Director, Integrated Planning Operations

About Lantronix

Lantronix Inc. is a global leader in Edge AI and Industrial IoT solutions, delivering intelligent computing, secure connectivity, and remote management for mission-critical applications across defense, industrial, and enterprise environments. Our expanding platform-spanning embedded compute, AI-enabled networking, PoE infrastructure, and edge software-enables real-time data processing and autonomous decision-making at the network edge. We power next-generation applications including robotics, smart cities, intelligent security, and NDAA-compliant unmanned systems.

Job Summary

The Director, Integrated Planning & Operations is a senior operations leadership role responsible for translating global sales signals into executable supply plans across Lantronix's fully outsourced CM/ODM manufacturing base in Asia. This role owns the end-to-end demand planning cycle, drives rigorous S&OP discipline, and leads strategic sourcing initiatives that reduce cost, compress lead times, and protect supply continuity. A primary mandate is eliminating end-of-quarter loading behavior by instilling smooth, data-driven demand shaping throughout the quarter.

The Director leads a team of planning specialists and the US Warehouse & Logistics operation (Minnesota), and works in close partnership with the Director of Supply Chain (Asia-based CM/ODM execution) to ensure demand signals flow cleanly into supply commitments. This role is a critical bridge between commercial teams and operational delivery.

Job Responsibilities

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Demand Planning & Forecasting

* Own the global demand plan - consolidate and reconcile inputs from regional sales teams, Product Management, and Finance into a single, statistically-grounded demand signal.

* Develop and maintain multi-horizon rolling forecasts (12-18 months) with appropriate granularity by product family, channel, and region.

* Establish forecast accuracy KPIs and drive continuous improvement; hold commercial stakeholders accountable for forecast quality.

* Lead demand sensing and signal analysis to identify trends, risks, and upside opportunities before they materialize as supply surprises.

* Champion in-quarter demand smoothing - actively manage bookings pacing, backlog health, and order patterns to prevent end-of-quarter loading.

S&OP Process Leadership

* Own and facilitate the monthly S&OP cycle end-to-end:
Demand Review, Supply Review, Pre-S&OP, and Executive S&OP.

* Develop standardized S&OP materials including executive-ready dashboards, exception reports, and scenario analyses.

* Drive consensus between Sales, Finance, and Operations on the final production plan; escalate unresolved gaps to VP Operations.

* Deliver meaningful management updates at the Executive S&OP - surfacing risks, constraints, and recommended tradeoffs with clear financial impact.

* Continuously improve S&OP process maturity; target progression from reactive to proactive to predictive planning posture.

Production & Inventory Planning

* Translate the approved demand plan into production orders and material pull signals in coordination with the Director of Supply Chain and Asia CM/ODM partners.

* Manage inventory targets and stocking policies by SKU - balancing working capital efficiency against service level commitments.

* Monitor and manage excess and obsolete (E&O) inventory; develop mitigation plans for aged or at-risk inventory.

* Establish planning parameters (lead times, safety stock, min/max levels) in coordination with Supply Chain and Finance.

* Drive Lantronix toward best-in-class inventory turns (5-8x target) from current levels.

Strategic Sourcing

* Lead strategic sourcing initiatives for key commodities (semiconductors, modules, electronic components, contract manufacturing capacity) in coordination with the Director of Supply Chain.

* Develop and execute sourcing strategies that improve cost, reduce lead times, and build supply resilience - including dual-sourcing, China+1, and regional diversification where applicable.

* Lead RFQ/RFP processes for new components and manufacturing capacity; own negotiation strategy for strategic supplier contracts.

* Partner with Engineering and Product Management on NPI sourcing, BOM cost modeling, and component selection.

* Monitor tariff landscape (US-China, US-Taiwan, US-Thailand) and develop supply base strategies to mitigate exposure.

* Maintain supplier market intelligence across key commodity categories; provide regular risk and opportunity briefs to VP Operations.

Team Leadership & Development

* Directly manage and develop a team of planning specialists (Production Planning Specialist, Demand Planning Specialist) and the Sr. Manager, Global Logistics overseeing the Minnesota-based Warehouse & Logistics team, with expectation to build team capability and capacity over time.

* Set clear performance expectations, provide ongoing coaching, and conduct formal reviews.

* Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and…