Manager, Inventory Optimization

Graco manufactures and markets premium equipment to move, measure, control, dispense and spray a wide variety of fluid and powder materials. What does that mean? Well, we pump peanut butter into your jar, and the oil in your car. We glue the soles of your shoes, the glass in your windows and the screen on your phone. We spray the finish on your vehicle, coatings on your pills, the paint on your house and texture on your walls. Graco is part of your daily life.

The Manager of Inventory Optimization is responsible for enabling Graco’s annual inventory goal by minimizing the inventory required to deliver desired service levels due to the execution of a global inventory optimization strategy, effective data analysis, and proactive efforts to collaboratively address the causes of excess and insufficient inventory across functions.  The individual in the position will define and monitor key performance indicators and leverage the Materials COE team to partner with site and centralized Materials, Manufacturing, Sourcing, Logistics and Customer Service, and business teams address root cause issues that are driving excess and insufficient inventory across Graco. 

What You Will Do at Graco:

Data Management & Analytics Strategy

• Develop and drive the vision and execution of the Materials Inventory optimization strategy and governance, including using scientific methods, processes, algorithms and systems to analyze data to enable efficient monitoring and improvement of manufacturing and materials performance

• Collect, analyze, and interpret inventory data to identify trends, patterns and areas for improvement

• Enable problem solving and decision-making through predictive analytics

• Develop and implement automation strategies to create efficiency and improved data and analytics quality

• Establish, maintain and monitor key leading and lagging metrics and provide appropriate reporting to leadership

• Partner with the IT team to align data architecture, security and data storage

Inventory Control Management

• Lead a team of analysts to monitor inventory and other core metrics (e.g., service levels, delivery schedule adherence and attainment)

• Identify opportunities to improve and make prioritized (i.e., financially important and customer critical) recommendations for action, including execution and financial roadmap

• Lead collaborative, cross-functional improvement initiatives to address the input variables leading to poor performance

• Effectively manage and influence trade-offs between functions to minimize sub-optimization of overall system performance

• Lead initiatives to meet Graco's global annual inventory goals

Materials Product Lifecycle Management:

• Lead a team of planners who actively participate in New Product Introduction to balance inventory risk with reward

• Monitor NPI forecast bias and ensure it is incorporated into cross-functional negotiations on supplier location, MOQs, forecasting to control S&O exposure during new product launches

• Partner with Sourcing and Manufacturing to revisit planning data attributes set up during product launches once forecast attainment is understood to capture improvement opportunities

• Monitor product end-of-life to ensure superseded product availability until production volumes are achieved while minimizing stranded inventory and S&O

• Address complex S&O situations in partnership with Finance and the business

Team Leadership and Financial Management:

• Lead, mentor, manage and hire an Inventory Optimization team ensuring alignment with organizational goals and promoting a culture of excellence.

• Partner across the Materials Management Center of Excellence as well as with site-based Materials teams to provide leadership in identifying and addressing opportunities

• Drive team performance by setting clear goals, providing ongoing feedback, and facilitating professional growth opportunities.

• Establish, manage, and be accountable for the annual Inventory, Data, and Analytics budget, ensuring effective allocation of resources and alignment with organizational strategic objectives

What You Will Bring to Graco:

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Supply Chain Management, Operations, Data Science, Mathematics, or Statistics

• 7+ years of experience working in the manufacturing industry with at least 5 years in manufacturing materials management

• Excellent leadership skills; 4+ years of team leadership experience preferred. 

• Excellent verbal and written communication sk