Lead Supply Planner

Lead Supply Planner – External Supply Chain

Position Summary

The Lead Supply Planner is responsible for ensuring enough product is available to meet customer demand while balancing inventory levels, manufacturing capacity, supplier performance, and cost.

This role develops and maintains supply plans for assigned product lines and suppliers, identifies potential supply risks, and works with Operations, Procurement, Manufacturing, Logistics, Finance, and external suppliers to ensure customer needs are met.

The Lead Supply Planner plays a key role in the SIOP (Sales, Inventory & Operations Planning) process and is responsible for turning demand forecasts into realistic and executable supply plans.

This is a individual contributor role that requires strong analytical skills, sound business judgment, and the ability to influence decisions across multiple teams.

What Success Looks Like

• Develops and manages effective supply plans.
• Balances customer demand, inventory, capacity, and supplier capabilities.
• Identifies supply risks early and develops mitigation plans.
• Makes recommendations based on data and analysis.
• Maintains strong customer service levels while controlling inventory costs.
• Works effectively with internal teams and external suppliers.
• Drives accountability and follow-through on supply issues.
• Supports efficient factory loading and capacity utilization.
• Continuously improves planning processes and tools.

Key Responsibilities

Supply Planning & SIOP

• Develop supply plans for assigned product lines and suppliers.
• Convert demand forecasts into production and supply requirements.
• Participate in monthly Supply Review and SIOP meetings.
• Monitor capacity, labor, material, and supplier constraints.
• Develop action plans to address potential shortages or disruptions.
• Maintain planning assumptions and system parameters.

Capacity Planning

• Review manufacturing and supplier capacity.
• Create factory load plans and production balancing recommendations.
• Identify bottlenecks and capacity constraints.
• Perform scenario planning to evaluate alternatives and support decision making.

Inventory Management

• Manage inventory levels to support customer service and financial objectives.
• Maintain safety stock settings and planning parameters.
• Reduce excess and obsolete inventory.
• Improve inventory turns and working capital performance.

Supplier Management

• Work directly with suppliers and contract manufacturers.
• Monitor supplier capacity and delivery performance.
• Support supplier improvement initiatives.
• Ensure continuity of supply.

Continuous Improvement

• Develop and maintain planning reports and metrics.
• Improve planning processes and systems.
• Support automation and planning tool enhancements.
• Improve forecast accuracy and plan execution.