Materials & Supply Chain ManagerLocation: Marietta, OH
Job Type: Full-Time, Direct Hire
Starting Salary: $95,000/year, with higher compensation available based on experience
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 OverviewWe 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.
