Associate Manager, Supply Planning

Position summary:

The Associate Supply Planning Manager serves as a critical link between planning director and supply planners, ensuring seamless alignment of strategic goals with operational execution. This role involves direct planning responsibilities for specific franchises, supporting the IBP process through data analysis, risk assessment, and supply decision-making. As a team leader, the manager provides mentorship, fosters collaboration, and promotes professional growth while balancing team well-being and strategic priorities. Responsibilities include driving supply planning processes, optimizing inventory and E&O management, and enhancing supply chain visibility through data management and automation tools. The role also emphasizes continuous process improvement, data accuracy, and effective reporting to support business objectives and planning efficiency.

Essential duties & responsibilities: (detailed description)

• In addition to people manager roles as a bridge between director and planners, also take planning responsibility for certain franchises out of entire Stryker products to build required knowledges and experiences.
• Support the IBP process through relevant metric reporting and summary of risks, opportunities, & key supply decisions required.

Team Management

• Act as a supportive leader for supply planners by providing mentorship, addressing challenges, and fostering professional growth.
• Serve as a bridge between the team and senior management, ensuring team members' voices are heard and their contributions are recognized.
• Promote a culture of collaboration by resolving conflicts, addressing concerns, and ensuring all stakeholders are working towards shared success.
• Balance strategic directives from the planning director with the operational realities faced by supply planners.
• Provide clear guidance to support the team while ensuring their well-being, engagement, and alignment with broader planning strategies.

Supply Planning

• Understand market dynamics and requirements to translate into supply planning.
• Lead NRP forecast collaborating with demand planning, commercial teams and suppliers.
• Ensure country planners to input correct NRP data into the system.
• Enhance forecast and collaborate closely with APAC and division partners and take responsibility for planning KPIs.
• Present and drive regular review sessions through supply review/report.
• Participate in the monthly RRM and DSE meetings that supports assigned products or franchises.
• Autonomously drive the improvements on supply planning areas aligned with East Asia planning team’s strategy.
• Actively participate in PLCM and other supply related global projects to ensure supply plans are developed, communicated, and executed in support of the project timelines

Inventory and E&O Planning

• Understand how Stryker’s financial statements are interacting on the matter of inventory and E&O.
• Coordinate budgeting/forecasting of regular inventory and E&O projections working with planning and finance team.
• Analyze trend and results of inventory and E&O, find root causes that lead to wrong directions, identify opportunities, build preventive/corrective actions, lead communications/discussions with stakeholders, execute action plans.
• Trace progress vs. plans by comparing with actual results to inspire planning team to the right directions.

Data Management and Enhancement

• Enhance Supply Chain Visibility: Drive improved visibility into supply, inventory levels, and E&O through the implementation of automation tools and processes.
• Master Data Management: Manage and maintain critical planning data, including item creation, trade lanes, suppliers, PO, inventory, E&O, and NRP. Ensure data accuracy and consistency to support planning activities.
• Planning Report Development and Automation: Design, develop, and automate planning reports using databases and available tools to streamline reporting processes and enhance decision-making efficiency.
• Data and Report Maintenance: Regularly update and maintain existing reports and data sets, ensuring accuracy and relevance. Provide training to team members or stakeholders as needed to ensure effective utilization of tools and processes.
• Data Validation and Quality Assurance: Conduct thorough and consistent data validation to uphold the integrity and quality of data-driven insights. Continuously refine reporting accuracy and methodologies.
• Process and Quality Improvements: Identify opportunities to enhance data management processes, analytical methodologies, and mechanisms. Drive continuous improvement in the accuracy, efficiency, and effectiveness of planning activities.
• Data Visualization and Reporting: Create insightful and visually impactful planning reports to support data-driven decision-making and align with strategic goals.
• Issue and Risk Management: Proactively identify and assess critical planning-related issues and risks. Develop actionable strategies to address or mitigate these challenges, ensuring smooth operations and alignment with organizational objectives.

Education & special trainings:

• Bachelor’s degree in business, Supply Chain or quantitative fields
• Min 5 ~ 7 years relevant experience in supply planning, procurement & inventory management 
• Strong proficiency in Excel & Power BI design skills(SQL, VBA is plus), Power Points Presentation skills
• Work experience in a team-based environment within manufacturing or supply chain
• Financial knowledge related to SCM

Qualifications & experience:

• Experience analyzing large data sets and proven analytical skills to draw action items, insights, and recommendations from data.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills - able to interact independently with stakeholders at various levels of the organization.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively across functional teams on resolving problems and/or projects.
• Meticulous, detailed oriented and sense of urgency for problem solving.

Physical & mental requirements:

• Agile and adjust plans as required, Resilience
• Passionate about driving performance and solutions.