Manager Material Planning

Role Definition

Caterpillar's Industrial Power Systems Division (IPSD) designs, tests and manufactures 0.5 to 18L Cat® and Perkins engines that power over 5000 applications including Marine, Petroleum, Industrial Applications, Electric Generators, and Locomotives. Caterpillar's company strategy includes sustainability as one of four focus areas and IPSD is engaged and actively preparing green energy solutions for the future.

• Coordinating with multiple functions, such as manufacturing, procurement, etc., to acquire appropriate requirements to meet development and accuracy standards.
• Managing day-to-day activities of material planning staff; supporting them with high complexity and high value component supply.
• Participating in planning inventory and defining optimal inventory levels and adjustment authority; monitoring inventory levels using parameters to mitigate supply risk.
• Coordinating NPI and NSI activities for material planning.
• Lead process improvements and standardisation across the group, and support project work.
• Ensuring compliance with established policies and procedures; implementing loss prevention procedures and practices.

• Applies an assigned technique for critical thinking in a decision‑making process.
• Identifies, obtains, and organizes relevant data and ideas.
• Participates in documenting data, ideas, players, stakeholders, and processes.
• Recognizes, clarifies, and prioritises concerns.
• Assists in assessing risks, benefits and consideration of alternatives.

• Delivers helpful feedback that focuses on behaviours without offending the recipient.
• Listens to feedback without defensiveness and uses it for own communication effectiveness.
• Makes oral presentations and writes reports needed for own work.
• Avoids technical jargon when inappropriate.
• Looks for and considers non‑verbal cues from individuals and groups.

• Follows processes to take stock, release inventory or return into processing; resolves discrepancies.
• Tracks inventory information for a specific product group or location.
• Works with basic tasks of inventory management for a specific location.
• Produces basic inventory management reports for senior staff to reconcile the inventory balances.
• Performs the receiving, ticketing, checking in and distributing of inventory items for a specific location.

• Assists in the development of process flows to track lead time by activity.
• Uses tools, with guidance, to forecast delivery times, determine costs and assess performance.
• Maintains records of all shipments and invoices using an established system.
• Participates in integrating logistics processes and developing effective networks.
• Works with logistics in a domestic environment.

• Identifies opportunities to enhance performance, e.g., practice assignments, training, shadowing.
• Ensures performance goals, checkpoints, and feedback focus on behaviours.
• Provides documented input to formal performance review conducted by manager.
• Observes individual performance and provides fair and objective feedback.
• Uses formal and informal rewards and recognition programs for employees.

• Seeks help to modify priorities as new information surfaces or conditions change.
• Demonstrates the ability to estimate the time and resources required to complete tasks.
• Identifies own key assignments, schedules, and process steps.
• Applies the concept of 'critical path' in order to complete work in a timely manner and keep larger tasks on track.

• Identifies and documents specific problems and resolution alternatives.
• Examines a specific problem and understands the perspective of each involved stakeholder.
• Develops alternative techniques for assessing accuracy and relevance of information.
• Helps to analyze risks and benefits of alternative approaches and obtain decision on resolution.
• Uses fact-finding techniques and diagnostic tools to identify problems.

• Discusses considerations for integrating partner and supplier transactions.
• Recognises software systems or components used to manage supply chain.
• Summarises…