As an Operational Supplier Manager in an “outsourced manufacturing” model, you are the “control tower” for material availability across a network of contract manufacturers (CMs), suppliers, and logistics partners. You ensure materials are available **in the right quantity, at the right location, at the right time to support production and customer delivery—despite indirect control over execution and frequently changing constraints.
This role requires strong cross-functional collaboration internally (Demand Planning, Supply Planning, Inventory Planning, S&OP and S&OE leads, Operational Buying, Quality, Logistics) and disciplined supplier-facing coordination externally (CMs, tier suppliers, freight providers). You will balance service, inventory, cost, and risk, and lead exception management when supply and demand do not match.
Material Planning & MRP Execution
- Translate supply plans into material requirements using MRP (e.g. Oracle) and planning tools
- Maintain and continuously improve planning parameters (e.g. lead times, safety stock, MOQ, lot sizes, reorder points)
- Manage call-offs, releases, and replenishment signals to suppliers and contract manufacturers within agreed planning horizons
- Validate system outputs and correct exceptions caused by master data issues, forecast anomalies, or BOM/route changes
Supplier & Contract Manufacturer Coordination (External Execution)
- Align with contract manufacturers or suppliers on build schedules, material readiness, inbound windows, and inventory positions (supplier/CM-managed)
- Coordinate with suppliers to confirm capacity, lead times, allocation constraints, and delivery commitments
- Drive adherence to orders / plans and escalate deviations through defined escalation paths
- Support sourcing strategies by providing data on supply reliability, constraints, etc.
- Proactively identify material risks (e.g. shortages, long lead-time exposures, logistics disruption)
- Lead cross-functional **recovery actions** (substitution, expedite, reschedule, partial shipments)
- Run scenario checks (“what-if”) to quantify impact on service levels, production, and inventory
- Maintain a risk dashboard for critical materials and define mitigation plans
Cross-Functional Collaboration & Planning Governance
- Participate in regular planning cadences (e.g., Supply review, shortage meetings, S&OE coordination)
- Provide clear, timely communication to stakeholders on constraints, risks, and mitigation options
Data Quality, Compliance & Continuous Improvement
- Maintain high-quality master data (e.g. material master, lead times, vendor data, MRP types, safety stock, BOM accuracy) in collaboration with Master Data/Engineering
- Report (Excel/Power BI) and track KPIs and highlight root causes of recurring issues
- Contribute to sustainability objectives by reducing waste, avoiding unnecessary premium freight, and optimizing material usage
- Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Business, Engineering, or related field
- 5+ years** experience in material planning, supply planning, procurement coordination, or inventory management—ideally within outsourced/ external manufacturing environment
- Strong working knowledge of ERP / MRP (SAP, Oracle, or similar) and planning fundamentals
- Demonstrated experience managing suppliers/CMs in a global environment (multi-time-zone, multi-location)
- Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities with a structured, data-driven approach.
- Familiarity with planning and supply chain concepts: lead times, MOQs, safety stock, forecast consumption, service/inventory trade-offs
- Exposure to NPI/change control processes and lifecycle planning (phase-in/phase-out).
Preferred
- APICS/ASCM certification (CPIM, CSCP) or equivalent.
- Experience with Power BI (or similar), advanced Excel, and data visualization/reporting.
SKILLS REQUIRED:
- Analytical Thinking & Problem Solving – Intermediate
- Communication - Advanced
- Contract Management - Basic
- Cost Control and Analysis - Intermediate
- Demand Management - Intermediate
- Exception leadership - Advanced
- Inventory Management - Advanced
- Material Planning - Expert
- Procurement - Intermediate
- Risk Management - Intermediate
- Stakeholder Management - Advanced
- Supply and Inventory Management – Advanced
Skills Required
- Material Planning - Expert
- Inventory Management - Advanced
- Supply and Inventory Management - Advanced
- Exception Leadership - Advanced
- Stakeholder Management - Advanced
- Communication - Advanced
- Analytical Thinking and Problem Solving - Intermediate
- Experience with ERP / MRP systems (SAP, Oracle, or similar)
- 5+ years experience in material planning, supply planning, procurement coordination, or inventory management
- Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Business, Engineering, or related field
- Experience with Power BI and advanced Excel
- APICS/ASCM certification (CPIM, CSCP) or equivalent
What We Do
For over a half-century, Advantest has been designing innovative electronic measuring equipment and semiconductor test systems essential to the development and manufacture of advanced computer and telecommunications products. On April 1, 2012, Advantest completed its integration of Verigy Ltd. Additional Information about Advantest can be found at www.advantest.com.
