Job Description

About IEM Canada

IEM Canada, (Industrial Electric Manufacturing, Inc.) in Surrey, BC, is the largest independent full-line manufacturer of custom electrical distribution and power quality equipment in North America. IEM has delivered customer-specific solutions to meet the ever-changing power requirements of growth industries in North America for over half a century. This position offers an exciting opportunity within an innovative, employee-oriented company!

What We Offer:

• Flexible Schedules
• Extended health benefits
• Dental coverage
• Vision coverage
• Life Insurance
• Eligibility towards Group Retirement Savings Plan contributions
• Employee Appreciation Events

Position Overview

IEM is currently seeking a Materials Planning Specialist for our Surrey, B.C. The Materials Planning Specialist will play a key role in establishing and refining the material replenishment strategies that support IEM lean production system. This individual will be responsible for designing and implementing material flow processes aligned with principles such as Kanban, PFEP, JIT, and FIFO. This role will also serve as a cross-functional liaison among Production, Supply Chain, and Fabrication to ensure successful adoption and execution of these new systems.

This position offers the opportunity to lead the foundational buildout of lean materials processes and develop broad operational knowledge in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Key Responsibilities

Lean Material Replenishment System Development

• Design, pilot, and implement lean material replenishment systems including Kanban, PFEP, JIT, and visual replenishment strategies.
• Develop and maintain point-of-use (POU) inventory solutions to reduce material travel and downtime.

Cross-Functional Process Alignment

• Collaborate closely with Production, Fabrication, Planning, and Warehouse teams to align material delivery processes with work center needs.
• Lead regular reviews and kaizen events to identify gaps and drive standardization.

Kitting, Staging, and Inventory Accuracy

• Work with warehouse and production staff to improve part staging and kitting processes in support of work center schedules.
• Ensure accurate ERP transactions, drive cycle count integrity, and support real-time inventory visibility.

Continuous Improvement and Lean Culture

• Serve as a champion for lean transformation efforts related to materials flow and planning.
• Develop and standardize visual management tools to support tiered daily management.

Training & Change Management

• Train key personnel on lean material systems and practices.
• Document standard work and facilitate knowledge transfer across shifts and departments.

ERP/MRP System Management

• Maintain accurate inventory records, material transactions, and stock levels using ERP and MES systems to ensure production demands are met.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Operations Management, or equivalent experience. Industrial Engineering is a bonus!
• 3+ years of experience in a manufacturing environment with exposure to materials management, operations planning, or production support.
• Foundational understanding of lean principles such as 5S, value stream mapping, Kanban, and PFEP.
• Experience working with ERP systems (Infor preferred) and material tracking solutions.
• Effective communication and project management skills with an ability to collaborate across multiple departments.
• Demonstrated initiative and drive to improve processes, with a willingness to learn and grow into a larger leadership role.

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