About this role
ABOUT US
Bridgestone Americas, Inc. (BSAM), headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, and Bridgestone Europe, Middle East and Africa (BSEMEA), headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, operate collectively as a "Bridgestone West" strategic region. This region services the strategic business needs of teams across the Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Africa. BSAM and BSEMEA are subsidiaries of Bridgestone Corporation, globally headquartered in Japan. Bridgestone and its subsidiaries develop, manufacture, and market a wide range of Bridgestone, Firestone, and associate brand products and solutions to address the needs of a broad range of customers and industries.
JOB PURPOSE & MISSION
Ensure end-to-end planning excellence by integrating customer demand, inventory, order fulfilment, and logistics processes. You will act as a strategic interface between key customers, Sales Key Account Managers (KAM), and internal supply chain functions to deliver a best-in-class service experience, optimize inventory, and drive continuous improvement. You will be responsible for order planning and fulfilment activities for a portfolio of key accounts, planning and coordinating direct supply from factories and supply sources to maximize on-shelf availability in the most cost-effective way.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Customer Collaboration & Key Accounts Management
- Act as the Logistic Key Account interface for strategic customers and Sales KAM, serving as a brand ambassador who understands Bridgestone's products and customer requirements.
- Lead weekly performance reviews, planning meetings, and plan regular customer visits and touchpoints.
- Build strong relationships with internal and external partners, encouraging commercial growth and sales where possible.
- Take ownership of customer queries relating to agreed target accounts and proactively manage them to resolution.
- Collaborate closely with customers, logistics operations, and sales teams to ensure on-shelf availability that meets end-consumer needs.
Order Planning & Fulfilment Management
- Take ownership and use initiative in managing customer orders across channels (direct, consignment) for key accounts, utilizing both standardized processes and ad-hoc account management requirements.
- Create orders/contracts, call-offs, and delivery notes, and coordinate end-to-end execution.
- Optimize product availability using planning tools (e.g. OMP) in line with customer demands, agreed targets, and promotional campaigns.
- Monitor open orders, allocations, delivery performance, and backorders, analysing sales evolution to take timely corrective actions.
- Coordinate and drive cross-functional workflows with factories, logistics providers, sales teams, and finance teams.
- Prepare weekly Logistics Planning (LP) highlights for R&Ops.
Demand & Inventory Planning
- Develop collaborative forecasting models with customers to integrate sales and stock data into forecasts, ensuring alignment with production plans and supply chain capabilities.
- Monitor inventory in customer warehouses using Adex to prevent stockouts and overstocking.
- Coordinate with the DRP Planner to balance factory/RDC stock and the order book, updating DRP demand in OMP accordingly.
Transport, Delivery & Logistics Coordination
- Proactively plan and coordinate direct shipments from production and communicate delivery requirements to logistics providers (3PLs).
- Maximize opportunities to deliver early and optimally in line with customer needs to maximize availability and optimize logistics costs.
- Plan and coordinate the best countermeasures for transport delays, exceptions, and delivery discrepancies, considering the optimal cost/service ratio.
- Track delivery KPIs and drive continuous improvements with logistics teams.
Data Analysis, Reporting & Process Improvement
- Analyse core KPIs (including forecast accuracy, fill rate, and transport delays) to drive corrective and strategic actions.
- Use SAP, Excel, Adex, and BI tools (e.g., Power BI) to merge datasets, build dashboards, and generate real-time visibility reports for internal and external stakeholders.
- Lead or support supply chain optimization projects, identifying and implementing process improvements.
- Participate in digital transformation and tool enhancement initiatives.
KEY INTERFACES, TOOLS & MEASURES OF SUCCESS
Key Stakeholders & Interfaces
Tools & Frameworks
KPIs / Measures of Success
• Strategic Customers
• Sales KAM & Finance Teams
• Customer Service
• Supply Chain Planning Team
• Demand & DRP Planners
• Factories & Production Teams
• Logistics, Transport & 3PLs
• IT & Digital Transformation Teams
• SAP (SD/MM preferred)
• OMP Planning Tool
• Adex
• Microsoft Excel (Intermediate to Advanced; VBA a plus)
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Power BI / Dashboards
• Internal R&Ops and LP reporting tools
• Fill Rate & On-Shelf Availability
• Full Truck Load (FTL %)
• LP Accuracy
• Forecast Accuracy
• Order Fulfilment Lead Time
• Inventory Turnover
• Transport Delay Rate
• Cost / Service Ratio
QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE & COMPETENCES
Education, Experience & Languages
- Experience: 2+ years of relevant experience in planning, supply chain, or key account support, or a relevant educational qualification.
- Education: A background in Supply Chain, Key Account Support, or Business is preferred, though no specific degree is required. We welcome applicants from diverse educational and professional backgrounds who can demonstrate strong analytical skills, a willingness to learn, and the ability to contribute effectively in a fast-paced planning environment.
- Language Skills: Fluent in English (excellent verbal and written communication).
Technical & Behavioural Competences
- High proficiency in ERP systems (SAP SD/MM preferred) and experience with planning and reporting tools (OMP, Adex, Intermediate/Advanced Excel with VBA as a plus, PowerPoint, and Power BI).
- Strong analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills with clear, logical thinking and excellent attention to detail.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence cross-functionally and negotiate effectively at all internal and external levels.
- Proactive, customer-centric mindset combined with strong business acumen and commercial awareness.
- Proven ability to manage multiple tasks, prioritize workloads efficiently, and remain flexible and adaptable when job demands change.
- Willingness to travel when business requires.
Don't meet every requirement?
If you are excited about this role or working for Bridgestone but your experience doesn't align perfectly with every point in this job description, we still encourage you to apply—you may be exactly what we are looking for.
WHAT WE OFFER
At Bridgestone, what really matters is fostering co-creation opportunities and empowering you to be creative and curious to make mobility safer, more efficient, and more sustainable for future generations. Whatever role you fill, when you represent Bridgestone, you are a valued teammate and part of our larger mission to "Serve Society with Superior Quality". Beyond a competitive compensation package, we provide:
- A supportive and engaging onboarding experience to ensure a smooth transition into our team.
- The opportunity to develop and grow through training and regular mentorship.
- Corporate Social Responsibility activities.
- A truly global, dynamic, and challenging work environment.
- Agility, work/life effectiveness, and support for your long-term well-being.
- A diverse and inclusive team.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY DISCLAIMER
We are committed to creating an even more inclusive culture that advances equity, embraces individuality, and helps our increasingly diverse teammates, customers, and communities thrive by providing equal opportunities in employment. This means that all job applicants and members of staff will receive equal treatment and that we will not discriminate on grounds of gender, marital status, race, ethnicity, color, nationality, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, religion, or age.