Supply Chain & Materials Operations Manager

Location: Marietta, OH
Job Type: Full-Time, Direct Hire
Compensation: Starting at $95,000 annually, with higher compensation available based on qualifications and experience
Travel: Up to 20% for supplier meetings, sourcing activities, and industry events

We are seeking an experienced Supply Chain & Materials Operations Manager to oversee material planning, procurement, inventory performance, and supplier management within a manufacturing environment. This role serves as the primary leader for site-level supply chain activities and is responsible for ensuring materials are available to support production schedules while maintaining inventory efficiency and supplier accountability.

The successful candidate will lead a team of Buyer Planners, partner closely with Operations, Project Management, Sales, Engineering, and Quality teams, and help drive both day-to-day execution and long-term supply chain strategy.

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Buyer Planners.
• Establish performance goals, conduct evaluations, and support employee growth.
• Balance workloads across projects, commodities, and production demands.
• Promote strong ERP/MRP discipline and data accuracy.
• Support succession planning, cross-training, and professional development initiatives.

• Ensure material availability aligns with production schedules and customer commitments.
• Participate in project planning activities to identify long-lead materials and supply risks.
• Lead shortage resolution efforts and coordinate cross-functional responses when supply disruptions occur.
• Monitor project demand and adjust purchasing strategies accordingly.
• Support both engineered-to-order and configure-to-order manufacturing environments.

• Provide lead-time guidance and material availability insights during quoting and planning activities.
• Participate in forecasting and Sales, Inventory & Operations Planning (SIOP) discussions.
• Maintain visibility into future demand and proactively position materials to support growth opportunities.
• Assist with customer stocking programs, blanket orders, and inventory agreements.

• Identify critical materials and develop strategies to mitigate supply risks.
• Support sourcing initiatives involving long-lead, high-risk, or single-source components.
• Evaluate supplier capabilities, market conditions, and inventory investment opportunities.
• Contribute to make-versus-buy analyses and long-term sourcing decisions.
• Monitor commodity trends, pricing fluctuations, and potential supply disruptions.

• Oversee inventory management processes, including inventory turns, excess inventory reduction, and stock availability.
• Develop and maintain inventory policies, safety stock levels, reorder points, and planning parameters.
• Lead physical inventory activities and inventory reconciliation efforts.
• Balance inventory investment with operational requirements and production continuity.

• Monitor supplier delivery, quality, responsiveness, and overall performance.
• Conduct supplier business reviews and establish improvement plans when necessary.
• Support supplier qualification, corrective actions, and risk mitigation efforts.
• Assist with pricing agreements, long-term contracts, and strategic supplier partnerships.

• Maintain planning data integrity, including item master records, lead times, and planning parameters.
• Ensure procurement and planning activities are executed through ERP/MRP systems.
• Analyze planning outputs and resolve root causes of supply chain issues.
• Partner with internal stakeholders to improve system functionality and reporting capabilities.

• Develop and present supply chain performance metrics and operational dashboards.
• Track inventory, supplier performance, material availability, and shortage trends.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on inventory optimization, lead-time reduction, and process efficiency.
• Promote lean principles throughout warehouse, receiving, and material handling operations.

Performance will be evaluated through metrics such as:

• Inventory turns and working capital performance
• Material availability to production schedules
• Supplier on-time delivery
• Shortage prevention and production continuity
• Excess and obsolete inventory reduction
• Supplier quality performance
• Strategic inventory readiness for critical materials

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Operations Management, Engineering, or a related field.
• 7+ years of progressive supply chain experience within a manufacturing environment.
• Minimum 3 years of leadership experience supervising buyers, planners, or similar supply chain professionals.
• Experience managing procurement, inventory planning, and supplier relationships in industrial manufacturing.
• Strong knowledge of ERP/MRP systems such as SAP, Oracle, Epicor, Infor, IFS, or similar platforms.
• Demonstrated success improving inventory performance while maintaining material availability.
• Experience developing supplier performance programs and managing corrective action initiatives.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel and reporting capabilities.

• APICS CPIM, CSCP, CPSM, C.P.M., or related certifications.
• Experience supporting electrical, electromechanical, or industrial equipment manufacturing.
• Knowledge of supplier qualification processes and industry compliance standards.
• Experience with commodity management, sourcing strategies, and inventory optimization programs.
• Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma certification.
• Experience managing domestic and international suppliers.