Inventory Control Manager

Do you want to join a team that's changing the world? Do you have a strong background as an Inventory Control Manager? Then we're looking for you! Check out the job description and apply now! Put your skills to meaningful use, gain unique experience, and work with world-class team members with diverse backgrounds and expertise who share the same vision. Join the PECNA team today!

[REMOVE] Font/Size: Arial/12pt.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tMgKm_71qs

(by clicking this link you are being referred to an external site that is not part of Panasonic)

Meet the Recruiter: Eric Laffey

Summary:

Join us at Panasonic Energy as we expand to De Soto, Kansas, where we’re building the world’s largest lithium-ion battery factory. This is an exciting opportunity to grow your career while contributing to the future of electric vehicles. As part of our team, you’ll help push the limits of battery technology, enhancing performance and efficiency in sustainable transportation.

Our state-of-the-art facility, just outside the Kansas City Metro, will be a hub for innovation in green energy solutions. If you're passionate about sustainability and eager to contribute to the electric vehicle revolution, we invite you to be part of our dynamic team. Join us and make a meaningful impact on the future of energy and transportation.

Job Summary:

The Inventory Control Manager is responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing the flow of raw materials and work-in-process to ensure uninterrupted production operations. This role balances demand, supply, and inventory through disciplined forecasting, material planning, and execution processes to meet safety, quality, cost, and delivery objectives. The Inventory Control Manager leads inventory team members embedded in daily manufacturing operations, driving adherence to standard work, problem resolution, and continuous improvement. Through close collaboration with planning, procurement, IT/system and production teams, this position proactively identifies material risks, resolves constraints, and supports efficient, stable manufacturing performance.

Essential Duties:

Functional Leadership & Operations:

• Lead inventory control planning, processes, and material flow within manufacturing operations
• Organize and present the summary of the report for inventory control/result to the direct report and management team daily, weekly, monthly based on the requested contents and frequency.
• Establish and oversee daily inventory control operations, including the development of standard operation procedures (SOPs) for receiving, transfers, returns, cycle counts, and physical inventories in a new factory
• Track inventory movement by lot, serial number, pallet, location, and date to maintain accurate warehouse records
• Monitor stock levels, including low stock, expiring, and overstocked items, and initiate replenishment activities as needed
• Maintain records of daily deliveries and shipments to reconcile inventory balances
• Lead in the BRD creation, implementation, and optimization of inventory management systems
• Oversee inventory governance, including cycle counting, reconciliation, obsolescence management, and loss prevention for production and point-of-use inventory

Strategic Alignment & Continuous Improvement:

• Develop and execute materials and inventory strategies aligned with business objectives, cost targets, and production service expectations
• Drive key performance indicators (KPIs) related to inventory accuracy, material availability, production support, working capital, and loss reduction
• Apply data analytics, forecasting models, and statistical methods to anticipate material requirements and mitigate production risk
• Champion Lean, 6S, FTQ, and continuous improvement initiatives across materials planning and execution processes
• Support ERP optimization, materials master data governance, automation, and digital process enhancements

Team Development & Knowledge Sharing:

• Hire, train, develop, and engage inventory team members to drive accountability, performance, and succession readiness
• Coach leaders and team members through change, reinforcing standard work, safety, and continuous improvement behaviors
• Promote cross-training, knowledge sharing, and employee engagement across inventory and production support functions

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement:

• Partner with Planning, Procurement, Production, IT/System, Engineering, Quality, Maintenance, EHS, and suppliers to support manufacturing objectives
• Collaborate with internal logistics, warehouse, and transportation partners to ensure material availability and flow to production
• Communicate material risks, constraints, and improvement opportunities to operations and supply chain leadership

Quality, Safety, Compliance, & Risk Management:

• Ensure inventory operations comply with safety regulations, quality systems, SOPs, and internal controls
• Promote a safe, organized, and compliant work environment consistent with EHS and 6S standards
• Monitor and mitigate inventory, quality, capacity, and supply risks while maintaining high service and accuracy levels

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Directly and indirectly supervises inventory management employees, including supervisors and/or leads
• Responsible for hiring, training, performance management, coaching, and development of team members
• Provides input on staffing decisions, promotions, corrective actions, and succession planning

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Requirements:

• To ensure the health and safety in the workplace and for the protection of our employees, wearing PPE is a possibility and may include equipment such as a full Tyvek suit, safety shoes, gloves, safety glasses, face mask, bump cap, and a full hazmat suit that includes a respirator.

The foregoing description is not intended and should not be construed to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills and efforts or work conditions associated with the job. It is intended to be an accurate reflection of the general nature and level of the job.

Requirements - Required and/or Preferred

Education, Certifications, and Licenses:

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business Administration, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, or a related field
• Relevant work experience may be substituted for required education

Preferred:

• Master’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration (MBA), Operations, or a related field
• Lean Six Sigma Certification

Essential Qualifications:

• 5+ years of progressive leadership experience within inventory management, production support, or supply chain operations
• Demonstrated experience leading materials planning, inventory control, and production support functions in a manufacturing environment
• Strong working knowledge of inventory management, material planning, forecasting, and production support processes
• Experience managing and developing teams, including performance management, coaching, and change leadership
• Proficient in ERP systems and working knowledge of WMS functionality, with strong data analysis and reporting capabilities
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders
• Proven commitment to safety, quality systems, internal controls, and continuous improvement principles (Lean, 6S, FTQ)
• Must have working-level knowledge of the English language, including reading, writing, and speaking English
• Alignment to Panasonic’s seven (7) core principles (contribution to society, fairness and honesty, cooperation and team spirit, untiring effort for improvement, courtesy and humility, adaptability, gratitude)

Preferred Qualifications:

• 7+ years of experience in supply chain, materials management, or logistics leadership roles
• Experience working in a matrixed supply chain organization supporting manufacturing operations
• Strong ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, changing environment and lead through ambiguity
• Demonstrated success driving transformation, standardization, or system implementations across materials operations

Physical Demands:

Physical Activities: Percentage of time (equaling 100%) during the normal workday the employee is required to:

• Sit: 40%
• Walk: 30%
• Stand: 30%

Required Lifting and Carrying: Rare (<1%), Occasional (1-33%), Frequent (34-66%), Continuous (67-100%)

For this position, the required frequency is:

• Up to 10 lbs.: Continuous
• Up to 20 lbs.: Occasional
• Up to 35 lbs.: Occasional
• Team-lift only (over 35 lbs.): Occasional

Benefits & Perks - What's In It For You:

Panasonic Energy prioritizes total well-being and offers comprehensive benefits options to support physical, emotional, financial, social, and environmental health:

• Health Benefits – Offering medical, dental, vision, prescription plans, plus Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Account options.
• Voluntary Benefits – Life, accident, critical illness, disability, legal, identity theft, and pet insurance.
• Panasonic Retirement Savings & Investment Plan (PRSIP) – 401(k) plan with company matching contributions and immediate vesting.
• Paid Time-Off Benefits – Vacation, holidays, personal days, sick leave, volunteer, and parental & caregiver leave.
• Educational Assistance – Tuition reimbursement for job-related courses after six months of service.
• Health Management and Wellbeing Programs –Lifestyle Spending Account, EAP, virtual health management, chronic condition, neurodiversity, tobacco cessation, substance abuse support, and life stage and fertility resources. Available to eligible employees starting the first day of the month following your start date. Eligibility for each benefit may vary based on employment status, location, and length of service.
• Employee Recognition Program - High5 employee recognition and awards platform, quarterly and annual employee recognition
• Annual Bonus Program - Opportunity for an annual performance-based bonus.
• On-site Food Options: Several on-site cafes, plentiful snack and beverage kitchens, revolving on-site vendor visits and employee events.

Where You'll Be:

For our onsite roles, Panasonic Energy is committed to fostering an ideal working environment that goes beyond the conventional. We understand the significance of moments that matter in your onsite experience, and we prioritize creating a workspace that not only promotes productivity but also ensures a fulfilling and positive work atmosphere. Join us at Panasonic Energy, where your onsite presence is valued, and we strive to make each moment count in your professional journey.

Who We Are:

Meet Panasonic Energy! At Panasonic Energy, you'll do work that matters as we are dedicated to transforming the world through the acceleration of sustainable energy. By producing safe, high-quality lithium-ion batteries, you become part of a team that plays a crucial role in creating technologies that move us.

Our journey began in 2017, and now, as the world's largest lithium-ion battery factory, we are expanding operations to De Soto, Kansas, providing you with the opportunity to experience career growth in more ways than one.

As an innovative thinker, you'll thrive here, as we continually push the boundaries of lithium-ion battery technology and production capabilities to enhance efficiency and performance in EVs.

Being part of Panasonic Energy means positively contributing to society, aligning with our commitment to building a better world through sustainable energy solutions.

We care about what you care about, fostering an environment where your contributions make a meaningful impact on the future of energy and transportation. Join us and be part of a team that values your work, encourages innovation, and actively contributes to a positive societal impact.

In addition to an environment that is as innovative as our products, we offer competitive salaries and benefits.

We Take Opportunity Seriously:

At Panasonic Energy, we are committed to a workplace that genuinely fosters inclusion and belonging. Fairness and Honesty have been part of our core values for more than 100 years and we are proud of our diverse culture as an equal opportunity employer.

We understand that your career search may look different than others and embrace the professional, personal, educational, and volunteer opportunities through which people gain experience. If you are actively looking or starting to explore new opportunities, submit your application!

Supplemental Information:

Pre-employment drug testing is required.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law. All qualified individuals are required to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation.

Due to the high volume of responses, we will only be able to respond to candidates of interest. All candidates must have valid authorization to work in the U.S. without restriction.

Thank you for your interest in Panasonic Energy Corporation of North America.

#LI-EL1

Requirements - Required and/or Preferred

Education, Certifications, and Licenses:

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business Administration, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, or a related field
• Relevant work experience may be substituted for required education

Preferred:

• Master’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration (MBA), Operations, or a related field
• Lean Six Sigma Certification

Essential Qualifications:

• 5+ years of progressive leadership experience within inventory management, production support, or supply chain operations
• Demonstrated experience leading materials planning, inventory control, and production support functions in a manufacturing environment
• Strong working knowledge of inventory management, material planning, forecasting, and production support processes
• Experience managing and developing teams, including performance management, coaching, and change leadership
• Proficient in ERP systems and working knowledge of WMS functionality, with strong data analysis and reporting capabilities
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders
• Proven commitment to safety, quality systems, internal controls, and continuous improvement principles (Lean, 6S, FTQ)
• Must have working-level knowledge of the English language, including reading, writing, and speaking English
• Alignment to Panasonic’s seven (7) core principles (contribution to society, fairness and honesty, cooperation and team spirit, untiring effort for improvement, courtesy and humility, adaptability, gratitude)

Preferred Qualifications:

• 7+ years of experience in supply chain, materials management, or logistics leadership roles
• Experience working in a matrixed supply chain organization supporting manufacturing operations
• Strong ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, changing environment and lead through ambiguity
• Demonstrated success driving transformation, standardization, or system implementations across materials operations

Physical Demands:

Physical Activities: Percentage of time (equaling 100%) during the normal workday the employee is required to:

• Sit: 40%
• Walk: 30%
• Stand: 30%

Required Lifting and Carrying: Rare (<1%), Occasional (1-33%), Frequent (34-66%), Continuous (67-100%)

For this position, the required frequency is:

• Up to 10 lbs.: Continuous
• Up to 20 lbs.: Occasional
• Up to 35 lbs.: Occasional
• Team-lift only (over 35 lbs.): Occasional

Benefits & Perks - What's In It For You:

Panasonic Energy prioritizes total well-being and offers comprehensive benefits options to support physical, emotional, financial, social, and environmental health:

• Health Benefits – Offering medical, dental, vision, prescription plans, plus Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Account options.
• Voluntary Benefits – Life, accident, critical illness, disability, legal, identity theft, and pet insurance.
• Panasonic Retirement Savings & Investment Plan (PRSIP) – 401(k) plan with company matching contributions and immediate vesting.
• Paid Time-Off Benefits – Vacation, holidays, personal days, sick leave, volunteer, and parental & caregiver leave.
• Educational Assistance – Tuition reimbursement for job-related courses after six months of service.
• Health Management and Wellbeing Programs –Lifestyle Spending Account, EAP, virtual health management, chronic condition, neurodiversity, tobacco cessation, substance abuse support, and life stage and fertility resources. Available to eligible employees starting the first day of the month following your start date. Eligibility for each benefit may vary based on employment status, location, and length of service.
• Employee Recognition Program - High5 employee recognition and awards platform, quarterly and annual employee recognition
• Annual Bonus Program - Opportunity for an annual performance-based bonus.
• On-site Food Options: Several on-site cafes, plentiful snack and beverage kitchens, revolving on-site vendor visits and employee events.

Where You'll Be:

For our onsite roles, Panasonic Energy is committed to fostering an ideal working environment that goes beyond the conventional. We understand the significance of moments that matter in your onsite experience, and we prioritize creating a workspace that not only promotes productivity but also ensures a fulfilling and positive work atmosphere. Join us at Panasonic Energy, where your onsite presence is valued, and we strive to make each moment count in your professional journey.

Who We Are:

Meet Panasonic Energy! At Panasonic Energy, you'll do work that matters as we are dedicated to transforming the world through the acceleration of sustainable energy. By producing safe, high-quality lithium-ion batteries, you become part of a team that plays a crucial role in creating technologies that move us.

Our journey began in 2017, and now, as the world's largest lithium-ion battery factory, we are expanding operations to De Soto, Kansas, providing you with the opportunity to experience career growth in more ways than one.

As an innovative thinker, you'll thrive here, as we continually push the boundaries of lithium-ion battery technology and production capabilities to enhance efficiency and performance in EVs.

Being part of Panasonic Energy means positively contributing to society, aligning with our commitment to building a better world through sustainable energy solutions.

We care about what you care about, fostering an environment where your contributions make a meaningful impact on the future of energy and transportation. Join us and be part of a team that values your work, encourages innovation, and actively contributes to a positive societal impact.

In addition to an environment that is as innovative as our products, we offer competitive salaries and benefits.

We Take Opportunity Seriously:

At Panasonic Energy, we are committed to a workplace that genuinely fosters inclusion and belonging. Fairness and Honesty have been part of our core values for more than 100 years and we are proud of our diverse culture as an equal opportunity employer.

We understand that your career search may look different than others and embrace the professional, personal, educational, and volunteer opportunities through which people gain experience. If you are actively looking or starting to explore new opportunities, submit your application!

Supplemental Information:

Pre-employment drug testing is required.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law. All qualified individuals are required to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation.

Due to the high volume of responses, we will only be able to respond to candidates of interest. All candidates must have valid authorization to work in the U.S. without restriction.

Thank you for your interest in Panasonic Energy Corporation of North America.

#LI-EL1

[REMOVE] Font/Size: Arial/12pt.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tMgKm_71qs

(by clicking this link you are being referred to an external site that is not part of Panasonic)

Meet the Recruiter: Eric Laffey

Summary:

Join us at Panasonic Energy as we expand to De Soto, Kansas, where we’re building the world’s largest lithium-ion battery factory. This is an exciting opportunity to grow your career while contributing to the future of electric vehicles. As part of our team, you’ll help push the limits of battery technology, enhancing performance and efficiency in sustainable transportation.

Our state-of-the-art facility, just outside the Kansas City Metro, will be a hub for innovation in green energy solutions. If you're passionate about sustainability and eager to contribute to the electric vehicle revolution, we invite you to be part of our dynamic team. Join us and make a meaningful impact on the future of energy and transportation.

Job Summary:

The Inventory Control Manager is responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing the flow of raw materials and work-in-process to ensure uninterrupted production operations. This role balances demand, supply, and inventory through disciplined forecasting, material planning, and execution processes to meet safety, quality, cost, and delivery objectives. The Inventory Control Manager leads inventory team members embedded in daily manufacturing operations, driving adherence to standard work, problem resolution, and continuous improvement. Through close collaboration with planning, procurement, IT/system and production teams, this position proactively identifies material risks, resolves constraints, and supports efficient, stable manufacturing performance.

Essential Duties:

Functional Leadership & Operations:

• Lead inventory control planning, processes, and material flow within manufacturing operations
• Organize and present the summary of the report for inventory control/result to the direct report and management team daily, weekly, monthly based on the requested contents and frequency.
• Establish and oversee daily inventory control operations, including the development of standard operation procedures (SOPs) for receiving, transfers, returns, cycle counts, and physical inventories in a new factory
• Track inventory movement by lot, serial number, pallet, location, and date to maintain accurate warehouse records
• Monitor stock levels, including low stock, expiring, and overstocked items, and initiate replenishment activities as needed
• Maintain records of daily deliveries and shipments to reconcile inventory balances
• Lead in the BRD creation, implementation, and optimization of inventory management systems
• Oversee inventory governance, including cycle counting, reconciliation, obsolescence management, and loss prevention for production and point-of-use inventory

Strategic Alignment & Continuous Improvement:

• Develop and execute materials and inventory strategies aligned with business objectives, cost targets, and production service expectations
• Drive key performance indicators (KPIs) related to inventory accuracy, material availability, production support, working capital, and loss reduction
• Apply data analytics, forecasting models, and statistical methods to anticipate material requirements and mitigate production risk
• Champion Lean, 6S, FTQ, and continuous improvement initiatives across materials planning and execution processes
• Support ERP optimization, materials master data governance, automation, and digital process enhancements

Team Development & Knowledge Sharing:

• Hire, train, develop, and engage inventory team members to drive accountability, performance, and succession readiness
• Coach leaders and team members through change, reinforcing standard work, safety, and continuous improvement behaviors
• Promote cross-training, knowledge sharing, and employee engagement across inventory and production support functions

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement:

• Partner with Planning, Procurement, Production, IT/System, Engineering, Quality, Maintenance, EHS, and suppliers to support manufacturing objectives
• Collaborate with internal logistics, warehouse, and transportation partners to ensure material availability and flow to production
• Communicate material risks, constraints, and improvement opportunities to operations and supply chain leadership

Quality, Safety, Compliance, & Risk Management:

• Ensure inventory operations comply with safety regulations, quality systems, SOPs, and internal controls
• Promote a safe, organized, and compliant work environment consistent with EHS and 6S standards
• Monitor and mitigate inventory, quality, capacity, and supply risks while maintaining high service and accuracy levels

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Directly and indirectly supervises inventory management employees, including supervisors and/or leads
• Responsible for hiring, training, performance management, coaching, and development of team members
• Provides input on staffing decisions, promotions, corrective actions, and succession planning

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Requirements:

• To ensure the health and safety in the workplace and for the protection of our employees, wearing PPE is a possibility and may include equipment such as a full Tyvek suit, safety shoes, gloves, safety glasses, face mask, bump cap, and a full hazmat suit that includes a respirator.

The foregoing description is not intended and should not be construed to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills and efforts or work conditions associated with the job. It is intended to be an accurate reflection of the general nature and level of the job.