Job SummaryThe Director, Integrated Planning & Operations is a senior operations leadership role responsible for translating global sales signals into executable supply plans across Lantronix's fully outsourced CM/ODM manufacturing base in Asia. This role owns the end-to-end demand planning cycle, drives rigorous S&OP discipline, and leads strategic sourcing initiatives that reduce cost, compress lead times, and protect supply continuity. A primary mandate is eliminating end-of-quarter loading behavior by instilling smooth, data-driven demand shaping throughout the quarter.
The Director leads a team of planning specialists and the US Warehouse & Logistics operation (Minnesota), and works in close partnership with the Director of Supply Chain (Asia-based CM/ODM execution) to ensure demand signals flow cleanly into supply commitments. This role is a critical bridge between commercial teams and operational delivery.
Job ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Demand Planning & Forecasting
- Own the global demand plan - consolidate and reconcile inputs from regional sales teams, Product Management, and Finance into a single, statistically-grounded demand signal.
- Develop and maintain multi-horizon rolling forecasts (12-18 months) with appropriate granularity by product family, channel, and region.
- Establish forecast accuracy KPIs and drive continuous improvement; hold commercial stakeholders accountable for forecast quality.
- Lead demand sensing and signal analysis to identify trends, risks, and upside opportunities before they materialize as supply surprises.
- Champion in-quarter demand smoothing - actively manage bookings pacing, backlog health, and order patterns to prevent end-of-quarter loading.
S&OP Process Leadership
- Own and facilitate the monthly S&OP cycle end-to-end: Demand Review, Supply Review, Pre-S&OP, and Executive S&OP.
- Develop standardized S&OP materials including executive-ready dashboards, exception reports, and scenario analyses.
- Drive consensus between Sales, Finance, and Operations on the final production plan; escalate unresolved gaps to VP Operations.
- Deliver meaningful management updates at the Executive S&OP - surfacing risks, constraints, and recommended tradeoffs with clear financial impact.
- Continuously improve S&OP process maturity; target progression from reactive to proactive to predictive planning posture.
Production & Inventory Planning
- Translate the approved demand plan into production orders and material pull signals in coordination with the Director of Supply Chain and Asia CM/ODM partners.
- Manage inventory targets and stocking policies by SKU - balancing working capital efficiency against service level commitments.
- Monitor and manage excess and obsolete (E&O) inventory; develop mitigation plans for aged or at-risk inventory.
- Establish planning parameters (lead times, safety stock, min/max levels) in coordination with Supply Chain and Finance.
- Drive Lantronix toward best-in-class inventory turns (5-8x target) from current levels.
Strategic Sourcing
- Lead strategic sourcing initiatives for key commodities (semiconductors, modules, electronic components, contract manufacturing capacity) in coordination with the Director of Supply Chain.
- Develop and execute sourcing strategies that improve cost, reduce lead times, and build supply resilience - including dual-sourcing, China+1, and regional diversification where applicable.
- Lead RFQ/RFP processes for new components and manufacturing capacity; own negotiation strategy for strategic supplier contracts.
- Partner with Engineering and Product Management on NPI sourcing, BOM cost modeling, and component selection.
- Monitor tariff landscape (US-China, US-Taiwan, US-Thailand) and develop supply base strategies to mitigate exposure.
- Maintain supplier market intelligence across key commodity categories; provide regular risk and opportunity briefs to VP Operations.
Team Leadership & Development
- Directly manage and develop a team of planning specialists (Production Planning Specialist, Demand Planning Specialist) and the Sr. Manager, Global Logistics overseeing the Minnesota-based Warehouse & Logistics team, with expectation to build team capability and capacity over time.
- Set clear performance expectations, provide ongoing coaching, and conduct formal reviews.
- Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and data-driven decision-making within the planning team.
- Partner with VP Operations to develop longer-term team structure and capability roadmap.
Cross-Functional Collaboration & Stakeholder Management
- Serve as the primary planning interface between global Sales, Finance, and Operations - translating commercial dynamics into supply chain action.
- Collaborate closely with the Director of Supply Chain to ensure demand plans are executable and supply constraints are reflected upstream in the demand signal.
- Engage proactively with Asia CM/ODM partners on capacity planning, lead time management, and ramp schedules.
- Provide VP Operations with regular reporting on forecast accuracy, plan attainment, inventory health, and sourcing performance.
Supervisory Responsibilities
- Accountable for planning and directing all aspects of the operations of a major program or functional area.
- Works to influence others in company to accept new practices, concepts, and approaches in a major functional area.
- Directly manage and develop a team of planning specialists (Production Planning Specialist, Demand Planning Specialist) and the Sr. Manager, Global Logistics overseeing the Minnesota-based Warehouse & Logistics team, with expectation to build team capability and capacity over time.
- Set clear performance expectations, provide ongoing coaching, and conduct formal reviews.
- Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and data-driven decision-making within the planning team.
- Partner with VP Operations to develop longer-term team structure and capability roadmap.
Education & Experience- Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Industrial Engineering, Business, or a related technical discipline.
- 10+ years of progressive experience in demand planning, S&OP, and/or strategic sourcing within a hardware, electronics, or IoT product company.
- Demonstrated experience owning and facilitating a formal S&OP process across commercial and operations functions.
- Experience working with Asia-based CM/ODM or EMS partners (China, Taiwan, Thailand preferred).
Qualifications & SkillsRequired qualifications and skills include, but are not limited to:
- Hands-on demand planning expertise: statistical forecasting, forecast accuracy management, safety stock modeling.
- Strategic sourcing experience: RFQ/RFP management, supplier negotiation, commodity strategy, BOM cost analysis.
- Strong proficiency in ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, or equivalent) and planning/analytics tools (Excel, BI platforms).
- Excellent cross-functional communication skills - ability to present to executives and hold commercial teams accountable for forecast inputs.
- Proven track record of reducing E&O, improving turns, and driving cost savings in a constrained-supply environment.
Preferred qualifications and skills include, but are not limited to:
- MBA or advanced degree.
- APICS CPIM or CSCP certification.
- Experience with tariff mitigation strategies (Section 301, USMCA, HTS classification).
- Background in NPI sourcing and supply chain readiness.
- Familiarity with IoT, embedded computing, networking, or Edge AI product categories.
- Experience with China+1 sourcing strategy and geopolitical supply risk management.
- Working knowledge of ISO 9001 quality management system as it pertains to supplier and planning processes.
Salary range:
$150,000-$200,000 USD annual base salary, depending on experience, skills, qualifications
