DescriptionThe Planning & Systems Analyst serves as Spectra Logic's central point of integration between demand signals, supply execution, and planning systems - ensuring the company's operations can reliably meet customer commitments across a complex hardware product portfolio. This role exists because accurate, well-managed planning data - from demand forecasts to inventory accuracy to ERP data integrity - enables purchasing, operations, and leadership to make confident, rather than reactive, decisions. Operating as an individual contributor with broad cross-functional reach, the Planning & Systems Analyst combines day-to-day materials planning discipline, inventory accuracy tracking and analysis, and strategic process ownership with data modeling and critical systems project leadership - including serving as the internal lead for Spectra Logic's upcoming ERP transition
- Own and facilitate the monthly forecasting and planning cycle, coordinating input from Sales, Product Owners, Purchasing, and Operations to produce a consensus MRP plan, and presenting risks, gaps, and recommendations to Supply Chain leadership for decision-making.
- Build, maintain, and continuously improve statistical demand forecasts and master schedules, incorporating sales pipeline data, booking trends, and market signals to give Purchasing a reliable planning horizon and to keep ERP-driven supply plans aligned with actual demand.
- Tracks and analyzes inventory accuracy, including monitoring system-to-physical variances, identifying and resolving stale or open shop floor orders (SFOs), and reporting on record accuracy trends - ensuring the integrity of planning inputs and the reliability of ERP-driven supply signals.
- Manage day-to-day materials planning parameters - including safety stock levels, reorder points, lead times, and inventory turn targets - ensuring ERP/MRP data integrity so that system-generated signals accurately reflect business reality and purchasing decisions are grounded in current facts.
- Serves as a responsive resource to the Purchasing team for real-time MRP questions; facilitates a weekly Purchasing cadence meeting to resolve open issues and escalates critical or emerging constraints to the Supply Chain Director on an as-needed basis before they affect production schedules or customer commitments.
- Develop and maintain planning analytics models in Excel and ERP-based BI tools, delivering recurring and ad hoc reporting on forecast accuracy (MAPE/bias), inventory health, and capacity constraints that enables the Supply Chain team and leadership to identify trends and act on them.
- Serve as the Materials Planning lead project manager for Spectra Logic's ERP system transition, coordinating cross-functional workstreams, validating data migration accuracy, and ensuring planning processes and master data are fully functional at cutover.
- Partner with the current Item Master to develop and document data governance standards, and progressively assume stewardship responsibility to support a structured three-year knowledge transfer and succession plan for that function.
- Maintain a regular cadence with Sales to validate and challenge the demand forecast, and with Purchasing to confirm MRP inputs are functioning correctly - serving as the connective tissue between forward-looking demand signals and near-term supply execution.
- Participates in supply chain department planning meetings and contributes to annual goal-setting and KPI definition.
- Provides backup coverage and process support for Purchasing during periods of high volume, leave, or significant workload.
- Supports cross-departmental initiatives as assigned by the Director of Supply Chain, including process improvement projects and special analyses.
- Completes required compliance training and company-wide certifications annually as assigned by HR.
- Represents the Supply Chain function in cross-functional project teams or committees as needed.
Experience- 3-5 years of experience in a materials planning, demand planning, or supply chain analyst role in a technology, electronics, or hardware manufacturing environment - with demonstrated ownership of both day-to-day execution and planning.
- Background in a manufacturing environment where products have multi-level bills of materials, configurable options, or long supplier lead times is strongly preferred.
Technical Skills- Required: Proficiency with ERP/MRP systems (SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, or equivalent) with hands-on experience managing planning parameters and interpreting exception messages.
- Required: Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including dynamic modeling, pivot tables, and scenario analysis - able to build and maintain planning tools without technical support.
- Preferred: Familiarity with ERP implementation or system migration projects, including data validation and cutover coordination.
Behavioral Competencies- Translates ambiguous or incomplete demand into a defensible planning position - and communicates the assumptions and risks clearly to stakeholders rather than waiting for perfect data.
- Navigates competing priorities across Purchasing, Sales, and Operations while knowing when a decision genuinely needs leadership input.
- Approaches systems and data with a continuous improvement mindset - proactively identifies process gaps and proposes solutions rather than working around broken inputs indefinitely.
Education- Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Operations, or a related field preferred. Relevant professional experience in supply chain planning, materials management, or operations may substitute for a formal degree requirement.
Certifications- Preferred: APICS CPIM or CSCP certification. Spectra Logic supports associates pursuing APICS certification through study material reimbursement and exam fee assistance.
- Preferred: MBA or PMP
Candidates must reside within commuting distance of our Boulder, CO office. Relocation assistance is not available. Only local candidates will be consideredCompensation: 80-100K/ year. While this salary range is a good faith and reasonable estimate, a candidate's actual salary will be competitive based on a variety of factors including the candidate's knowledge, skills, and experience.
