Material Planning and Logistics Manager
About The Position
LAEPPLE Automotive, a supplier of automotive components and systems for body components manufacturing, is seeking a results-oriented Material Planning and Logistics Manager. This role leads plant-level material planning, inventory control, customer scheduling, production planning, warehousing, shipping, receiving, and logistics to support uninterrupted production and on-time customer delivery. The manager supports automotive OEM and Tier 1 requirements through inventory management, supplier coordination, logistics optimization, and continuous improvement. The role is responsible for maintaining optimal inventory levels, ERP accuracy, lean manufacturing practices, and strong delivery performance, inventory turns, and cost management. The position is based in a manufacturing plant, with regular presence on the production floor and flexibility to support multi-shift operations and automotive customer demands.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Operations Management, Business Administration, Engineering, or a related field.
- At least 7 years of progressive experience in material planning, logistics, inventory control, or supply chain management within automotive manufacturing.
- At least 3 years of leadership experience managing planning, logistics, or supply chain teams.
- Experience supporting automotive OEM or Tier 1 customer requirements.
- Strong understanding of JIT, lean manufacturing, and automotive production systems.
- Proficiency with ERP/MRP systems.
- Experience with EDI customer scheduling systems.
- Advanced Microsoft Excel and data analysis skills.
- Working knowledge of demand planning, capacity planning, production scheduling, and inventory management methodologies.
- Strong understanding of logistics, transportation regulations, and warehouse management systems.
- Understanding of ISO 9001, IATF 16949, and MMOG/LE assessments and audits.
- Excellent organizational and leadership capabilities.
- Supplier-facing communication and negotiation skills.
- Data-driven decision-making and problem-solving abilities.
- Process improvement mindset and desire to work in a team-based, lean manufacturing environment.
Nice To Haves
- APICS/ASCM certification such as CPIM or CSCP.
- Experience with SAP.
Responsibilities
- Lead, mentor, and develop material planners, schedulers, supervisors, coordinators, and associated staff; set performance expectations and conduct evaluations.
- Review customer releases, EDI schedules, forecasts, and demand fluctuations, coordinating with production, purchasing, and customer service to balance capacity and customer needs.
- Coordinate material transitions in response to engineering change requests; lead demand planning reviews and develop contingency plans for supply disruptions.
- Develop production material plans based on customer demand, forecasts, and production schedules, ensuring material availability while minimizing inventory carrying costs.
- Lead MRP planning and maintain planning parameters in the ERP system.
- Monitor inventory levels and accuracy, including slow-moving, excess, and obsolete materials; establish inventory reduction strategies, safety stock levels, and replenishment processes.
- Direct warehouse, shipping, receiving, and transportation activities; manage inventory storage, material flow, and warehouse space utilization.
- Ensure compliance with customer shipping requirements and automotive industry standards; coordinate inbound and outbound logistics to support delivery performance.
- Optimize freight, packaging, and transportation costs through carrier management and logistics planning.
- Collaborate with Purchasing and suppliers to ensure timely material delivery; monitor supplier performance and corrective action plans.
- Support escalations involving material shortages and supply interruptions, and develop recovery plans for critical supply chain issues.
- Establish and monitor KPIs including on-time delivery, premium freight cost, inventory turns and accuracy, production schedule attainment, and customer delivery ratings.
- Lead lean manufacturing and supply chain improvement initiatives; conduct root cause analysis and corrective actions for inventory discrepancies, shortages, and delivery issues.
- Support implementation of material planning and logistics best practices, plant operational excellence initiatives, and cost-reduction programs.
- Ensure compliance with company policies, safety standards, and customer requirements.
- Perform other duties and tasks as assigned.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Manager
