Factory Associate Jobs in Howell, MI (NOW HIRING)

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE OF THE JOB:

The Supply Chain Planner, Associate is a key team member responsible for supporting supply chain operations with a focus on customer service, product knowledge, and planning. This role involves limited judgment and decision-making, and it requires effective coordination within the supply chain to ensure smooth processes. In this position, will follow established guidelines and procedures for decision-making within the scope of the role. If required, will escalate issues or decisions that fall outside the defined parameters to higher-level personnel.

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Planning and Coordination:
• Assist in demand planning activities by gathering and analyzing data to support inventory decisions.
• Work closely with the planning team to ensure accurate and timely order fulfillment.
• Helps to ensure 100% on-time and accurate delivery by establishing and monitoring schedules to proactively identify and address any issues.
• Issue new and enter changes for sample and mass production manufacturing orders to factories.
• Coordinate shipments from the factory with cost-effective and efficient shipping modes to meet the target schedule.
• Track and monitor incoming shipments, immediately addressing delays or any issues that may affect timely deliveries.
• Expedite/reschedule orders per customer request or factory confirmation.
• Negotiate critical or special requests with overseas business units, factory production control, and/or customers.
• Process and arrange product returns to overseas business units or factories with logistics and export teams.

• Perform inventory management and control.
• Analyze customer forecasts, and create simulations to manage manufacturing, transit, and buffer stock to align with contracted stocking terms with customers and achieve budget targets.
• Maintain/analyze planning parameters, including production and transit lead times, order quantities, contracted stock levels, etc. to achieve a consistent, healthy product pipeline with minimal expedites/rescheduling.
• Create manufacturing order forecasts and communicate to overseas business units and/or factories with agreed frequencies.
• Successfully manage specification change and end-of-life/program products to avoid any shortage to customers or obsolescence.
• Review customer contracts; provide feedback and suggestions to align with the company's supply chain objectives and processes.
• Analyze and control monthly inventory turnover and aged inventory.
• Assist product teams with setting inventory annual operating budget, and forecasting inventory on a monthly, quarterly, and year-end basis as needed.

• Account Management:
• Provide excellent customer service and on-time delivery of products.
• Timely and accurate entries and updates of customer orders into the sales system and confirmation/acknowledgment to customers.
• Maintain internal order-tracking files as needed.
• Communicate delivery schedules, stock/pipeline status, and tracking or delivery information to customers. Submit open order report updates as requested by customers.
• Support customer requests regarding delivery, shipment arrangement, and order changes.
• Obtain air estimates and authorizations in case delivery expedites are required. Support with negotiations for expedited cost responsibilities as needed.
• Follow-up with customers for order issues and forecast releases based on product and transit lead times.
• Immediately identify any potential problems or bottlenecks affecting customer satisfaction, and address them with the product team, overseas business unit, or factory for resolution.
• Coordinate with the quality team to support customer complaints and returns.
• Coordinate and arrange shipments from warehouses.
• Monitor incoming and on-hand warehouse stock.
• Issue packing slips based on customer orders and releases and communicate to warehouse.
• Analyze customer delivery demands and propose alternate expedited shipment methods in case of delays.
• Accurate monitoring and timely processing of products in 3PW/VMI/Consignment warehouses. Address any discrepancies with customers for timely resolution.
• Support with customer accounts and sales management.
• Create and provide sales forecasts or data to the product team and sales team, and enter information into the internal Data Warehouse system.
• Support new Mass Production product ramp-up process with all relevant functional teams, including sales, engineering, logistics, and product teams.
• Review and implement customer-specific requirements.
• Work with the sales team, product team, and accounting team to obtain the required documentation and approvals for new customer account setup per the company's policies. Request for bill-to-code setups with the accounting team, and create and maintain ship-to codes in the sales system.
• Work with IT for EDI or any customer portal access or setup.
• Review and understand customers' shipment guidelines. Issue Sales Routing/Route Files to the Factory for direct/drop ship customers, or provide clear shipment instructions to the warehouse.
• Operations/Reporting/Communication:
• Clear, effective, and frequent communications required with customers, product teams, account managers, overseas business units, factories, logistics, accounting, and other operational teams.
• Develop working partnerships with the company's international divisions in Japan, Thailand, Philippines, China, Malaysia, Germany, Slovakia, etc.
• Provide reports as requested from product teams, Japan headquarters or business units.

• Maintain accurate records of orders, shipments, and inventory levels.
• Generate and analyze basic reports to support decision-making processes.
• Participate in internal and external meetings to assist in negotiations or help resolve issues.
• Provide customer, sales and factory airfreight cost reports to logistics.
• Provide delivery delay and premium freight reports to quality.
• Understand our products pricing policy and procedures, and submit price registration requests to Japan headquarters.
• Perform all other duties as related to the job function, as required.

JOB QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS/COMPETENCIES:

• Bachelor's degree preferred, in Supply Chain Management, Business, or a related field.
• Minimum 2 years' experience in a customer service or related field such as:

• Manufacturing Processes
• Supply Chain/Logistics
• Business Administration
• Basic understanding of supply chain process and principles
• Ability to conduct detailed procedures in a time-constrained environment
• Strong sense of time organization and urgency
• Customer-focused mindset with a commitment to meeting expectations.

• May be required to work outside the normal business hours to accommodate communications overseas
• Computer skills: Microsoft Office, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Business-level speaking skills a plus in one of the following languages, depending on business needs:
• Japanese
• Spanish
• Fluency in reading and writing skills a plus in one of the following languages, depending on business needs:
• Japanese
• Spanish

SUPERVISORY REQUIREMENTS:

No Supervisory qualifications are required for this position.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

A normal amount of sitting and standing, average mobility to move around an office, and ability to conduct a normal amount of work on a computer.

SALARY

At NMB, the pay band for this role is between $58,700.00 and $88,050.00 annually, and your base pay will depend on your skills, qualifications, experience, and location. The base pay is a part of our total compensation package and is determined within a range of the pay band process. This offers you the opportunity to progress as you continue to grow and develop your career at NMB.

BENEFITS

• 401(K)
• Safe Harbor
• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Life Insurance & AD&D
• Healthcare & Dependent Care Spending Accounts
• Short-Term Disability
• Long-Term Disability
• Employee Assistance Program
• Sick Leave Benefits
• Paid Vacation
• Paid Holidays
• Tuition Reimbursement

SCHEDULE

NMB offers flexible work schedules to create a better work/life balance.

WORK AUTHORIZATION (REQUIRED)

Applicants must be legally authorized to work for any employer in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

DISCLAIMER:

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

The duties and responsibilities described are not a comprehensive list and additional tasks may be assigned to the employee from time to time.

The job description doesn't constitute a contract of employment and the company may exercise its employment-at-will rights at any time.

The above lists all of the essential functions, education, knowledge, skills and abilities required for this job. These are the minimum requirements; employees must also demonstrate good interpersonal skills, proper attitude and professionalism, acceptable attendance and work behaviors - at a minimum.