Westlake

Manager - Supply Chain Planning

US - Houston, TX Full time

Westlake offers you the potential to enrich your work life and career experience in an entrepreneurial environment. We work together to enhance peoples' lives through our products and presence in the communities in which we operate.​

SUMMARY 

The Manager, Supply Chain Planning, leads the team responsible for integrated demand and production planning for the Polyethylene business unit. The role owns the forecast cycle, supply/supply balancing, and development of feasible production plans aligned with Sales, Operations, and Logistics. The ideal candidate is a hands-on leader with a passion for developing others, has strong analytical capability and business acumen and understands key concepts such as system constraints, inventory optimization, and the value tradeoffs required in plastics, chemicals or other similar manufacturing supply chain. 

 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

May include, but are not limited to, the following: 

Leadership & Team Management 

  • Lead, coach, and develop a team of analysts and production planners. 

  • Ensure consistent planning processes, playbooks, and performance expectations. 

  • Provide daily/weekly guidance on priorities, exceptions, and risk management. 

 

Sales and Operations Planning 

  • Lead the S&OP cycle across all Polyethylene production units. 

  • Oversee rolling demand forecasts ensure accuracy, bias control, and alignment with macro environment and sales forecast. 

  • Facilitate the monthly demand reviews and prepare consolidated S&OP. 

  • Manage production planning considering economic run lengths, grade sequencing, outages, and capacity constraints. 

  • Develop and present supply/demand scenarios, risks, and opportunities for monthly executive alignment. 

  • Drive execution of the agreed operating plan and communicate supply positions. 

 

Inventory Management and Fulfillment 

  • Set and maintain inventory and safety stock targets. 

  • Monitor inventory health (turns, aging, SLOB) and drive mitigation. 

  • Optimize inventory positioning across domestic and export channels. 

  • Develop strategy around turnarounds.   

  • Coordinate shipments and inventory reconciliation. 

 

Systems, Data, & Process Improvement 

  • Champion planning system enhancements and tool utilization. 

  • Identify and lead improvement in forecast accuracy, scheduling stability, and cycle adherence. 

  • Build and maintain dashboards/KPIs supporting planning performance. 

  • Maintain planning master data and documentation. 

 

Key Performance Indicators 

  • Forecast accuracy and bias. 

  • Production plan adherence and schedule stability. 

  • Inventory turns, DIO, SLOB. 

  • OTIF and service levels. 

  • S&OP meeting quality and decision readiness. 

 

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS 

Required 

  • Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Engineering, or related discipline. 

  • 10+ years total work experience in supply chain, operations, or business function. 

  • 2+ years experience in business management or supply chain planning. 

  • 2+ years people leadership. 

  • Experience in chemicals, plastics, polymers, or product manufacturing. 

  • Strong analytical, communication, and cross-functional influence skills. 

 

Preferred 

  • Master’s degree or MBA. 

  • Experience with advanced planning tools. 

  • APICS/ASCM certifications (CPIM, CSCP). 

  • Knowledge of Polyethylene or similar polymer production 

 

 PHYSICAL DEMANDS 

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit; stand; walk; use hands to touch, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, or crouch The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. 

 

WORK ENVIRONMENT 

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate, as normally based in an office Some of the work may be required in the operating units which can require usage of required PPE including safety glasses, hearing protection, etc.  May also result in exposure to outside elements and may require usage of stairs and elevators 10% travel including air travel or auto travel may occasionally be required. 

 

Westlake is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any characteristics protected by applicable legislation.

If you are an active Westlake employee (or an employee of any Westlake affiliates), please do not apply here. You will apply via the Jobs Hub application in Workday.