Planning Specialist

Job Purpose

To further solidify the Company’s position in Honda supply chains, the Resource Circulation Planning (RCP) division supports Honda projects related to the ‘Triple Action to Zero’ initiative set forth by Honda Motor as it transitions to the Electric Vehicle (EV) environment. A critical role in this division is the Planning Specialist. The role of a Planning Specialist of RCP is crucial in ensuring strategic projects related to the resource circulation of Honda commodities including, but not limited to, aluminum, end-of-life vehicles, plastic, and steel are professionally managed. This individual is responsible for overseeing the allocation, distribution, and management of resources to meet the organization's global strategy and the continual innovation to deliver effective business solutions and value-added services to our customers. One key responsibility of this position is to identify and assess the organization's resource needs. This involves analyzing current resource usage, forecasting future requirements, and developing strategies to optimize resource allocation. Another important role is to establish systems and processes for tracking and monitoring resource usage. This includes implementing inventory management systems, conducting regular audits, and analyzing data to identify areas where resources are being underutilized or wasted. Furthermore, this individual must also collaborate with other departments or teams within the organization and serve as company-wide liaison linking resource circulation strategies. They need to communicate effectively with stakeholders to understand their needs and develop strategies that align with organizational goals. Additionally, they may need to negotiate contracts or agreements with external suppliers or vendors to ensure a steady supply of resources.

Key Accountabilities

Strategic Planning:

Oversees resource circulation planning of the department.

Collaborates with executives and managers to develop long-range, strategic goals for the RCP department.

Identifies and reviews pricing and market trends; analyzes and applies this information in development of strategies for individual resource circulation segments.

Monitors business climate, trends in technology and development, and government activity within resource circulation.

Leads trials concerning new business initiatives, pilot programs, and regional rollouts; based on results, makes, recommends, and implements adjustments and modifications.

Collaborates other lines of business to produce strategic resource circulation plans that are profitable; evaluates these plans on a periodic basis.

Supply Chain Development:

Collaborates with other departments and stakeholders to identify and maintain resources needed to establish and provide an effective supply chain.

Establishes performance metrics for measurement, comparison, or evaluation of factors affecting the supply chain.

Develops detailed inventories of materials and supplies and maintains required quantities to optimize production.

Analyzes current inventories and procedures; suggests improvements to increase efficiency of supply chain and profitability for the company.

Develops policies to increase efficiency throughout the supply chain while ensuring quality and safety; implements subsequent changes to resource circulation processes.

Participates as an advisory member of the RCP team, providing information and guidance on availability and cost of supplies and materials.

Acts as part of the team coordinating engineering changes or production launches to ensure timely and orderly material and production flow transitions.

Monitors the performance of suppliers, assessing their ability to meet quality and delivery requirements; identifies and qualifies new suppliers in collaboration with other departments.

Cost Negotiation:

Serves as negotiator with third parties for potential acquisitions.

Negotiates prices for raw material and delivery with suppliers, vendors, and/or shipping companies.

Qualifications, Experience, and Skills

Minimum Education Qualifications:

• BA/BS in related business, engineering, or related field.

Minimum Experience:

• 5+ years’ experience with relevant commodities in a continuous improvement and business development environment.

Other Job-Specific Skills:

• Experience in project and change management in manufacturing or engineering.
• Experience determining insource vs outsource strategies.
• Experience in making decisions and working with minimal direction.
• Track record of thinking strategically and executing tactically.
• Experience supporting site teams in a responsive and resourceful manner.
• Experience in project team management oversight and leadership.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including report and proposal preparation.
• Strong writing and analytical skills.
• Ability to travel up to 25%.

Job Dimensions

No. of Direct Reports: 0

No. of Indirect Reports: 1

Financial Dimensions:

• Budget development and management
• Cost negotiation

Decisions Expected

• Determine business strategy and/or model options available to implement MARs.
• Recommend specific strategy/model.
• Determine which companies (and individuals within) to work or collaborate with to successfully complete the various MARs listed above.
• Recommend specific companies and strategies.
• Determine which MARs/projects are viable.
• Recommend which MARs/projects should not be pursued (if any).
• Determine how to manage each MAR/project from a corporate governance perspective.
• Recommend management controls and policies around corporate governance.