Supply Chain Manager

Job Description

Our very busy client has an immediate need for a Supply Chain Manager. The Supply Chain Manager will be responsible for overseeing the supply chain functions for the organization including forecasting, planning, and inventory processes. This role will play a critical part in updating and integrating demand planning, material requirements planning (MRP), and finite scheduling to support the company’s plastic injection molding, machining, and assembly operations. The Manager will utilize the ERP system to optimize scheduling and planning efficiency, supply chain and vendor management, and inventory controls in support of on-time delivery performance and meeting organizational and customer expectations.

This manager shall mentor and work closely with their team of six which will include two buyers, a warehouse supervisor, and two customer service representatives. They will also work closely with the Planner/Scheduler to ensure the development and monitoring of production planning and scheduling processes within the ERP Systems. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of manufacturing operations, strong analytical skills, and experience in enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation and continuous improvement initiatives. If you have a strong background in Supply Chain and meet these qualifications, this could be the role you have been seeking to advance your career. Candidates living in the Fitchburg, MA area will be considered.

Key Responsibilities

Planning

• This manager shall mentor and work closely with the Planner Scheduler to ensure:
• Manage MRP-driven work order , prioritizing orders based on demand, available inventory, and machine capacity.
• Develop and maintain finite scheduling models, ensuring alignment with capacity constraints, lead times, and customer requirements. And ongoing evaluation and adjustment of daily, weekly, and monthly scheduling cycles for changing demand and production constraints.
• Establish and monitor time fences for production planning, balancing short-term execution with long-term forecasting.
• Utilize their ERP system to generate demand projections based on sales trends, customer commitments, and historical usage. Ensure forecasted work orders are properly consumed by actual sales orders to prevent overproduction.
• Collaborate with Sales, Customer Service and Operations to improve forecast accuracy and responsiveness.
• Track and analyze forecast vs. actual demand performance, refining models to optimize material and labor planning. Ensure finished goods and raw material inventory levels align with demand forecasts and production schedules.

Materials Management

• Execute a weekly cycle count program to ensure inventory accuracy and that counts in the ERP system align to actual on hand counts; investigate root cause of variances and implement corrective/preventive actions.
• Manage Purchasing and Supply Chain functions to proactively manage raw material requirements; ensure alignment between customer requirements and vendor lead-times.
• Establish and maintain safety stock, reorder points, and lot-sizing strategies to reduce shortages and excess inventory.
• Review and refine BOM structures and routing accuracy for optimized scheduling and planning.
• Oversee/manage shipping, receiving, logistics, and purchasing functions to meet operational metrics.

Continuous Improvement and Analytics

• Identify and address bottlenecks, using Rough Cut Capacity Planning (RCCP) and Whiteboard Capacity Planning within the ERP system.
• Define key planning and scheduling performance metrics, including On-Time In Full (OTIF) %, Schedule Adherence, and Lead Time Reduction.
• Collaborate with IT and ERP specialists, and Operations stakeholders to enhance scheduling automation, reporting dashboards, and data analytics.
• Implement Vendor Scorecards and key performance metrics for critical suppliers; to include quality performance, OTD, lead-time, and cost performance.
• Implement Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies to improve planning and scheduling accuracy.
• Oversee/manage Customer Service functions to achieve customer satisfaction and service excellence, and ensure that customer issues and expectations are communicated to key organizational stakeholders and that issues and opportunities are addressed and resolved in a timely manner

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations, Engineering, or related field . Non-degreed individuals with appropriate experience will be considered.
• 10+ years of experience in manufacturing supply chain and planning.
• Expertise in utilizing an ERP system. IQMS/DELMIAWorks ERP , specifically Purchasing, Planning, Scheduling, and Forecasting Modules but not required.
• Experience in contract manufacturing, medical device, or biopharmaceutical industries is highly .

Technical Skills

• Strong knowledge of MRP, capacity planning, and finite scheduling principles.
• Proficiency in Excel, Power BI, and ERP reporting tools for data analysis and forecasting.
• Familiarity with RCCP, Rough Cut Capacity Planning, and Constraint-Based Scheduling
• APICS-- CPIM (Certified in Production and Inventory Management) or CSCP (Certified Supply Chain Professional).
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt is a plus.