About this role
<p>Lincoln Electric is a high-performance industrial machinery and technology leader who helps customers manufacture and maintain vital equipment and infrastructure. Lincoln Electric’s innovative solutions enable higher quality and productivity across a variety of processes including welding, cutting, brazing, machining, process automation, and field repair. The Company leverages proprietary technologies and expertise in materials science, power electronics, automation, and intelligent software to help customers build better and achieve resilience in their operations. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Lincoln Electric is the essential ‘Linc’ that keeps the economy running. The Company operates 71 manufacturing and automation facilities across 20 countries and serves customers in over 160 countries. For more information about Lincoln Electric and its products and services, visit the Company’s website at <a href="https://www.lincolnelectric.com">https://www.lincolnelectric.com</a>.</p> <p> </p> <p>Location: <strong>Euclid - 22801</strong> <br>Employment Status: <strong>Salary Full-Time</strong> <br>Function: <strong>Supply Management/Purchasing</strong> <br>Pay Range: (<strong>$99,210.00</strong> <strong>- $124,012)</strong><br>Target Bonus: <strong>15.0%</strong><br>Req ID: <strong>29316</strong> </p> <p> </p> <p></p> <p></p><div><div style="padding:10.0px 0.0px;border:1.0px solid transparent"><div style="font-size:16.0px;word-wrap:break-word"><H2 style="font-size:1.0em;margin:0.0px">Job Summary</H2> </div><div><p><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Manager, Operational Procurement, Production Planning & Inventory<strong> </strong>Control is a hands‑on leadership role responsible for end‑to‑end material planning execution, inventory accuracy, and supplier alignment within a high‑mix, high‑volume welding manufacturing environment. This leader owns SAP planning strategy and parameters (MRP, lot sizing, safety stock, lead times), oversees purchase order execution, and leads cross‑functional efforts to protect production schedules and customer commitments.</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">In addition to direct planning and execution responsibilities, this role manages and develops a team of Senior Buyers, Buyer Planners, Inventory Analysts, Cycle Counters, and Operations Team Leads. The position has full ownership of the cycle count program, variance analysis, root cause identification, corrective actions, and execution of the annual physical inventory. Success in this role requires strong SAP and Ariba expertise, disciplined operational leadership, and the ability to translate data into actionable results across Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Global Sourcing, and Finance.</span></p></div></div><div style="padding:10.0px 0.0px;border:1.0px solid transparent"><div style="font-size:16.0px;word-wrap:break-word"><H2 style="font-size:1.0em;margin:0.0px">Key Responsibilities</H2> </div><div><p><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><strong>Leadership & Team Management</strong></span></p> <ul type="disc"> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Buyers, Buyer Planners, Inventory Analysts, Cycle Counters, and Operations Team Leads, ensuring clear accountability for planning execution and inventory accuracy.</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Establish performance expectations, KPIs, and development plans aligned to material availability, inventory health, and operational stability.</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Create a culture of ownership, urgency, and continuous improvement across supply chain and inventory control functions.</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><strong>Planning & MRP Excellence</strong></span></p> <ul type="disc"> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Own and govern SAP planning parameters (MRP types, lot sizing, planning time fences, lead times, safety stock, reorder points, sourcing lists) to balance service levels, inventory investment, and operational efficiency.</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Lead ongoing MRP health checks; drive root cause analysis and corrective actions for shortages, past due orders, stockouts, excess, and volatility.</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Define and optimize planning strategies across make‑to‑stock, make‑to‑order, Kanban, and externally sourced materials.</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Ensure demand prioritization and exception management processes are consistently executed and improved.</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><strong>PO Lifecycle & Buyer Execution</strong></span></p> <ul type="disc"> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Oversee purchase order release, maintenance, rescheduling, expediting, and de‑expediting in SAP.</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Ensure timely resolution of order blocks, pricing discrepancies, lead time inaccuracies, and confirmation gaps.</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Review open PO risk, supplier past dues, and ASN performance; lead escalation and recovery plans for critical materials.</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Partner with Global Sourcing to align sourcing strategies, terms, and supplier performance management.</span></li> </ul></div></div><div style="padding:10.0px 0.0px;border:1.0px solid transparent"><div style="font-size:16.0px;word-wrap:break-word"><H2 style="font-size:1.0em;margin:0.0px">Key Responsibilities (Continued)</H2> </div><div><p><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><strong>Inventory Control & Accuracy</strong></span></p> <ul type="disc"> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Own the enterprise cycle count program, including count strategy, frequency, tolerance thresholds, and audit compliance.</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Analyze cycle count variances; identify root causes (process, system, receiving, production, scrap, master data) and lead corrective and preventive actions.</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Manage and execute the annual physical inventory process, ensuring cross‑functional readiness, system integrity, and financial accuracy.</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Drive improvements to inventory accuracy, on‑hand reliability, and ERP transaction discipline.</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><strong>Supplier Collaboration & Performance</strong></span></p> <ul type="disc"> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Lead supplier engagement on capacity planning, lead time alignment, and delivery commitments to support production schedules.</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Facilitate daily and weekly escalations to protect critical builds and prevent line downtime.</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Support dual‑sourcing strategies and supply risk mitigation initiatives.</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><strong>Ariba / Source‑to‑Pay (S2P)</strong></span></p> <ul type="disc"> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Oversee Ariba requisition, approval, sourcing, contract, and PO workflows integrated with SAP.</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Ensure master data accuracy for vendors, pricing, and contracts; enforce compliance to S2P policies.</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Partner with Global Sourcing, Finance, and AP to close process gaps from PR through invoice.</span></li> </ul></div></div><div style="padding:10.0px 0.0px;border:1.0px solid transparent"><div style="font-size:16.0px;word-wrap:break-word"><H2 style="font-size:1.0em;margin:0.0px">Key Responsibilities (Continued)</H2> </div><div><p><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><strong>Cross‑Functional Alignment</strong></span></p> <ul type="disc"> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Collaborate with Production, Quality, Logistics, Global Sourcing, and Finance to synchronize demand, supply, capacity, and inventory strategies.</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Clearly communicate material risks, recovery plans, and inventory impacts to senior leadership.</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><strong>Continuous Improvement</strong></span></p> <ul> <li style="list-style-type:none;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"> <ul type="disc"> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Identify systemic process weaknesses; lead CI initiatives to reduce lead time, inventory exposure, and supply volatility.</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Leverage analytics to improve forecast consumption, inventory turns, and exception response time.</span><br><br></li> </ul> </li> </ul></div></div><div style="padding:10.0px 0.0px;border:1.0px solid transparent"><div style="font-size:16.0px;word-wrap:break-word"><H2 style="font-size:1.0em;margin:0.0px">Required Qualifications</H2> </div><div><ul type="disc"> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><strong>15+ years</strong> of progressive experience in supply chain, production planning, and inventory management within a discrete manufacturing environment (welding, metal fabrication, or industrial equipment).</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Demonstrated experience leading teams of buyers, planners, or inventory control professionals.</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Expert‑level <strong>SAP ECC / S4</strong> knowledge in MM/PP (MRP, PO management, inventory and master data).</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Hands‑on experience with <strong>Ariba and Source‑to‑Pay</strong> processes.</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Proven success improving inventory accuracy, supplier OTD, and material availability.</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Strong analytical, root cause, and executive communication skills.</span></li> </ul></div></div><div style="padding:10.0px 0.0px;border:1.0px solid transparent"><div style="font-size:16.0px;word-wrap:break-word"><H2 style="font-size:1.0em;margin:0.0px">Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)</H2> </div><div><ul> <li><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Inventory Accuracy & Cycle Count Performance</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Unplanned Line Downs / Material Availability</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Supplier OTD (≥ 95% for critical commodities)</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Schedule Adherence / OTIF</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Inventory Turns / Excess & Obsolete (E&O)</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">PO Past Due & MRP Exception Reduction</span></li> <li><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Master Data Audit Pass Rate</span></li> </ul></div></div><div style="padding:10.0px 0.0px;border:1.0px solid transparent"><div style="font-size:16.0px;word-wrap:break-word"><H2 style="font-size:1.0em;margin:0.0px">Tools & Systems</H2> </div><div><ul> <li><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">SAP ECC / S4 (MM/PP, MRP, inventory management)</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Ariba (Source‑to‑Pay), Open Text</span></li> <li style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Excel (advanced), Power BI / Tableau (preferred)</span></li> <li><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Teams, SharePoint, and standard collaboration tools</span></li> </ul></div></div></div><p> </p> <hr> <p><strong>Lincoln Electric is an Equal Opportunity Employer.</strong> We are committed to promoting equal employment opportunity for applicants, without regard to their race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, including, but not limited to, lactation), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, and any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.</p>