Planning and Systems Analyst

Description

The 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 considered

Compensation: 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.

WHY SPECTRA?

Located in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Boulder, Colorado, Spectra is an entrepreneurial, private company with more than 40 years of proven success preserving, protecting and defending the world's data. Spectra offers a challenging, flexible and creative work environment. Our culture is one that drives personal opportunity and advancement and rewards high performance while maintaining a high-quality work-life balance. We offer a casual, hybrid work environment with ample opportunity to learn and grow within the company. Work out on your own or with our trainer at one of the on-campus gyms; grab lunch or snacks onsite or challenge the CEO to a game of pinball; and grow your career with peers who are second to none.

SPECTRA IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Spectra is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse and inclusive workforce. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we never discriminate against applicants or employees on the basis of age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, military or veteran status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or any other characteristics protected by applicable law

• Spectra Logic is committed to the practice and policies of equal employment opportunities in the recruitment, employment and promotion of all associates without regard to age 40 and over, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, status as protected veteran, national origin, or any other applicable status protected by state or local law.