Manufacturing Resource Planner

Career Area:

Job Description:

Your Work Shapes the World at Caterpillar Inc.

When you join Caterpillar, you're joining a global team who cares not just about the work we do – but also about each other. We are the makers, problem solvers, and future world builders who are creating stronger, more sustainable communities. We don't just talk about progress and innovation here – we make it happen, with our customers, where we work and live. Together, we are building a better world, so we can all enjoy living in it.

Role Definition
Schedules, plans and oversees material procurement, production and delivery processes.

Responsibilities

• Facilitates scheduling production and delivery processes in accordance with current productivity and cost efficiency standards, with increased focus on continuous improvements.
• Develops and executes material planning for a product line to ensure that all material requirements for assigned programs are met within the allocated time frame and specified service levels are met, while focusing on building relationships and aligning processes with business groups.
• Leads the development and analyzes data and information to identify and prioritize opportunities for improving performance and creating more cost-effective internal supply chains, inventory utilization, and business partnerships.

Degree Requirement
Degree or equivalent experience desired

Skill Descriptors
Business Process Improvement: Knowledge of business process improvement best practices and ability to use methods for identifying, evaluating, introducing and implementing more efficient approaches to performing business related activities.
Level Extensive Experience:

• Analyzes business processes, identifies alternative solutions to outdated processes and assesses their feasibility.
• Evaluates financial, cultural, technological and other factors that need to be addressed.
• Recommends new approaches that seek the use of advanced technology.
• Establishes requirements for large changes in the overall mission, roles, responsibilities and processes necessary to make business improvements.
• Participates in defining organizational strategic goals and purposes; defines how to gather and keep customers.
• Works to overcome BPI resistance from managers, the labor force and other groups.

Analytical Thinking: Knowledge of techniques and tools that promote effective analysis; ability to determine the root cause of organizational problems and create alternative solutions that resolve these problems.
Level Extensive Experience:

• Seeks discrepancies and inconsistencies in available information; explains variances.
• Organizes and prioritizes the sequence of steps to be taken to remedy the situation.
• Identifies many possible causes for a problem based on prior experience and current research.
• Approaches a complex problem by breaking it down into its component parts.
• Chooses among a diverse set of analytical tools according to the nature of the situation.
• Quantifies the costs, benefits, risks, and chances for success before recommending a course of action.

Decision Making and Critical Thinking: Knowledge of the decision-making process and associated tools and techniques; ability to accurately analyze situations and reach productive decisions based on informed judgment.
Level Extensive Experience:

• Differentiates assumptions, perspectives, and historical frameworks.
• Evaluates past decisions for insights to improve decision-making process.
• Assesses and validates decision options and points and predicts their potential impact.
• Advises others in analyzing and synthesizing relevant data and assessing alternatives.
• Uses effective decision-making approaches such as consultative, command, or consensus.
• Ensures that assumptions and received wisdom are objectively analyzed in decisions.

Effective Communications: Understanding of effective communication concepts, tools and techniques; ability to effectively transmit, receive, and accurately interpret ideas, information, and needs through the application of appropriate communication behaviors.
Level Extensive Experience:

• Reviews others' writing or presentations and provides feedback and coaching.
• Adapts documents and presentations for the intended audience.
• Demonstrates both empathy and assertiveness when communicating a need or defending a position.
• Communicates well downward, upward, and outward.
• Employs appropriate methods of persuasion when soliciting agreement.
• Maintains focus on the topic at hand.

Problem Solving: Knowledge of approaches, tools, techniques for recognizing, anticipating, and resolving organizational, operational or process problems; ability to apply knowledge of problem solving appropriately to diverse situations.
Level Extensive Experience:

• Ensures capture of lessons to be learned from a problem-solving effort.
• Organizes potential problem solvers and leads problem resolution efforts.
• Uses varying problem-solving approaches and techniques as appropriate.
• Contributes to standard practices for problem-solving approaches, tools, and processes.
• Analyzes and synthesizes information and devises alternative resolution strategies.
• Develops successful resolutions to critical or wide-impact problems.

Cross-Team Integration: Understanding of the importance of inter-team collaboration in breaking down silos and achieving business results; ability to lead employees from various functions to communicate, coordinate work across divisions, and collaborate in solving problems as one team.
Level Extensive Experience:

• Involves key stakeholders in upfront planning efforts.
• Generates "win-win" strategies to gain support for key initiatives from others across boundaries.
• Establishes ways to encourage teamwork across functions.
• Coaches others on best methods for performing teamwork across organizational boundaries.
• Recommends systems and technology to promote widespread collaboration.
• Enlists formal and informal network contacts to improve collaboration among teams.

Distribution Requirements Planning (DRP): Knowledge of the process, issues and considerations for systematically managing distribution of inventory for multiple plants or warehouses; ability to apply related knowledge and experience in real practice.
Level Extensive Experience:

• Works with all aspects of one or more distribution centers.
• Evaluates alternative distribution designs and considerations for demand and source locations.
• Trains others on tools and means to effectively share distribution information with other systems to support the whole supply chain management.
• Participates in the design or integration of a warehouse and logistics network.
• Ensures all distribution activities are met with sales or production needs, and in compliance with processes.
• Guides others on conducting distribution network analysis and network modeling.

Manufacturing Requirements Planning (MRP): Knowledge of the processes, practices and systems used in manufacturing requirements planning (MRP); ability to optimize planning for manufacturing cycles and ensure capacity and materials availability.
Level Extensive Experience:

• Monitors total plant production scheduling vis-a-vis orders.
• Evaluates considerations for synchronizing demand for products with production capabilities.
• Participates in sequencing work to meet targeted delivery dates for multiple and critical orders.
• Participates in setting parameters for reorders, min/max levels, lead days and job days.
• Coordinates capacity and materials planning for net demand within a planning period.
• Adjusts plans based on sales forecasts, custom orders and demand-driven orders.

This Job Description is intended as a general guide to the job duties for this position and is intended for the purpose of establishing the specific salary grade. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as an exhaustive summary of all responsibilities, duties and effort required of employees assigned to this job. At the discretion of management, this description may be changed at any time to address the evolving needs of the organization. It is expressly not intended to be a comprehensive list of “essential job functions” as that term is defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Summary Pay Range:

Compensation and benefits offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, job level, market location, job-related knowledge, skills, individual performance and experience. Please note that salary is only one component of total compensation at Caterpillar.

Benefits:

Annual incentive bonus plan*

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

Paid time off plan (Vacation, Holiday, Volunteer, Etc.)

401k savings plan

Health savings account (HSA)

Flexible spending accounts (FSAs)

Disability benefits

Life Insurance

Parental leave

Healthy Lifestyle Programs

Employee Assistance Programs

Voluntary Benefits and Employee Discounts

Tuition Reimbursement

Career Development

Posting Dates:

Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a drug screen.

EEO/AA Employer. All qualified individuals - Including minorities, females, veterans and individuals with disabilities - are encouraged to apply.

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