Material Planning

**Career Area**:
Supply Chain and Logistics

**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**
- Develop and execute material planning for assigned product lines to meet program requirements within deadlines.
- Schedule production and delivery processes in line with productivity and cost standards.
- Organize material flow within manufacturing units and manage transfers to/from inventory or warehouses.
- Generate forecasts and manage replenishment planning for parts and materials to maintain service levels.

**Qualifications**:

- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience preferred.
- Working knowledge of decision-making and critical thinking techniques.
- Familiarity with Distribution Requirements Planning (DRP) and Manufacturing Requirements Planning (MRP).
- Basic understanding of materials handling, planning and organizing, problem-solving, and relationship management.

** Skill Descriptors**
**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 Working Knowledge:

- Applies an assigned technique for critical thinking in a decision-making process.
- Identifies, obtains, and organizes relevant data and ideas.
- Participates in documenting data, ideas, players, stakeholders, and processes.
- Recognizes, clarifies, and prioritizes concerns.
- Assists in assessing risks, benefits and consideration of alternatives.

Level Working Knowledge:

- Works with real-time inventory software, moving supplies to where needed, when needed.
- Interprets the impact of bottlenecks and delays on operating costs.
- Follows processes and applies technologies for items and inventory management.
- Assists in solving issues related to distribution to meet orders or inventory replenishment requirements.
- Works with basic distribution requirements planning (DRP) processes and operations.

** 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 Basic Understanding:

- Describes basic concepts of materials and capacity management processes and procedures.
- Describes product life cycle and associated MRP cycle.
- Identifies parameters and considerations used in making decisions about production runs.
- Describes the use of bills of materials and other documentation needed to provide supplies.

Level Basic Understanding:

- Explains the value of a disciplined approach to problem solving.
- Describes problem reporting and escalation practices.
- Utilizes accepted procedures for problem analysis and resolution.
- Identifies key aspects of problem-solving techniques used in own area.

Level Basic Understanding:

- Identifies basic characteristics of good business relationships or partnerships.
- Attends training to learn coordination skills with individuals and groups.
- Lists major techniques, tools and approaches for resource coordination.
- Describes the organization's culture and policies for coordinating with others.

**Materials Handling and Management**: Knowledge of material handling and management in plants; ability to perform, monitor and improve processes related to storage, transportation and handling of raw and hazardous materials.
Level Basic Understanding:

- Identifies key issues involved with different types of manufacturing materials.
- Discusses considerations for physical management of major types of materials.
- Identifies types of materials used in manufacturing flagship products or components.
- Describes packaging regulations and locates those specific to the requirements of the situation.

**Planning and Organizing**: Knowledge of the process of planning and arranging tasks and resources; ability to plan and organize both time and resources to get things completed while structuring and maintaining work in a systematic and highly methodical way.
Level Basic Understanding:

- Seeks help to modify priorities as new information surfaces or conditions change.
- Demonstrates the ability to estimate the time and resources required to complete tasks.
- Identifies own key assignments, schedules, and process steps.
- Applies the concept of 'critical path' in order to complete work in a time