Global Inventory Control Project Manager

Job content

Job Description

Job Scope

Majority of the global inventory is stored at two major production sites: in Debrecen (Hungary), and in Penang (Malaysia). Beside the two major production sites, inventory is stored in multiple smaller locations including NI Hardware Service Centers (in Austin (TX), China, Hungary, Hong-Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan), acquired subsidiaries of NI, and 3rd party logistics providers (3PLs) in multiple countries, all over the world.

Major Responsibilities

• Builds & Maintains Ownership – Supervise, manage, and improve the processes defined to ensure inventory accuracy at NI.
• Quarterly Reviews – Manage quarterly reviews with the cycle count management team including summary of results, corrective, preventive, and improvement actions.
• Interacts and own inventory control at NI owned subsidiaries and 3rd party logistics (3PL) companies – Monitors inventory, controls usage, manages adjustments, and ensures inventory accuracy at UPS Field Stocking Locations (FSL) and acquired NI owned subsidiaries.
• Audits – Executes and documents internal, statutory, global, and external audits and walkthroughs performed by EY and other auditors. Closes any minor or major non-conformances within deadline and acts on opportunities identified during the audits. Ensure compliance of all internal, external and SOX requirements.
• Standardization – Works with the global cycle count teams on standardizing global inventory control processes and audits.
• Documentation – Ensures that all changes, issues, details are documented for traceability, trackability, and for audit purposes.
• Problem Solving & Escalation – Works with other departments to eliminate the root cause of nonconformances.
• Ensures Physical Inventory (PI) Controls – Provides continues physical inventory control and performs periodic reviews to meet SOX requirements. Optimize Cycle Count Classifications and frequencies of periodic counts to balance between inventory accuracy and cycle count resources. Identify and implement best in class inventory control methods including but not limited to cycle count, aging audit, and physical count.
• Minimize Inventory Variances – Identify opportunities and drives reduction of inventory variances including scrap caused by material handling or other reasons, inventory adjustments, shrinkage, usage of auxiliary materials, and different kind of supplies, etc.
• Builds and Maintains Strong Stakeholder Relationships – Cooperate with Finance, Costing, Inventory Management, Planning, Procurement, Industrial Engineering and other stakeholders to optimize inventory storage and inventory control at NI.

Reporting Structure

• The Global Inventory Control (Program) Manager will report to the Mfg Operations Manager in the local organization and dotted line to the Senior Director of Global Mfg Operations in the global functional organization.
• May act as the direct local manager for the cycle counters at the local Mfg site and may act as global functional matrix manager for cycle counters at remote Mfg sites.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong project management skills and strong analytical thinking – to be able to oversee the processes and controls.
• Detail oriented – Able and willing to analyze large amounts of cycle count and transactional data and able to turn big data into valuable information. Learns the cycle count process and understands its structure and details.
• Teamwork – Able to work independently as well as in global environment with cycle count groups at multiple locations and develop synergy within a global team.
• Process oriented – Proactive, able to think in broad terms, and understands how processes affect inventory accuracy and associated risks.
• Writing skills – Have good writing skills with solid English grammar. Be able to write high-level policy documents for the yearly cycle count reviews. Able to document processes related to inventory management.
• Excellent communication skills – Fluent in written and in oral English and able to communicate with people in executive leadership level.

Education & Experience

• BA degree or equivalent required.
• Advanced level experience with Excel, Microsoft Office applications, and computerized inventory systems is a must. Experience with Oracle EBIZ is an advantage.
• Experience with different Inventory Control process is a must. Experience with NI’s inventory control processes is an advantage .