Material Planning Engineer, Savli, Vadodara

Job Description Department: Logistics / Supply Chain / Distribution / Transportation Location: India Description - The Material Planning Engineer ensures that all materialsraw materials, components, subassemblies, and consumablesrequired for the manufacture of submersible pumps and motors are available reliably, in the right quantity, quality, and at the right time, at minimal cost and minimal inventory risk. This role works closely with Procurement, Production, Quality, Engineering, Warehouse and Logistics to plan, forecast, monitor inventory and coordinate with suppliers to meet production schedules. Key Responsibilities ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Demand Forecasting & Material Requirement Planning (MRP) - Work from production schedule / forecasts / order backlog to generate material requirement plans. - Use BOMs (bill of materials), lead times, safetystock levels, usage history, demand variability to derive raw material/component needs. - Maintain and update BOMs, routing data and ensure accuracy so that MRP outputs are reliable. Inventory Management - Define optimal inventory levels (e.g., safety stock, reorder point, minimum / maximum stocks) for various categories (core components, fast movers, slow movers). - Monitor on-hand inventory, stock aging, obsolescence, excess and shortages. - Reconcile inventory records regularly with warehouse counts. Supplier & Procurement Coordination - Communicate material requirements to procurement/purchasing: issue purchase requisitions in time. - Follow up with suppliers on delivery schedules; track supplier performance (delivery on time, quality, lead time adherence). - Identify alternate suppliers for critical components to mitigate supply risks. - Factor in transportation / logistics time, customs (if any), quality inspection delays. Scheduling & Production Coordination - Coordinate with production planning / manufacturing engineer to align material supply with production schedules. - Track material availability / shortages and feed back into production planning to adjust schedules or propose contingencies. - Ensure critical path materials are prioritized (e.g. impellers, shafts, windings, seals, motor housing). Data Management & Systems - Use ERP/MRP system (e.g. SAP MM/PP, Oracle, or comparable system) effectively to generate MRP runs, review alerts, exceptions. - Maintain material master data, lead times, vendor data, lot sizes, safety stock settings. - Produce reports: inventory turnover, material shortage impact, supplier lead time performance, materialusage variances. Cost Control & Optimization - Analyze and control material costs; find opportunities to reduce cost via better vendor negotiation, bulk purchase, alternate materials, local sourcing. - Minimize holding costs and avoid overstocking. - Monitor waste, rejects, scrap related to material issues. Risk Management & Contingency Planning - Identify potential risks: supplier issues, long lead times, price volatility, quality noncompliance, logistics delays. - Develop backup plans: alternate suppliers, safety stock adjustments, early orders. - Monitor material availability for new orders, product modifications, engineering changes. Continuous Improvement - Suggest and lead improvement initiatives: reduce lead times, streamline ordering/replenishment cycle, improve supplier performance. - Improve processes in material planning: forecasting accuracy, planning vs actual variances. - Implement best practices like ABC/XYZ analysis, classification, perhaps VMI, JIT where viable. Cross-Functional Communication & Reporting - Communicate material status (availability, shortages, delays) to production, procurement, engineering, management. - Prepare periodic reports: weekly/monthly material planning status, cost variances, inventory metrics. - Participate in meetings (production review, supplier review, new product introduction). Skills, Knowledge and Expertise Skills and Abilities. - Proficiency in ERP/MRP systems (SAP MM/PP, Oracle, or others). - Strong skills in Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUP, forecasting models, dashboards). - Good understanding of BOMs, lead time estimation, vendor capacity. - Ability to analyze data: inventory turnover, usage trends, material variances. - Strong organizational and planning skills; ability to coordinate multiple tasks and follow up meticulously. - Good communication and negotiation skills (with internal stakeholders and suppliers). - Analytical mindset, problem solving, ability to foresee issues. - Teamwork: coordinate with production, engineering, quality, procurement. - Adaptability and ability to act under pressure: e.g., sudden urgent order, supply disruption. Education and Experience - Education: Bachelor's degree in Mechanical / Electrical / Industrial / Production / Materials Engineering, or equivalent. - Experience: 5-8 years in material planning, materials management, inventory control, procurement coordination, ideally in manufacturing of rotating equipment such as pumps, motors or similar heavy machinery. Experience with submersible pumps or motors is a strong plus. - Hands-on Experience: Experience in purchasing castings, bought-out items, machining parts, and plastic parts.