Scheduling Planner

Locations: Chicago, Illinois, USA; Mesa, Arizona, USA; Ripley, Tennessee, USA. Onsite position.

About the role

The Scheduling Planner enables Komatsu Parts to deliver the right part, in the right place, at the right time by using planning systems, data, and cross-functional coordination to improve availability, responsiveness, predictability, and ease of doing business for customers. This role strengthens planning quality, inventory productivity, fill rate, supplier execution, and speed of issue resolution across an increasingly complex Parts distribution network.

The position releases and manages parts requirements to the supply chain, monitors demand trends and forecasts, recommends planning parameter adjustments, and works across purchasing, customer care, sales, operations, logistics, and suppliers to deliver measurable service-level outcomes.

Business outcomes this role supports: improved fill rate and service level, stronger inventory productivity, higher planning quality, faster execution, better supplier follow-through, and reduced disruption from backorders, past-due purchase orders, and stock-out conditions.

Responsibilities

• Uses demand, forecast, inventory, supplier, and order data to make planning decisions that improve availability, responsiveness, predictability, and customer experience (25%).
• Approves, releases, and manages purchase order requirements and planning system signals to support fill rate, service levels, and inventory productivity across the Parts network (20%).
• Proactively manages move-in/move-out signals, expediting needs, firm future orders, and scheduled orders to minimize delays and maintain customer commitments (20%).
• Applies structured problem-solving and root cause analysis to resolve supplier, receiving, order board, backorder, and stock-out issues and implement practical countermeasures (15%).
• Monitors supplier performance and planning KPIs—including fill rate, inventory levels, past-due purchase orders, and backorder aging—to identify trends and provide clear, actionable recommendations (10%).
• Builds shared accountability across Purchasing, Customer Care, Sales, Operations, Logistics, and suppliers by communicating priorities, constructively challenging assumptions, and aligning actions with customer and business outcomes (5%).
• Recommends planning system parameter changes, adapts to evolving business needs, and performs other duties as assigned by the supervisor (5%).

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Materials Management, Logistics, Purchasing, Supply Chain, Business, or equivalent work experience.
• 3-5 years of experience in planning, inventory management, purchasing, supply chain execution, manufacturing, production planning, or related operations.
• Demonstrated ability to use data, judgment, and structured problem-solving to make sound planning decisions with imperfect information.
• Supplier management and follow-through skills, including the ability to resolve purchase order, receiving, fulfillment, and supplier performance issues.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint, with working knowledge of SAP, inventory planning systems, or comparable enterprise planning tools.
• Customer-focused, results-driven, collaborative, and accountable, with the ability to prioritize business needs and follow through on commitments.
• Travel is minimal and based on business needs, training, supplier meetings, or company events. Travel for remote candidates may be up to 25%.

Preferred Skills

• Experience in a scaled or complex distribution, supply chain, manufacturing, or service-level focused environment.
• Working knowledge of materials management processes, including forecasting, inventory planning, purchasing, supplier management, and distribution.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including pivot tables, lookups, and analysis of complex data sets.
• Experience evaluating KPIs such as fill rate, service level, inventory productivity, past-due purchase orders, and backorder aging.
• Ability to identify supply chain disruptions, determine root causes, test assumptions, and develop practical countermeasures.
• Learning agility, adaptability, accountability, and ability to work effectively across functions as the Parts business evolves.

Pay

Hiring range: $59,400.00 - $74,200.00. The actual offer will consider a wide range of factors, including experience and location.

Benefits

• Health benefits: Medical, dental, vision, HSA, wellness programs.
• 401k and/or employee savings programs.
• Employee time off (vacation and designated holidays).
• Employee and family assistance programs.
• Disability benefits.
• Life insurance.
• Employee learning and development programs.