Materials Planning Manager

Core Value of the Position:
The MPM owns end-to-end material planning and supply chain management for the Nep program at the US SMT plant, spanning demand forecasting, MRP, procurement coordination, inventory management, supplier management and material quality compliance. As one of the first core management roles at the new plant, the MPM is the central role ensuring on-time plant ramp-up, uninterrupted production and healthy inventory, and is responsible for building the local material planning system and team from the ground up.

• Receive and translate customer forecasts and orders into material demand; run MRP and issue net material requirements and purchase requisitions (PR).
• Develop and maintain supply plans for critical / long-lead-time materials, balancing demand, on-hand and in-transit inventory.
• Lead Clear-to-Build (CTB) analysis to identify and resolve material gaps in advance.
• Facilitate material readiness reviews and report kit-completeness / shortage risks.

• Partner with procurement to define sourcing strategy; manage spot-buy and long-lead-time purchasing, including quotation review and delivery tracking.
• Lead escalation and closed-loop resolution of shortages, delays and line-down risks; review purchase orders (POs) for accuracy, delivery dates and arrival progress.
• Define inventory strategy (safety stock, MOQ, target DIO); manage excess and obsolete (Leftover / E&O) and aged inventory.
• Drive supplier qualification and alternate-part (ALT) sourcing and validation; track supplier performance in delivery, quality and responsiveness.

• Secure material readiness and supply across the full NPI-to-mass-production (MP) flow for the Nep program, from EVT / DVT / PVT through ramp-up.
• Verify MPNs, BOM and engineering changes (ECN / ECO); manage part transitions.
• Control MSD and Date Code / LOT shelf-life, including special approval for expired materials; support IQC and drive closure of incoming material issues.
• Ensure compliance with local US requirements (export control, origin, tariff, environmental).

• Collaborate with EPM, quality, engineering, production and PMC; run material supply meetings.
• Track in-transit materials and kitting progress; coordinate with customs and logistics on declaration data and clearance lead time.
• Establish material risk early-warning and escalation mechanisms; align with China headquarters and customers for transparent demand and supply visibility.
• Recruit and develop the local material planning team; build training plans and a sustainable talent pipeline.

• Candidates must be legally eligible to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Please note that visa sponsorship is not available for this role.
• Education:
  
  Bachelor's degree or above.
• Major:
  Supply Chain Management, Industrial Engineering, Logistics, Electronics Engineering, or other related disciplines.

• 5+ years of material planning or supply chain management in electronics manufacturing (SMT / EMS), including team management experience.
• Experience in overseas plant setup or international supply chain management is preferred;
  Chinese language ability is preferred.

• Proficient in MRP / ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, etc.) with a solid understanding of MRP logic and parameters.
• Advanced Excel skills for data analysis (VLOOKUP, pivot tables, modeling); proficient in Microsoft Office Suite for data analysis and report generation.
• Familiar with electronic components (MLCC, IC, shielding cans, etc.) and BOM / MPN management; mastery of material planning methodologies including safety stock, MOQ, lead time and CTB.
• Understanding of US local supply chain, logistics and compliance requirements.

• Strong cross-cultural communication, coordination and teamwork, effectively interfacing with headquarters, customers, R&D, production and quality teams.
• Data-driven analytical and systematic problem-solving skills; ability to work under pressure and independently resolve complex supply issues.
• Team leadership and talent development mindset.