Materials & Supply Chain Manager
Location: Marietta, OH
Job Type: Full-Time, Direct Hire
Travel: Up to 20% for supplier visits, sourcing reviews, industry conferences, and occasional customer engagement
Work Arrangement: On-site; daily presence in the manufacturing facility is required
Position Overview
We are seeking an experienced Materials & Supply Chain Manager to lead material planning, purchasing, inventory, and supplier performance for a manufacturing operation. This role supervises the Buyer Planner team while partnering with project management, sales, engineering, production, quality, and operations to maintain material availability and support on-time delivery.
The position combines hands-on supply chain leadership with strategic planning, supplier development, inventory management, and continuous improvement.
Key Responsibilities
Lead, coach, and develop the Buyer Planner team, including workload planning, performance management, mentoring, and cross-training.
Oversee daily material planning, purchasing, inventory levels, and shortage resolution.
Align material plans with project schedules, production requirements, and customer delivery commitments.
Participate in project kickoffs to review BOMs, identify long-lead materials, and assess supply risks.
Lead cross-functional responses to material shortages and supplier issues.
Partner with Sales on demand forecasts, lead times, customer stocking programs, and supply availability.
Develop strategies for critical and long-lead materials, including safety stock, dual sourcing, supplier-managed inventory, and long-term agreements.
Manage inventory turns, excess and obsolete inventory (E&O), working capital, safety stock, reorder points, lot sizing, and cycle counts.
Lead supplier performance management, including on-time delivery, quality, lead time accuracy, QBRs, SCARs, and supplier corrective actions.
Support supplier qualification, sourcing decisions, pricing agreements, blanket POs, and LTAs.
Maintain accurate ERP/MRP data, including item masters, BOMs, supplier lead times, and planning parameters.
Review MRP results and resolve planning issues, data problems, and system-related supply chain gaps.
Prepare supply chain dashboards and KPI reports for operations and supply chain leadership.
Lead continuous improvement efforts involving ERP optimization, supplier lead times, inventory reduction, receiving, inspection, storage, and kitting.
Apply Lean and 5S principles to warehouse and material-handling processes.
Monitor commodity trends, supply constraints, tariffs, and other risks that could affect material cost or availability.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Operations Management, Engineering, or a related field. Advanced degree is a plus.
7–10+ years of progressive supply chain experience in manufacturing, including at least 3 years supervising buyers, planners, or Buyer Planners.
Experience with material planning and procurement in electromechanical, electrical equipment, or industrial manufacturing.
Power distribution industry experience strongly preferred.
Advanced experience with ERP/MRP systems, such as SAP, Oracle, Epicor, Infor, IFS, or comparable platforms.
Ability to diagnose and resolve MRP planning issues.
Demonstrated success improving inventory turns while maintaining material availability.
Experience managing supplier performance programs, including QBRs, SCARs, and supplier development.
Strong cross-functional experience working with project management, sales, engineering, production, and finance.
Excellent communication and leadership skills.
Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and data analysis tools for inventory, spend, and supplier reporting.
Preferred Qualifications
APICS CPIM or CSCP, ISM C.P.M., or CPSM certification.
Experience with power distribution products such as PDCs, STSs, RPPs, switchgear, UPS systems, and related electromechanical components.
Familiarity with UL, ANSI, NEMA, NEC, and IEC standards related to power distribution equipment.
Commodity strategy experience involving breakers, bus duct, transformers, enclosures, and power electronics.
Lean/Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification or experience leading Kaizen events.
Experience with VMI, consignment inventory, supplier-stocked buffers, or blanket PO/call-off programs.
Experience with import compliance, customs, and international suppliers.
Working Environment
On-site role with regular time spent in the manufacturing floor, warehouse, and receiving areas.
Exposure to moderate noise, industrial equipment, and electrical assemblies.
Travel up to 20% as required.
Must be available to address escalated supply chain issues outside standard business hours when production continuity is at risk.
Ability to walk manufacturing areas, access storage locations, and participate in physical inventory activities.
