Material Planning Manager

What you will do

The Planning & Materials Manager is responsible for leading Production Planning, Material Planning, Material Control, Inventory Management, and Engineering Change Coordination activities to ensure uninterrupted production, optimal inventory levels, and effective execution of product changes.

This role provides leadership to the Planning and Material Control team while driving continuous improvement initiatives that support Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost Environment and People objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, coach, and develop Planning and Material Control personnel.
• Establish a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and data-driven decision-making.
• Conduct regular performance reviews, development plans, and succession planning activities.

Production & Material Planning

• Ensure production schedules are achievable and aligned with customer demand, capacity, and material availability.
• Drive proactive shortage management and risk mitigation activities.
• Support Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) and capacity planning processes.

Inventory Management & Material Control

• Own inventory strategy, inventory accuracy, and inventory governance processes.
• Drive inventory optimization, excess and obsolete reduction, and working capital improvements.
• Ensure effective cycle counting, transaction accuracy, and inventory control practices.

Engineering Change Coordination

• Lead implementation of Engineering Change Notices (ECNs/DCNs) and product phase-in/phase-out activities.
• Minimize inventory exposure and supply disruptions resulting from engineering changes.
• Coordinate execution across Engineering, Purchasing, Operations, Quality, and Logistics teams.

Operational Performance

• Monitor and improve key performance indicators including:
  • Schedule execution
  • Material Availability
  • Inventory Accuracy
  • Inventory Turns
  • Excess & Obsolete Inventory
  • Forecast Accuracy
  • Engineering Change Execution

Who are you?

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, Operations Management, or related field.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in manufacturing planning, materials management, or supply chain operations.
• Minimum 3 years of leadership experience managing teams in a manufacturing environment.
• Proven experience managing inventory performance, including inventory accuracy, inventory reduction, excess and obsolete inventory, working capital, and service level performance.
• Strong knowledge of Production Planning, Material Planning, MRP/ERP systems, Forecasting, Capacity Planning, Inventory Control, and Supply Chain processes.
• Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional initiatives involving Operations, Engineering, Purchasing, Quality, Logistics, and Manufacturing teams.
• Experience driving Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement initiatives utilizing structured problem-solving methodologies.
• Strong analytical, communication, leadership, and decision-making skills.

Critical Success Factors

• Proven people leadership and coaching capabilities.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to build cross-functional relationships and drive accountability.
• Demonstrated experience improving inventory performance, planning effectiveness, and operational results.
• Effective communicator capable of influencing at all levels of the organization.

Ready for the next move?

Expected competence at work:

As a people leader, you must demonstrate a high level of competence as a leader. You are a role model, you create a work atmosphere with a foundation of respect and care, and you are calm under pressure.

All employees work within the foundation of the Volvo Group Code of Conduct and Volvo Group Values.

More specifically, employees in Volvo Penta are required to meet and/or develop the following competencies:

• Respect: You trust, respect, and provide equal attention to those around you
• Collaborative: You build partnerships and work collaboratively with others to meet objectives
• Trust: You gain the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity
• Stakeholder Management: You engage with others effectively no matter their role
• Self-Development: You seek new ways to grow and be challenged using different ways of learning
• Change Management: You recognize others respond to change differently and you support adoption with empathy and planning
• Influencing: You help colleagues by sharing your ideas and ensure your message is clear
• Strategic mindset: You see future possibilities and translate them into strategy and tactical execution plans
• Networking: You build formal and informal relationships across the organization proactively
•  Accountability: You take responsibility and follow through on commitment
• Manage ambiguity: You operate effectively even when things are not certain or clear
• Customer focus: You deliver customer-centric solutions and keep the dealer experience front and center

Other considerations:

This job is an on-site position along with flexibility based on Volvo Group work principles and coordination with your manager

To qualify, applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States, and should not require, now or in the future, sponsorship for employment visa status. If you are currently employed by the Volvo Group in the US, continued sponsorship may be considered. Current Volvo Group employees outside the United States, who are qualified for the position, may be considered for an assignment and related sponsorship.

Physical Requirements

Ability to meet physical demands while performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required, with or without accommodation, to:

• Stand, walk, or sit, sometimes for prolonged periods
• Balance, stoop, kneel, crouch
• See, speak, and hear, including distinguishing visual and audible signals necessary for safety and effective communication
• Use hands or fingers to handle or feel objects, tools, or controls
• Reach with hands and arms to access products, tools, and controls
• Lift, move, or carry up to fifteen (15) pounds unassisted
• Climb stairs
• Have stamina for occasional extended hours
• Work in various settings various office environments