Material Planner

The Role

We are seeking a bilingual (English and Japanese) Material Planner to coordinate procurement, inventory, and supply chain activities, ensuring the timely delivery of materials. This role leverages data-driven planning methods and cross-functional collaboration to optimize material planning processes while effectively mitigating supply chain risks, serving as the critical link between production requirements and supply chain execution.

Responsibilities

Material Planning and Scheduling: Plan and manage the ordering of direct and indirect parts based on demand forecasts, production plans, and lead times; maintain accurate demand and supply projections and promptly update the Material Requirements Planning (MRP) system.

Inventory Monitoring and Replenishment: Monitor inventory levels to maintain target safety stock, identify items below minimum stock levels, and execute replenishment processes; predict and mitigate risks related to inventory expiration, shortages, and optimization opportunities through regular analysis.

Procurement and Supplier Management: Issue Requests for Quotation (RFQs), process purchase requisitions, and track open orders to ensure on-time delivery; act as the primary liaison to collaborate with suppliers on resolving issues regarding quality, lead time changes, and logistics.

Cross-Functional Collaboration and Data Analysis: Work closely with manufacturing, product development, and logistics teams to align material needs and resolve operational challenges; analyze inventory, supplier performance, and supply chain data to develop solutions that optimize processes, reduce costs, and ensure continuous improvement.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business/Data Analytics, or a related field is required; a Master's degree is preferred.

Relevant work experience in the field is required (specific years may be adjusted based on the job level, typically suggesting 3–5+ years).

Fluency in both English and Japanese (written and spoken) is mandatory to effectively collaborate in a bilingual, cross-cultural environment.

Proficiency in MRP system operations, strong data analysis capabilities with a data-driven decision-making approach, and excellent cross-functional collaboration and risk management skills.