Supply Chain Planner

Position Summary

The Supply Chain Planner is responsible for managing inventory planning, order flow, production planning, transfer activity, and shortage resolution across assigned product lines and distribution locations. This role supports customer demand by monitoring supply availability, reviewing planning signals, coordinating with internal teams, and ensuring inventory is positioned appropriately across supported markets.

The Supply Chain Planner works closely with Operations, Distribution Centers, Sales, Product Management, Customer Service, and partners to support order fulfillment, production prioritization, inventory accuracy, and timely communication of shortages and planning updates.

Key Responsibilities

Inventory and Item Planning

• Review item planning data to ensure accurate supply, demand, and inventory planning signals.
• Review stock point inventory and identify risks related to shortages, excess inventory, or inventory imbalance.
• Review inventory outlook reports for assigned product lines.
• Support excess reduction initiatives through rework planning.

Order Management and Shortage Resolution

• Manage spike orders, blocked orders, and related order exceptions.
• Review and respond to sales order requests from assigned region.
• Review top shortages, including the Top 25 shortages for assigned region or customer.
• Support customer and sales inquiries by providing timely information on order status, inventory availability, and supply constraints.

Production and Work Order Planning

• Create, release, and plan work orders for assigned region or product groups.
• Update production order reports for assigned items.
• Coordinate and prioritize production activity at the distribution center.
• Review planned orders and back orders to support production and fulfillment needs.
• Monitor production order status and communicate priorities to Operations.

Transfers, Distribution Orders, and Purchase Order Support

• Review planned distribution order lists and coordinate with the assigned region.
• Review purchase orders and summarize PO review activity.
• Consolidate feedback from the Product Management team related to PO reviews.

Reporting and Communication

• Prepare, send, and summarize the weekly Open Order Report.
• Prepare, summarize, and send Inventory Outlook Reports.
• Update Stock Status reports, including backorder reviews.
• Update logistics reports and provide priority lists for Operations.
• Update production order reports and communicate critical priorities.
• Prepare shortage, back order, and inventory summaries for internal stakeholders.
• Communicate planning risks, supply issues, and required actions to Product Management, Operations, Customer Service, and other teams.

Continuous Improvement and Cross-Functional Support

• Identify opportunities to improve planning accuracy, order flow, fill rates, and inventory availability.
• Support process improvements related to inventory planning, production planning, transfers, reporting, and shortage management.
• Partner with internal teams to resolve operational issues and improve service levels.
• Maintain accurate planning data and ensure timely follow-up on open actions.

Requirements

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Operations Management, Logistics, Engineering, or a related field.
• Experience in supply chain planning, inventory management, production planning, order management, or materials planning.
• Experience working with ERP, MRP, inventory planning, or order management systems.
• Strong Excel and reporting skills.
• Ability to analyze inventory, order, shortage, and production data.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to work across departments and regions.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and urgent order issues.
• Strong attention to detail and follow-through.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting automotive, aftermarket, manufacturing, or distribution operations.
• Experience with work order planning, distribution orders, purchase orders, transfers, and shortage management.
• Familiarity with fill-rate metrics, backorder reporting, inventory outlook reporting, and production prioritization.
• Experience working with multi-location distribution planning.
• Experience coordinating with Product Management, Customer Service, Operations, and Distribution center teams.
• Knowledge of rework, excess reduction, and inventory optimization processes.

Required Skills And Competencies

Technical Skills

• Item planning and inventory analysis
• Production and work order planning
• Purchase order and transfer review
• Backorder and shortage management
• Fill-rate monitoring
• Inventory outlook reporting
• ERP/MRP system usage
• Excel and data reporting
• Distribution planning
• Order allocation review
• Forecast and demand review
• Cross-functional issue resolution

Soft Skills

• Strong written and verbal communication
• Attention to detail
• Problem-solving
• Collaboration
• Accountability
• Organization and prioritization
• Adaptability
• Customer-service mindset
• Relationship building

Success in This Role Looks Like

Success in this role means maintaining strong order fill rates, reducing shortages, supporting accurate

production and transfer planning, and ensuring timely communication of order availability and inventory risks. The Supply Chain Planner should be able to proactively identify issues, coordinate solutions with internal teams, and provide accurate reporting that supports customer service, operations, and inventory objectives.