Raw Material Planner

Ontex•Reidsville, NC

10d

About The Position

At Ontex, the Raw Material Planner joins the Supply Chain, Planning, Logistics team and develops and executes raw material planning and replenishment strategies that support production requirements, inventory objectives, and customer service goals. The role ensures material availability through effective MRP execution, supplier collaboration, inventory optimization, and cross-functional coordination, while minimizing inventory investment, obsolescence, and supply chain risks. The Raw Material Planner is a subject matter expert in materials planning and supplier management, providing leadership in inventory control, risk mitigation, process improvement initiatives, and supply continuity strategies. The position supports Ontex’s operational and commercial objectives and may back up production planning as needed by the business. The role plans and replenishes a broad portfolio of raw materials, manages relationships with domestic and international suppliers, and balances service, cost, and risk objectives. It directly affects production continuity, inventory performance, working capital, supplier service, and customer OTIF results.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Engineering, Operations Management, or a related field.
3+ years of prior experience in supply planning, demand planning, operations, or inventory management, including interaction with suppliers.
Proficiency in MS Office, ERP systems, and SAP.
Deep understanding of the material supply chain process at a global level.
Strong analytical skills and attention to detail.
Ability to identify issues, apply judgment, and select solutions based on expertise and acquired knowledge.
Ability to find solutions using multiple procedures, standards, or precedents.

Nice To Haves

Lean Six Sigma or CPIM certification, or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

Develop, manage, and execute raw material planning strategies to ensure uninterrupted supply for manufacturing operations.
Execute and analyze MRP processes and planning parameters to determine purchasing requirements aligned with production plans and customer demand.
Review and manage MRP exception messages, shortages, and replenishment recommendations.
Create and manage purchase requisitions and purchase orders to ensure timely material availability.
Balance material demand and supply through proactive planning, rescheduling activities, and inventory optimization.
Maintain appropriate safety stock levels and inventory policies while minimizing excess inventory and obsolescence.
Support material ramp-up and ramp-down activities for new product launches, transitions, and discontinuations.
Monitor logistics performance and coordinate expedited freight as necessary.
Serve as the primary supplier contact for forecasts, purchase orders, delivery performance, shortages, and issue resolution.
Conduct regular supplier reviews to assess capacity, delivery performance, and risk exposure.
Communicate long-term forecasts and purchasing requirements to suppliers to support supply continuity.
Coordinate supplier development initiatives and support qualification of new suppliers when required.
Improve supplier OTIF performance through collaboration and corrective actions.
Manage supplier escalations and drive resolution of supply disruptions.
Analyze and control inventory to achieve working capital, service, and inventory-turn targets.
Identify and implement inventory reduction opportunities while protecting customer service and production continuity.
Monitor slow-moving and obsolete inventory and develop mitigation strategies.
Drive inventory accuracy and support cycle counts and inventory reconciliation.
Develop inventory projections and risk assessments for management review.
Back up production planning as needed by the business.
Partner with Production Planning, Demand Planning, Procurement, Manufacturing, Logistics, Warehousing, Customer Service, Quality, R&D, Finance, and Supply Excellence teams.
Support new product introductions and commercialization projects by ensuring timely material availability.
Collaborate with Accounts Payable and Finance to resolve invoice discrepancies, pricing issues, and supplier payment concerns.
Communicate material risks, constraints, and recovery plans to stakeholders in a timely manner.