Director - Planning & Logistics

This position leads management of the planning organization by spearheading production planning, logistics, and SIOP process for all internally manufactured products across all company assets to achieve excellence in serving its customers, while optimizing working capital efficiencies and minimizing steel manufacturing costs. This is done by implementing and executing planning and scheduling processes which model manufacturing capacities and capabilities across all process paths, by determining and adhering to rules of engagement with manufacturing and customers. Management of supply encompasses capacity planning, production planning, the SIOP process, and detailed scheduling across all operations resulting in work-in-process inventory and finished product inventory ready for shipments to external and internal customers.

In addition to leading production planning across all manufacturing assets.  The SIOP process is to ensure constant readiness of our comprehensive supply chain and operations (including external suppliers and contractors) to respond to market demand fluctuations in the proactive, cost-effective manner, with a top notch, competitive delivery performance measured by OTD, order fill, and lead time. This position will also lead the logistics organization to ensure high end service with our customers, as well as material conversion services provided by external vendors and applied to our long product before the final shipments to end customers.

Incumbent in this position is also responsible for ensuring adequate flow of the product to our Shipping Operations in support of their daily activities which are to be aligned with customer orders and production plans to minimize delays and ensure timely delivery that secures OTD to internal and external customers.  This position & its team directly impact key customer service metrics such as OTD, SOTIF, schedule adherence, and inventory ones such as Inventory to Sales Ratio, Inventory Days, Turns, Past Due and overall dollar value & tonnage for all inventory categories (WIP, finished, etc.) Outside their immediate team, this position interacts mostly with the rest of Supply Chain, Commercial, Product Management, Customer Service, Manufacturing, and external suppliers

Responsibilities

• Lead coordination of decision-making during monthly cadence of the SIOP process to balance supply and demand in the medium and long-range horizons. Present alternative scenarios for course of action with impact to cash, customer service, and EBIT. Work directly with executive leadership across all disciplines and foster collaboration to achieve corporate goals. Accountable for decision follow through and implementation. 

• Ensure readiness of supply chain and operations (including external suppliers and contractors) to respond to market demand fluctuations in a proactive, cost-efficient manner to ensure competitive delivery performance as measured by OTD, order fill, and lead time. 

• Set direction for the continued processing of SBQ and tube products through our St Clair, Tryon Peak and Virtual Supplier network. Monitor supplier performance, capabilities, yields, and resulting inventory that impacts cash, customer service, and EBIT. 

• Lead and manage business process, people and advanced software tools which convert the Alloy Steel order book to specific manufacturing instructions for both bar and tube product while utilizing Production Calendars and LOGIS planning systems (including Master Plan module and Capacity Planning tool for the Met Lab).

• Lead Manufacturing Pre-SIOP cadence & co-SIOP process Lead Met Lab capacity and production planning & coordination of product sample requirements flow to be processed by SMS.

• Lead and manage a team of employees responsible for modeling and simulating process path loading and alternatives for both bar and tube product to determine best operating schedules over the next 6-8 weeks while utilizing production calendars for maximizing throughput, while minimizing overall working capital and operating cost. Oversee and assure schedule and dispatch list adherence to agree upon plans. Work with the plants management leadership team to resolve any issues.

• Develop up to 4-week outlook for all plants (Faircrest, Harrison, Gambrinus) to ensure efficient planning and operations. Work with the plant management teams, including VP of Manufacturing and Plant Directors in order to assure buy-in to manufacturing plan which meets market demand at minimum cost and working capital. Develop the weekly schedule for hourly workforce. Lead master planning scheduling teams for both bar and tube products to allow for clear vision of the work centers. This will ensure proper dating of customer orders and customer satisfaction.

• Leverage and maximize the project planning tools to ensure business goals are met around minimizing inventory, maximizing efficiency and customer satisfaction measured mainly by OTD, SOTIF (ship on time in full), and Past Due.

• Lead logistics & shipping activities from operations including domestic and international network design and transportation management process (shipment, carrier and freight and cost management, 3PL) by aligning master production planning to minimize delays and enable flawless delivery of product from melt to customer dock.

• Manage Lean Enterprise / CI projects within its own team and across the organization aimed at driving cost savings thru more efficient production plan development techniques and methodologies (i.e., Production Calendars), inventory optimization, improvement in execution of supply, demand and procurement planning activities, schedule attainment/adherence/on-time delivery.

• Position also contributes to development, execution and ongoing alignment of inventory models, programs, and solutions to secure short lead times for distribution, energy & oil customers. These activities will include statistical inventory modeling, development of Vendor Inventory Management Programs with key distributors and leveraging stocking programs, i.e., for Energy & Oil OEM accounts (tubes and bars) to provide short-lead time regardless of a position within a market cycle and minimize inventory obsolescence across the organization.

• Provide coaching and mentorship to associates at different stages of leadership pipeline and career development, including, new managers within Supply Planning team and new talent that joins Supply Chain organization.

Technical Skills

• Competent at framing & resolving problems/opportunities
• Statistical Analysis
• Strategic Planning
• CI/Lean Six Sigma, DMAIC methodology
• Fundamental understanding of the steel business and operations (manufacturing processes)
• Proactive & self-initiating
• Master Production Scheduling
• Inventory Management