Material Planning Analyst

Career Area:

Supply Chain and Logistics

Job Description:

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
Responsible for scheduling, planning, and oversight of material procurement, production, and delivery.

Responsibilities
• Coordinating flow of materials within the manufacturing facility. Coordinating transfer of materials (premium freight) to and from inventory or warehouse.
• Developing and executing material planning for a product line. Ensuring that all material requirements for assigned programs are satisfied within the allocated time frame.
• Scheduling and controlling the release of materials. Monitoring material inventory in the plant, in the warehouse, and by critical suppliers.
• Building up and following up procurement plan realization to ensure they align with business objectives.
• Tracking and analyzing supplier performance metrics. Collaborating and negotiating with supplier to deliver materials per requirements.

Degree Requirement
No

Skill Descriptors
Accuracy and Attention to Detail: Understanding the necessity and value of accuracy; ability to complete tasks with high levels of precision.
Level Basic Understanding:
• Explains the importance of accuracy in own function or unit.
• Identifies tasks or outputs that require accuracy and detail-level attention.
• Identifies the procedures for making sure that results are mistake-free.
• Describes consequences of errors within own unit or function.

Analytical Thinking: Knowledge of techniques and tools that promote effective analysis; ability to determine the root cause of organizational problems and create alternative solutions that resolve these problems.
Level Basic Understanding:
• Names specific tools or techniques that can be used to support the analytical thinking process.
• Describes specific software applications or products used for business analytics.
• Gives examples of how analytical thinking has been used to resolve problems.
• Helps others research and learn more about business analytics tools and applications.

Distribution Requirements Planning (DRP): Knowledge of the process, issues and considerations for systematically managing distribution of inventory for multiple plants or warehouses; ability to apply related knowledge and experience in real practice.
Level Basic Understanding:
• Explains basic measurements of operational distribution performance.
• Describes common bottlenecks and delays in distributions.
• Describes the role of a distribution center in the supply chain.
• Describes the basic process of moving materials or goods.

Forecasting: Knowledge of forecasting tools, approaches and practices; ability to determine product demand and estimate production requirements and loads.
Level Basic Understanding:
• Identifies common forecasting tools and techniques.
• Describes the roles and responsibilities of demand forecasting staff.
• Explains sources of information for forecasting demand.
• Names several forecasting indexes or measurements.

Inventory Management - MFG: Knowledge of processes and methods of inventory management; ability to effectively manage local or distributed inventories of raw materials, work-in-progress and finished goods.
Level Basic Understanding:
• Identifies basic tools and approaches for inventory management.
• Describes basic functions and reports needed for inventory management.
• Cites examples of seasonal considerations and adjustments to planned versus actual inventory.
• Describes basic benchmarks for inventory management.

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.

Problem Solving: Knowledge of approaches, tools, techniques for recognizing, anticipating, and resolving organizational, operational or process problems; ability to apply knowledge of problem solving appropriately to diverse situations.
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.

Supplier Management - MFG: Knowledge of processes and methods to effectively manage business relationships and transactions with suppliers of raw materials or product components; ability to apply related knowledge, experience and skills into real practice.
Level Basic Understanding:
• Describes the typical tasks associated with using and managing suppliers.
• Defines common terms and conditions of agreements with suppliers.
• Explains the organizational process for soliciting and selecting suppliers.
• States the roles and responsibilities of one's own and suppliers' staff.

This Job Description is intended as a general guide to the job duties for this position and is intended for the purpose of establishing the specific salary grade. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as an exhaustive summary of all responsibilities, duties and effort required of employees assigned to this job. At the discretion of management, this description may be changed at any time to address the evolving needs of the organization. It is expressly not intended to be a comprehensive list of “essential job functions” as that term is defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Posting Dates:

October 28, 2026 - November 10, 2026

Caterpillar is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants of any age are encouraged to apply

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