Production Planner

Inventory Control Planner

The Inventory Control Planner analyzes inventory data at both SKU and aggregate levels to identify opportunities to improve inventory efficiency and overall materials management performance. This role leads data-driven, cross-functional initiatives to address excess or insufficient inventory, develops and implements inventory control procedures, and provides clear reporting and recommendations to enhance multi-echelon inventory management within a manufacturing environment.

Responsibilities:

• Monitor and analyze SKU-level and aggregate inventory data to identify opportunities to improve inventory efficiency.
• Review inventory, delivery, cost, and planning data to detect underperforming areas or trends related to inventory management.
• Apply a deep understanding of multi-echelon inventory parameters to evaluate performance and identify causes of underperformance.
• Perform root cause analysis on inventory issues and propose corrective and preventative actions to address excess or insufficient stock.
• Identify bottlenecks, slow-moving inventory, and lead-time challenges to increase operational efficiencies.
• Develop and implement inventory control procedures that improve the accuracy and effectiveness of inventory management.
• Create and present clear, data-driven inventory reports to leadership, highlighting trends, patterns, risks, and areas for improvement.
• Collaborate closely with Manufacturing Managers, Manufacturing Planners, Sourcing, Business Leaders, and Finance to improve inventory performance across functions.
• Effectively identify, manage, and influence trade-offs between different functional priorities to minimize sub-optimization of the overall inventory system.
• Use ERP/MRP systems and analytical tools to support planning, materials control, and inventory decision-making.
• Leverage data and analytics to manage inventory and materials, ensuring alignment with supply chain and production planning requirements.

Essential Skills:

• 5+ years of experience in manufacturing materials management.
• Strong inventory control and inventory analysis skills within a manufacturing environment.
• Hands-on experience with supply chain and production planning processes.
• Proficiency with ERP/MRP systems; Oracle experience preferred.
• Advanced ability to understand and utilize data and analytics to manage inventory and materials.
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills for data analysis and reporting.
• Exposure to and understanding of Power BI for data visualization and analytics.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a global, cross-functional team environment.
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to perform root cause analysis and interpret complex data sets.
• Ability to identify bottlenecks, slow-moving inventory, and lead-time issues and translate findings into actionable improvements.

Additional Skills & Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Supply Chain Management, Operations, Data Science, Mathematics, or Statistics.
• Experience with material analysis and material control in a manufacturing context.
• Experience in supply inventory management and related data analysis.
• Familiarity with ERP and MRP system functionalities supporting inventory and production planning.
• APICS certification is a plus but not required.

Job Type & Location:

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Dayton, MN.

Pay and Benefits:

The pay range for this position is $38.00 - $52.00/hr. Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors. Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long-term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type:

This is a fully onsite position in Dayton, MN.

Application Deadline:

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 2, 2026.