Materials Manager

Effectively manage the procurement process of raw materials for the manufacturing process, meeting or exceeding corporate objectives and customer expectations. Interacts with Manufacturing and Sales as well as with external customers and suppliers. Provides support to the sourcing function, roll stock warehouse, and inventory. The responsibilities outlined below are shared with the Purchasing Manager - and will be managed with a specific focus by Vendor. Back-up support to the Purchasing Manager will drive some overlap - however, day to day responsibilities will be separated by vendor and specific areas of spend. Vendor management will be inclusive of all divisions when negotiating pricing, terms, rebates and general supply agreements, or resolving issues. Primary Tasks and Responsibilities (Note, activities that occupy approx. 80% of time): • manages raw material inventory ensuring levels meet corporate objectives for availability and dollar volume; • manages personnel and process ensuring materials are sourced to meet customer requested ship date; • ensures the right materials are provided to Manufacturing as defined by Planning; • provides timely and accurate communication of delivery schedules and any changes to Scheduling, Manufacturing, Planning, Customers, Suppliers; • manages purchasing communication to ensure savings goals are met and negotiates competitive pricing on all raw materials; • supports vendor relationships for all AWT divisions; • tracks and reports supplier performance related to quality and service (on-time delivery) and ensures that Management and suppliers know where they stand relative to their performance; • follows up on defective and non-conforming materials and ensures disposition in a timely and appropriate manner; • researches any specialty materials requested by sales or Planning and Estimating and communicates their availability, price and delivery in a timely manner; • works directly with R&D on new products and projects as needed; • provides timely recommendations to planners on material information requests; • provides lower cost alternatives of materials, if necessary; • responsible for complete and prompt response to customer regulatory and compliance requirement; • administers the SCAR process for non-conforming materials in accordance with established goals; • works with manufacturing as necessary when materials are not performing properly; • works with operations manager as necessary on warehousing space; Secondary Tasks and Responsibilities (Occupies balance of time): • meets with supplier to understand new materials availabilities and suitable applications; presents information to planners and sales on a timely basis; • actively participates in quality improvement process; • ensure that all state and local safety and environment regulations are followed to ensure there are no OSHA or MPCA violations, citations or fines and no work related illnesses or injuries; Physical Job Demands: This position spends a majority of their time at a desk working on the computer but does require some time in the warehouse to monitor inventory levels and to work with warehouse personnel. Requirements • 7+ years of experience working in warehouse operations, shipping, receiving, logistics, inventory control, manufacturing, materials management, or supply chain leadership • Bachelor's degree is preferred, preferably in supply chain management, business management, logistics, operations management, engineering, or a related field • Strong business acumen around inventory management, warehouse operations, logistics, material flow, transportation, and supply chain management • Solid shipping, receiving, warehouse management, inventory control, material handling, and logistics background within a manufacturing environment • Experience leading teams and driving operational improvements within warehouse, distribution, or materials management functions • Experience developing and implementing processes, controls, and performance metrics that improve inventory accuracy, service levels, and operational efficiency • Experience partnering with carriers, transportation providers, and third-party logistics (3PL) partners to improve delivery performance and manage transportation costs • Ability to work on a cross-functional team and influence outside lines of report structure.