenges and mitigate business impacts.
Partner with Sourcing, Procurement, and Contract Manufacturing leadership to establish supplier and manufacturing partner performance expectations, improvement objectives, and capacity strategies.
Drive supplier and contract manufacturer performance improvement initiatives focused on quality, delivery, responsiveness, lead-time reduction, and capacity readiness.
Develop and maintain strong collaborative relationships with contract manufacturers, and key stakeholders to ensure alignment with business objectives and production commitments.
Facilitate regular business reviews with external partners to evaluate performance, address risks, and identify continuous improvement opportunities.
Ensure compliance with all applicable company policies, procedures, quality standards, and regulatory requirements.
Promote adherence to supply chain governance, planning processes, and data integrity standards across internal and external partners.
Support audit readiness and maintain accurate planning records, reports, and documentation necessary to support business operations.

Benefits

Medical & Prescription
Dental
Vision
Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
Health Savings Account (HSA)
Group Life Insurance
Optional Supplemental Life and AD&D Insurance
Wellbeing Resources including Employee Assistance Program
Family Forming Benefits (i.e., Adoption and Fertility support)
Vacation Time
Sick Time
Paid Holidays
Company Shutdown days
Short-Term Disability
Long-Term Disability
Other Leaves
Paid Parental Time
Military Leave
401(k) Retirement Savings and Employee Stock Ownership Plan (KSOP) offering traditional and Roth 401(k) options and an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) component
Annual ESOP company contributions of over 11% of eligible earnings (3% Core, up to 3.5% Match, Variable Periodic)