Material Planner & Inventory Manager

Description

Signia Aerospace is a global, integrated provider of high-performance systems and specialized components for the aerospace industry.  Signia designs, manufactures, and services a wide range of products, that include mission equipment, thermal management systems, engine technology, and propellers. The Signia brands are leaders in their respective markets and provide a compelling value proposition to both aerospace and defense OEMs and end-users.

Onboard Systems International is the leading global provider of external cargo handling equipment for civil and military helicopters. Founded nearly 50 years ago, the facility in Vancouver, WA has a growing product portfolio including mechanical cargo hooks and suspension systems, proprietary weighing systems and a Human External Cargo (HEC) line of equipment. In addition to serving every major OEM, the company heavily targets helicopter owners like municipals, fire, search and rescue operators and utility companies. In total, we serve over 1,000 customers around the world.

Position Overview 

Location: Vancouver, WA (Onsite) 

Schedule: Monday - Friday 

Pay: $100,000 - $130,000 per year 

The Material Planning & Inventory Manager leads the processes and personnel necessary to ensure the right materials are available at the right time to support customer demand while optimizing inventory levels and manufacturing performance. This role works closely with Production, Supply Chain, Engineering, Quality, Customer Service, and other functions to balance customer requirements, manufacturing capacity, material availability, and inventory objectives.

What You’ll Do

Production Planning & Scheduling

• Lead production planning and scheduling to align customer demand, backlog, manufacturing capacity, material availability, and operational priorities.
• Develop and maintain accurate, achievable production schedules and planning disciplines that support customer delivery requirements while maintaining appropriate schedule stability.
• Monitor schedule attainment, capacity, and production constraints; proactively adjust priorities and coordinate corrective actions to protect customer commitments.

Material Planning & Coordination

• Own material planning processes and translate demand and production schedules into accurate material requirements using ERP/MRP tools.
• Proactively identify material shortages and other threats to production or customer delivery dates and coordinate recovery plans with Supply Chain, Production, Engineering, and other functions.
• Establish and maintain effective planning parameters, including lead times, order quantities, safety stocks, reorder points, and other ERP/MRP settings.
• Balance material availability, production continuity, customer requirements, and inventory investment, including requirements for new product introductions and engineering changes.

Inventory Management & Control

• Lead inventory management and control activities with accountability for inventory accuracy, availability, and optimization.
• Establish inventory targets and strategies that balance customer service, manufacturing continuity, supply risk, lead times, and working capital objectives.
• Drive reduction of excess, obsolete, slow-moving, and unnecessary inventory without compromising material availability or customer delivery performance.
• Lead cycle counting, inventory reconciliation, and root-cause corrective actions, and maintain effective controls over material transactions, movement, storage, issuance, and consumption.
• Partner with Finance and Operations to ensure inventory records and reporting accurately reflect physical inventory.

ERP/MRP Systems & Data Integrity

• Serve as the functional leader for production planning, scheduling, material planning, and inventory processes within the ERP/MRP system.
• Ensure planning data, inventory data, BOM-related inputs, lead times, order policies, and other critical planning parameters are accurate and maintained.
• Use ERP/MRP data to proactively identify capacity constraints, material shortages, delivery-date risks, excess inventory, and other potential disruptions to production and customer commitments.
• Identify system, data, or process issues that affect planning effectiveness and lead corrective actions; develop reporting and analytical tools that improve operational visibility

Operational Performance & Continuous Improvement

• Use data, reporting, and trend analysis to identify root causes, establish priorities, and drive sustainable corrective and preventive actions.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives that improve production flow, planning effectiveness, inventory utilization, capacity utilization, ERP/MRP effectiveness, and operational efficiency.
• Develop and standardize planning, scheduling, inventory, and material management processes and provide timely, accurate reporting and recommendations to leadership.

Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Build a proactive, data-driven organization focused on customer service, execution, and continuous improvement.
• Work closely with Production, Supply Chain, Engineering, Quality, Customer Service, Finance, and other functions to align priorities, communicate risks, and resolve constraints.
• Participate as an active member of the site leadership team and foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, problem-solving, and continuous improvement.

Who You Are

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Operations, Business, Engineering, or a related discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• 6+ years of progressive experience in production planning, scheduling, materials management, inventory management, supply chain, or manufacturing operations.
• Demonstrated leadership experience managing planning, scheduling, materials, or inventory personnel preferred.
• Strong knowledge of ERP/MRP systems, production planning, inventory management, and manufacturing operations. 
• Demonstrated experience using MRP to translate demand into production and material requirements.
• Experience developing and managing inventory strategies, planning parameters, and inventory controls.
• Experience in aerospace, complex manufacturing, industrial, or similar operational environments preferred.

Technical Competencies

• Production planning, scheduling, capacity planning, and demand forecasting.
• Material requirements planning (MRP) and ERP/MRP systems and planning tools.
• Inventory management, optimization, control, accuracy, and cycle-counting processes.
• Manufacturing operations, production flow, and material flow.
• Planning parameters, lead times, safety stocks, reorder points, and order policies.
• Operational analysis, KPI development, performance reporting, and root-cause problem solving.
• Process improvement and operational efficiency initiatives.
• Cross-functional coordination and communication.
• Proficient computer skills, including Microsoft Office, ERP systems, and planning/analytical software.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

What’s In It for You

• Benefits package including medical, dental, vision, life, disability
• Paid time off and holidays 
• 401(k) plan with employer contribution matching
• In addition to offering competitive wages and benefits, Onboard Systems also offers the opportunity to increase your future earnings tied to growth in company performance. We recognize employee contributions toward growing the business through our unique Growth Participation Unit program (GPU). GPUs are tied directly to company growth and reward all eligible employees with cash when the business grows over time. 

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, or other legally protected status