Bachelor's degree in a relevant field or equivalent experience.
7+ years of ERP experience in automotive manufacturing, with 5+ years in EDI and/or MRP roles.
3+ years of hands-on experience with IFS Applications or IFS Cloud.
Direct experience with Detroit Three or European OEMs and Tier 1 customers.
APICS/ASCM certification (CPIM or CSCP) preferred.
Responsibilities
Lead end-to-end processing of automotive EDI transactions in IFS Cloud.
Configure and maintain IFS Cloud Customer Scheduling and supplier scheduling.
Manage onboarding of new trading partners and ensure ASN accuracy.
Monitor daily EDI traffic and resolve transaction errors promptly.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure accurate order processing.
Benefits
Flexible work environment with remote options.
Opportunity for professional development and training.
Engagement in high-impact projects within the automotive sector.
Support for certifications and continuous learning.
Collaborative team culture focused on innovation.
Full Job Description
The EDI and MRP Lead Analyst is the subject-matter expert and technical lead for electronic data interchange (EDI) and material requirements planning (MRP) within our IFS Cloud ERP environment, supporting an automotive supplier operation serving OEM and Tier 1 customers. This role leads end-to-end EDI processes across trading partners and internal teams, and owns the configuration, daily support, and continuous improvement of customer and supplier schedule processing and ASN compliance. The role manages EDI implementation projects, ensures the reliable exchange of business-critical data, and drives efficiency across supply chain operations while delivering exceptional service to internal and external customers. The ideal candidate is highly motivated and detail-oriented, and understands the high-volume, zero-defect nature of automotive supply, where release accuracy, cum management, and ASN compliance directly affect customer scorecards, chargebacks, and line-down risk.
Duties/Responsibilities:
Lead the end-to-end processing of automotive EDI transactions in IFS Cloud, including planning schedules (830 / DELFOR), shipping and JIT schedules (862 / DELJIT), advance ship notices (856 / DESADV), application advice (824), self-billing and remittance (820 / REMADV), inventory report (846 / INVRPT), and purchase orders (850) where applicable.
Configure and maintain IFS Cloud Customer Scheduling, including customer schedule agreements, firm and planned release handling, schedule consumption, and cumulative (cum) quantity tracking and reconciliation, including model-year cum resets.
Support European and global standards as required, including Odette and VDA message formats.
Work with EDI and ERP partners to design, build, test, and maintain EDI translation maps (ANSI X12, UN/EDIFACT, and related standards).
Lead end-to-end onboarding of new trading partners, customers, and programs, including specification reviews, mapping, testing, certification, and go-live deployment.
Connect EDI data flows into IFS Cloud and other enterprise systems (e.g., WMS) using OpenText and other integration tools.
Ensure ASN accuracy and timeliness, including handling unit and packaging setup in IFS Cloud, container and pack quantities, and compliant shipping labels (AIAG B-10, Odette/GTL, or customer-specific formats).
Monitor daily EDI traffic and customer releases; triage and immediately resolve rejected or failed transactions, transmission errors, AS2/SFTP certificate expirations, VAN mailbox issues, and ERP/WMS handoff failures; and work with shipping and customer service to prevent ASN errors, premium freight, and chargebacks.
Configure and support Supplier Scheduling in IFS Cloud to send planning and shipping schedules to Tier 1 suppliers, and support evaluated receipt settlement (ERS) and self-billing processes.
Manage the EDI translator/VAN provider (OpenText) and OEM supplier portals (e.g., GM SupplyPower, Ford Supplier Portal, Stellantis eSupplierConnect).
Establish and maintain strong relationships with key ERP and EDI vendors and partners, including IFS partners, and develop a nuanced understanding of strategic vendors' roadmaps and support structures and how they will support the company's business objectives.
Ensure customer releases flow accurately into MS/MRP, including appropriate treatment of firm vs. forecast demand and schedule volatility.
Support kanban, repetitive production, and pull-based replenishment where used, alongside MRP-driven planning.
Partner with planning, materials, purchasing, production, and logistics teams so that planned orders, supplier schedules, and action messages are accurate and actionable.
Monitor and correct all customer order processing errors.
Serve as technical and functional lead for new program launches, EDI and planning implementation projects, and IFS Cloud release updates, including regression testing of scheduling and EDI flows with each release.
Gather and translate business requirements into functional specifications, configurations, and solution designs.
Collaborate with IT infrastructure, integration developers, and external consultants.
Establish health checks and KPIs for EDI performance and use them to drive process improvement.
Provide Tier 1 support for EDI, scheduling, and MRP issues, including root cause analysis and permanent corrective actions.
Support IATF 16949 requirements and MMOG/LE (Materials Management Operations Guideline / Logistics Evaluation) self-assessments and customer audits as needed.
Ensure changes follow change management, testing, and audit/compliance requirements.
Analytical problem-solving, attention to detail, urgency and ownership when customer supply is at risk, customer service orientation, cross-functional collaboration, project leadership, and a continuous-improvement mindset.
Required Skills/Abilities:
Deep working knowledge of ANSI X12 transaction sets (830, 862, 856, 824, 810, 820, 846, 850) and EDIFACT/Odette/VDA equivalents, including EDI mapping tools.
Solid understanding of cum management, release processing, ASN compliance, and automotive labeling requirements.
Solid understanding of MRP logic, master scheduling, BOM and routing structures, and inventory management in a high-volume manufacturing environment.
Working knowledge of SQL and data analysis tools, AS2/SFTP communication protocols, and XML/JSON or API data structures; ability to troubleshoot at both the data and process level.
Expert communication and consulting skills to build strong relationships with business users, team members, and consultants, and the ability to work under time pressure when customer shipments are at risk.
Knowledge of OFTP2 and Power BI or similar reporting tools.
Education and Experience:
Bachelor's degree in Information Systems, Computer Science, Information Technology, Supply Chain Management, Industrial Engineering, Business, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.
7+ years of ERP experience in automotive manufacturing, including at least 5 years of hands-on EDI implementation and support and/or MRP, with time in a senior or lead capacity.
Proven track record of working cross-functionally to drive the creation and use of business systems and processes.
3+ years of hands-on experience with IFS Applications (IFS 10 or earlier) or IFS Cloud, particularly Customer Scheduling, Supplier Scheduling, Manufacturing, and Supply Chain modules.
Direct experience supporting Detroit Three, transplant (e.g., Toyota, Honda, Hyundai), or European OEMs, as well as Tier 1 customers.
Experience with IFS Connect, IFS Cloud REST APIs/projections, and integration middleware (e.g., Boomi, MuleSoft, Azure Integration Services).
Familiarity with IFS Planning and Scheduling Optimization (PSO).
APICS/ASCM certification (CPIM or CSCP); familiarity with AIAG standards and MMOG/LE.
Experience leading an ERP implementation, migration to IFS Cloud, or new-program launch.
Knowledge of OFTP2 and Power BI or similar reporting tools.
Physical Requirements:
Primarily office-based with some remote. Because automotive customers operate around the clock, this role requires after-hours or weekend support for critical EDI issues and IFS Cloud release updates. Limited travel to plants, customers, or suppliers (approximately 0-5%).
Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
