Senior Supply Chain Planner

Senior Supply Chain Planner

Department: Operations & Supply Chain

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Oak Brook, IL

Compensation: $100,000 - $120,000 / year

The Senior Supply Chain Planner is a key leadership role responsible for developing, leading, and executing advanced supply planning strategies to optimize inventory, ensure exceptional customer service levels, and drive significant cost efficiencies across the supply chain. This position provides strategic guidance to cross‑functional teams, including purchasing, demand planning, product management, and operations, while mentoring junior planners to align supply plans with organizational goals.

The ideal candidate is a proactive, data‑driven leader with exceptional analytical skills, a passion for process innovation, expertise in safety stock analysis and optimization, and a commitment to fostering collaborative, high‑performing teams.

• Develop and oversee optimal inventory levels for finished goods, balancing demand forecasts, lead times, storage constraints, and carrying costs. Lead pre-build strategies to mitigate capacity constraints or extended supplier lead times
• Lead safety stock analysis and optimization initiatives, utilizing advanced statistical modeling (e.g., demand variability assessments, and supply risk evaluations) to dynamically adjust levels, minimize stockouts, and achieve targeted inventory turns and service levels. Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to integrate data-driven insights, continuously refine models based on real‑time variability, and drive enterprise-wide improvements in supply reliability.
• Lead excess inventory management efforts to enhance overall inventory health by improving turns, reducing days‑on‑hand, and minimizing excess stock. Identify and implement opportunities for improvement, partnering with demand planning, product management, purchasing, and operations to drive continuous improvement initiatives.
• Lead the at‑risk inventory process for assigned product categories, performing root cause analysis and collaborating with suppliers and operations to implement corrective actions.
• Maintain and update master planning data attributes in the planning system (e.g., Blue Yonder) and ERP to ensure accurate and effective supply planning.
• Collaborate with the supply chain team to determine and implement optimal supply planning methodologies (e.g., Reorder Point, Min‑Max, Make‑to‑Stock, Make‑to‑Order).
• Finalize and approve supply plans based on analysis and cross‑functional input, ensuring seamless handover to purchasing teams for execution.
• Drive improvements in key performance indicators (KPIs), including inventory days‑on‑hand, On‑Time In‑Full (OTIF), and master data accuracy, aligning with organizational objectives.
• Partner with Customer Service to ensure order entry in line with fulfillment and network strategy. Develop and execute exception management processes to maintain a healthy backlog.
• Support the SIOP process - with a focus on SIOP Supply‑ by working closely with internal stakeholders to align supply plans with demand forecasts, production and distribution capacity, and procurement strategies to minimize costs and maximize service levels.
• Support new product development (NPD) and introduction (NPI) by guiding inventory and network strategies and ensuring accurate MRP item setup. Partner with teams to align supply plans with new customer onboarding timelines and support merger and acquisition (M&A) integrations by harmonizing acquired inventory and supply processes with existing operations.

• Minimum of 5 years of supply chain experience, preferably in manufacturing, distribution, or consumer goods industries, with a focus on supply planning or inventory management.
• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Operations, or a related field. Advanced degree (e.g., MBA) or relevant certifications (e.g., APICS CPIM, CSCP) preferred.
• Proficiency in Material Requirements Planning (MRP) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, Blue Yonder), with prior experience in Blue Yonder preferred.
• Experience with Sales,…