Director of Materials

Dexter is the premier manufacturer and supplier of axles, suspension, brakes, doors, venting products, trailer parts, accessories, and towing components serving the commercial trailer, RV, heavy-duty, marine, agriculture, and manufactured housing markets.

Headquartered in Elkhart, Indiana, Dexter has manufacturing and distribution locations throughout the U.S. and Canada. Employing state-of-the-art robotics, precision welding equipment, and automated machining processes, Dexter has achieved many years of success through a commitment to the principles of superior quality, continuous improvement, and unparalleled customer service.

Summary
Develops Albion’s supply chain strategic direction and goals, ensuring alignment with Plant and Corporate strategic objectives. Monitors the adequacy of action plans to meet objectives, monitors performance toward achieving key performance indicators, and ensures alignment.

This role will cover a 6-building site in Albion, IN. Albion is the nucleus of Dexter Axle, and it is crucial to create and maintain a robust supply chain from inbound materials, put away of inventory, line side inventory management, flow of raw materials within buildings and to the downstream operations, finished goods inventory management, and the flow of components to internal sister plants and our customers. High quality and on time delivery to our customers and internal plants with an optimized level of inventory will be critical areas of focus.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Manages demand planning and forecasting for production scheduling to ensure an uninterrupted supply of customer products and to maximize efficient operations and production.
• Optimizes logistics flow from offshore parts to Albion campus to the distribution center to our internal plants and our customers.
• Audits operational procedures and programs to identify and implement improvements in product availability, storage optimization, receiving and shipping, and inventory accuracy, resulting in increased efficiencies and productivity.
• Manages inventory purchasing strategies to achieve turn targets.
• Develops, implements and/or influences best practices in the disciplines of forecasting, supply chain management, inventory management, production planning, logistics management and sourcing from multiple sources.
• Develops and leads continuous improvement opportunities across the internal / external logistics network.
• Champions the expanded use of technology and lean principles to improve planning, decision making, and execution.? Supports the use of the ERP system for inventory management principles.
• Partners closely with the Supply Chain and Sourcing leadership team to execute various strategic initiatives.
• Manages and prepares company inventory relating to records, tracking of materials, changing business activity, quality of materials and stocking levels. Works closely with procurement to ensure reorder processes and timely delivery of materials are in place.
• Administers the development and implementation of an aggressive inventory reduction program limiting the plants exposure to excess inventory cost. Adjust inventory levels associated with any backlog production.
• Develops scheduling to establish sequence and lead times of manufacturing operations.
• Manages material planning activity to ensure timely delivery of material to support production operations.
• Design and implement VMI’s, Kanban, for optimal inventory and delivery performance.
• Coordinates with Quality Assurance to resolve supplier quality issues.
• Maintains proactive shortage identification and management - helps flag root causes & corrective actions.
• Expedites deliveries to meet and exceed scheduled critical requirements.
• Analyzes material and capacity availability to provide customer promise dates for sales orders.
• Maintains item master lead time information based upon process improvements, current constraints, total current demand by product, and priority information.
• Interfaces with required functional groups to resolve challenging delivery requirements.
• Communicates forecasts and replenishment plans to supplier.
• Reviews open requirements, monitors vendor performance and expediting where necessary.
• Communicates and coordinates effectively with employees, vendors and customers verbally and in writing.
• Sets strategic direction and goal attainment.
• Understand P&L and Balance Sheet impacts from operational decisions made to information and physical product flow.
• Performs other tasks or duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• At least 12 years of related experience in a leadership role or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• Bachelor's degree required, MBA preferred in Business, Engineering, Supply Chain, Materials Management, or comparable degree.

Dexter cares for our people. Here are some of our great, comprehensive Benefits:

• Dexter offers a competitive wage
• Full benefits package including Health, Dental, Vision, Life, STD, LTD, FSA, HSA
• 3% profit sharing in our Safe Harbor program
• 401(k) Plan with company contributions
• Paid Holidays and paid time off
• Opportunities for internal career development and growth

Apply now to join an industry leader and make a difference in what we do for the customers we serve!

Disclaimer:

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature of the level of work being performed by people assigned to this position. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel in said position