Materials Specialist - Materials Planning and Execution

Crane Company•Twinsburg, OH

About The Position

The Materials Specialist - Planning & Execution is responsible for planning, scheduling, procuring, and executing material requirements to support production, inventory, and customer delivery objectives. The role works cross-functionally with Operations, Procurement, Manufacturing, Quality, and Logistics to maintain material availability, optimize inventory levels, and execute supply plans. It also drives material-flow efficiency, supports SIOP/S&OP processes, and ensures accurate transactions within ERP systems. The position is primarily office-based, with regular interaction in manufacturing and warehouse environments. It may involve occasional lifting of up to 25 pounds, plant-floor walkthroughs, and travel to suppliers, warehouses, or company facilities. The listed duties describe the general nature and level of the work and are not a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
2–5 years of experience in materials planning, production planning, inventory management, supply chain, manufacturing, or related roles.
Experience working with ERP/MRP systems such as SAP, Oracle, LN, QAD, JDE, Microsoft Dynamics, or similar platforms.
Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and data analysis tools.
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Nice To Haves

APICS/ASCM certification, such as CPIM or CSCP.
Experience in discrete manufacturing, industrial products, aerospace, or engineered-to-order environments.
Understanding of SIOP/S&OP, demand planning, inventory optimization, and lean manufacturing principles.
Experience with Power BI, Tableau, or related reporting tools.

Responsibilities

Develop and maintain material requirements plans based on production schedules, customer demand, forecasts, and inventory targets.
Monitor material availability and proactively identify shortages, excess inventory, and supply risks.
Analyze inventory trends and recommend actions to optimize inventory investment while maintaining service levels.
Execute inventory control processes, including cycle count reconciliation, inventory adjustments, and material disposition.
Maintain planning parameters, safety stock levels, lead times, and reorder points in ERP systems.
Coordinate material availability to support manufacturing schedules and customer commitments.
Release and manage planned orders, work orders, purchase requisitions, and transfer orders as needed.
Expedite critical materials and coordinate corrective actions to minimize production disruptions.
Partner with production teams to resolve shortages and prioritize material allocations.
Monitor schedule adherence and support recovery plans for missed production targets.
Collaborate with sourcing and procurement teams to ensure timely material deliveries.
Track supplier performance related to delivery, responsiveness, and material availability.
Communicate forecast changes and demand requirements to internal and external stakeholders.
Support supplier issue resolution and escalation processes.
Analyze material planning and inventory performance metrics.
Identify root causes of material shortages, inventory discrepancies, and planning inefficiencies.
Participate in continuous improvement initiatives focused on inventory optimization, lead-time reduction, and process standardization.
Support ERP, MRP, and supply-chain process improvements.
Maintain the data integrity of material master records and planning parameters.
Partner with Manufacturing, Operations, Quality, Engineering, Finance, and Logistics to align material plans.
Support new product introduction, engineering changes, and product transitions from a material-planning perspective.
Participate in S&OP/SIOP reviews and supply-demand balancing activities.
Provide material status updates to leadership and stakeholders.