Materials Manager

Compensation: To $125K.

Job Overview - Materials Manager - 34474

Exclusive Search | Manufacturing & Supply Chain Leadership

Sherpa is partnering with a major industrial manufacturer with a global footprint to identify an experienced Materials Manager to lead critical materials management and production planning operations. This is an exclusive opportunity for a hands-on supply chain leader who understands the connection between material availability, production performance, inventory investment, and customer satisfaction.

In this role, you will oversee production planning, purchasing, inventory control, and material flow while leading a team responsible for keeping manufacturing operations running efficiently. You will have direct influence over multimillion-dollar production budgets, substantial inventory investments, supplier relationships, and the coordination of materials across a global manufacturing network.

If you are a strategic, analytical leader with strong SAP experience and a track record of managing materials in a complex manufacturing environment, this opportunity offers the chance to make a meaningful operational impact.

Key Responsibilities

Production Planning & Scheduling

• Monitor adherence to planned production schedules and resolve critical material or scheduling issues that could affect manufacturing output.

• Analyze final assembly schedules to ensure parts availability and proactively identify potential material shortages.

• Adjust production schedules and coordinate corrective actions when supply constraints or parts shortages arise.

• Coordinate, evaluate, and implement engineering changes, including establishing appropriate effective dates to support uninterrupted production.

Inventory Control & Materials Planning

• Plan and requisition materials to support master production schedules, customer service requirements, and operational targets.

• Manage purchasing and inter-factory orders, expediting materials based on weekly MRP requirements.

• Evaluate and optimize SAP MRP parameters, including order policies, minimum and maximum levels, safety stock, scrap factors, and order quantities.

• Balance material availability and customer service with inventory investment and working capital objectives.

Logistics & Traffic Management

• Coordinate shipping and material movement activities to ensure manufacturing facilities receive the materials needed to meet production commitments.

• Partner with other global manufacturing facilities to coordinate parts transfers and execute stock transfer orders (STOs) that support production targets.

New Product Introduction

• Develop, implement, and monitor materials-related requirements for new product introductions.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure materials planning, purchasing, and inventory processes are aligned with launch requirements.

Policies, Processes & Continuous Improvement

• Develop and maintain materials ordering policies designed to maximize customer service while minimizing unnecessary inventory investment.

• Identify opportunities to improve materials planning, purchasing, inventory control, and production support processes.

• Maintain strong professional relationships with suppliers and collaborate on material availability, delivery performance, and supply chain requirements.

Team Leadership & Development

• Directly supervise Buyers, the Warehouse Supervisor, Data Analyst, and Master Scheduler.

• Provide indirect leadership to warehouse, shipping, and receiving personnel.

• Recruit, train, coach, and develop a capable, accountable materials management team.

• Establish goals and objectives, monitor performance, and foster a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.

• Perform other responsibilities as assigned or required.

Position Scope & Leadership Responsibilities

This is a significant operational leadership role with responsibility for:

• Direct reports: Buyers, Warehouse Supervisor, Data Analyst, and Master Scheduler.

• Indirect reports: Warehouse, shipping, and receiving personnel.

• Global coordination: Partnering with other manufacturing facilities to secure parts and execute stock transfer orders in support of production targets.

• Supplier engagement: Building and maintaining strong supplier relationships to support reliable material availability.

• Travel: Travel to supplier locations as needed.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Operations, or a related field preferred.

• Minimum of 3 years of experience in materials control, materials management, or a related manufacturing supply chain function in a management or supervisory capacity required.

• SAP experience required, with a strong understanding of MRP and materials planning processes.

• Demonstrated experience in production planning, inventory control, purchasing, and materials management within a manufacturing environment.

• Proven ability to lead teams, resolve material shortages, and coordinate across departments and manufacturing facilities.

• Strong analytical, organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.

• Ability to build effective supplier relationships and make sound decisions in a fast-paced production environment.

Why This Opportunity?

This is an opportunity to join a globally connected industrial manufacturing organization where materials management plays a critical role in production performance and customer delivery. You will lead a diverse materials team, oversee substantial inventory and production resources, and help shape the processes that keep complex manufacturing operations moving.

Ready to take your materials management career to the next level? Sherpa is conducting an exclusive search for this position. Qualified professionals are encouraged to submit their resume for confidential consideration.

Additional Job Details

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About our Process

• We will notify you if you are selected as a candidate for this role. If not, but you fit our specializations, we'll consider you for future openings, and encourage you to apply for other Sherpa roles you're qualified for/interested in.
• Non-Local Candidates: Please note that you are competing with local candidates who don't require relocation expenses and can start quickly, so let us know if you have plans to move to the area soon.
• Candidates for all Sherpa opportunities must be authorized to work in the United States.
• Sherpa is an Equal Opportunity Employer.