Material Planner

Kraken Kinetics•Pinehurst, NC

11d•Onsite

About The Position

Kraken Kinetics designs and manufactures advanced kinetic solutions that enable modern warfighting capabilities for the United States Armed Forces and its allies. We specialize in mission-tailored warheads and firing systems for unmanned and autonomous weapon platforms, delivering production-ready solutions at speed to address urgent national security challenges. Our team brings decades of specialized Department of War experience across the full lifecycle of kinetic system development—from concept and design through testing, manufacturing, and operational deployment. Built on a foundation of work that helped lead the DoW into the era of kinetic drones, Kraken Kinetics combines commercial agility with deep technical expertise to deliver DEFINITIVE LETHALITY ™ when it matters most. POSITION SUMMARY Location: On-site at our Pinehurst, NC area facility The Material Planner is responsible for ensuring materials are available to support production, testing, and customer delivery requirements across Kraken Kinetics programs. Reporting to the Operations Manager, this role serves as the organization's lead for demand planning, material planning, inventory strategy, and supply planning activities that enable efficient manufacturing operations and on-time program execution. Working closely with Production, Purchasing, Engineering, Programs, Quality, and Finance, the Material Planner translates program requirements, production schedules, and business forecasts into actionable material plans and procurement recommendations. This position focuses on balancing demand, supply, lead times, and inventory investment to ensure material readiness while supporting operational growth and cost-effective execution. As Kraken Kinetics continues to expand, the Material Planner will help develop scalable planning processes, forecasting methodologies, and inventory strategies that improve operational performance, reduce supply chain risk, and support increasing production throughput.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Business, Engineering, or a related field; equivalent experience may be considered.
3+ years of experience in material planning, production planning, supply planning, procurement, or inventory management within a manufacturing environment.
Experience utilizing ERP/MRP systems.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with advanced Microsoft Excel proficiency.
Experience developing forecasts, material plans, and inventory strategies.
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
Strong communication, organizational, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
US Citizen
This position requires special access to U.S. government information. You must be a U.S. citizen for consideration

Nice To Haves

APICS CPIM, CSCP, or similar supply chain certification.
Experience supporting defense, aerospace, or advanced manufacturing organizations.
Familiarity with FAR, DFARS, and government contracting environments.
Experience supporting S&OP, supply planning, or demand planning processes.
Experience with low-volume, high-complexity manufacturing operations.
Experience supporting a rapidly growing organization.

Responsibilities

Develop and maintain rolling demand forecasts based on production schedules, program requirements, engineering changes, and business development opportunities.
Translate forecasted demand into material requirements and supply plans.
Maintain material planning data and planning parameters within ERP/MRP systems.
Analyze forecast accuracy and continuously improve planning assumptions and methodologies.
Support Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) and short-term execution planning activities.
Execute Material Requirements Planning (MRP) activities to ensure materials are available to support manufacturing operations.
Monitor material availability and identify shortages, constraints, and supply risks before they impact production.
Develop material readiness plans for current and future production requirements.
Assess the impact of program changes, schedule accelerations, and new contract awards on material requirements.
Support rapid-response planning for urgent customer and operational requirements.
Develop and maintain inventory strategies, including safety stock recommendations and reorder planning parameters.
Analyze inventory performance and recommend actions to mitigate shortages, excess inventory, and slow-moving materials.
Conduct end-to-end supply chain lead-time analysis and identify gaps between customer demand timelines and supply chain capability.
Recommend inventory buffers, supplier agreements, or process improvements to mitigate lead-time risk.
Support inventory optimization initiatives that balance operational readiness with working capital objectives.
Provide Purchasing with prioritized material requirements, forecast data, and planning recommendations.
Support supplier forecasting activities by providing visibility into future material demand.
Monitor supplier lead times and identify emerging risks that could impact material availability.
Coordinate with Engineering regarding new items, design changes, alternate materials, and bill of material updates.
Coordinate with Production, Programs, Quality, and Purchasing to ensure material requirements are understood and executed.
Support material traceability, audit readiness, and customer documentation