Materials Specialist - Materials Planning and Execution

Crane (NYSE: CR) is a leading global provider of mission-critical, highly engineered products and solutions, with differentiated technology, respected brands, and leadership positions in the Process Flow Technologies and Aerospace & Electronics markets. Today, Crane has approximately 7,000 associates in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia, with 2024 net sales of more than $2 billion. Crane Company celebrated our 170th anniversary this year.

With strict adherence to the Crane Business System (CBS), Crane is a highly process focused organization. CBS has been, and will continue to be, a critical driver of Crane's consistent execution and long-term success, driving a performance-based culture with a strong focus on accountability and results. Through the years, Crane has excelled in serving its customers, employees, investors, and communities in which they operate by focusing on the following principles:

• Unwavering commitment to ethics and integrity. The R.T. Crane Resolution written when the company was founded in 1855 is the core upon which our business has been built, "I am resolved to conduct my business in the strictest honesty and fairness, to avoid all deception and trickery, to deal fairly with both customers and competitors, to be liberal and just towards employees and to put my whole mind on the business".
• Focus on philanthropy. Giving back to the communities in which we operate has been a core part of the Company’s identity for over a century, deeply rooted in the values of our founder, R.T. Crane. We believe that success comes with a responsibility to support both employees and the broader community – not just through financial contributions, but also through active engagement and volunteerism.
• Customer focus. Every day, Crane’s associates ensure that they are doing their utmost to solve their customer’s most critical process needs. With a high commitment to Quality and On-Time Delivery, we leverage our innovative solutions to solve their most pressing needs. Driving profitable growth, for our customers… our associates… our communities… and our shareholders.
• A disciplined cadence of execution built on clear objectives and metrics, detailed action plans and a repeatable process to drive execution and profitable growth.
• Emphasis on continuous improvement in all that we do. We believe there is always an opportunity to become better, and we continuously strive to improve in all facets of our business, eliminating waste, variation, and overburden.
• Development of our people, who are process focused and thrive on executing strategy and profitable growth through a disciplined cadence of execution. Nothing that we accomplish can be achieved without our outstanding employees. They are an integral part of who we are, and we leverage our Intellectual Capital* (IC) process to foster their growth and development.

OPPORTUNITY

The Materials Specialist - Planning & Execution is responsible for ensuring the effective planning, scheduling, procurement, and execution of material requirements to support production, inventory, and customer delivery objectives. This role works cross-functionally with Operations, Procurement, Manufacturing, Quality, and Logistics teams to maintain material availability, optimize inventory levels, and execute supply plans that meet business requirements. The position drives material flow efficiency, supports SIOP/S&OP processes, and ensures accurate transactional execution within ERP systems.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Material Planning & Inventory Management

• Develop and maintain material requirements plans based on production schedules, customer demand, forecasts, and inventory targets.
• Monitor material availability and proactively identify shortages, excess inventory, and supply risks.
• Analyze inventory trends and recommend actions to optimize inventory investment while maintaining service levels.
• Execute inventory control processes including cycle count reconciliation, inventory adjustments, and material disposition activities.
• Maintain planning parameters, safety stock levels, lead times, and reorder points within ERP systems.

Production Support & Execution

• Coordinate material availability to support manufacturing schedules and customer commitments.
• Release and manage planned orders, work orders, purchase requisitions, and transfer orders as required.
• Expedite critical materials and coordinate corrective actions to minimize production disruptions.
• Partner with production teams to resolve shortages and prioritize material allocations.
• Monitor schedule adherence and support recovery plans for missed production targets.

Supplier & Procurement Coordination

• Collaborate with sourcing and procurement teams to ensure timely material deliveries.
• Track supplier performance related to delivery, responsiveness, and material availability.
• Communicate forecast changes and demand requirements to internal and external stakeholders.
• Support supplier issue resolution and escalation processes.

Data Analysis & Continuous Improvement

• Analyze material planning and inventory performance metrics.
• Identify root causes of material shortages, inventory discrepancies, and planning inefficiencies.
• Participate in continuous improvement initiatives focused on inventory optimization, lead-time reduction, and process standardization.
• Support implementation of ERP, MRP, and supply chain process improvements.
• Maintain data integrity of material master records and planning parameters.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Manufacturing, Operations, Quality, Engineering, Finance, and Logistics teams to ensure alignment of material plans.
• Support new product introduction (NPI), engineering changes, and product transitions from a material planning perspective.
• Participate in S&OP/SIOP reviews and supply-demand balancing activities.
• Provide material status updates to leadership and stakeholders.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, or related field; or equivalent experience.
• 2-5 years of experience in materials planning, production planning, inventory management, supply chain, manufacturing, or related roles.
• Experience working with ERP/MRP systems such as SAP, Oracle, LN, QAD, JDE, Microsoft Dynamics, or similar platforms.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and data analysis tools.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• APICS/ASCM certifications (CPIM, CSCP) preferred.
• Experience in discrete manufacturing, industrial products, aerospace, or engineered-to-order environments.
• Understanding of SIOP/S&OP, demand planning, inventory optimization, and lean manufacturing principles.
• Experience with Power BI, Tableau, or related reporting tools.

Physical & Work Environment Requirements

• Primarily office-based with regular interaction within manufacturing and warehouse environments.
• Ability to occasionally lift up to 25 pounds and perform plant-floor walkthroughs as needed.
• Ability to travel occasionally to suppliers, warehouses, or company facilities.

This description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work being performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

Crane Company. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, general identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.