Material & Inventory Control Manager

The ideal candidate has strong leadership skills, a keen understanding of supply chain management, and the ability to negotiate effectively and collaborate across departments to keep materials flowing seamlessly.

Responsibilities:

Leadership and Team Management:

• Lead, mentor, and manage the Buyers, Kitting Coordinator, and Warehouse, Parts, and Shipping teams.
• Serve as the final point of decision authority on production schedule sequencing and materials-related priority conflicts across all plant departments; escalate only unresolved cross-departmental disputes to the Plant Manager.
• Conduct performance reviews, verify timecard accuracy, and provide ongoing feedback and training.
• Develop departmental goals and strategic plans for material procurement, inventory management, and distribution, analyzing market trends and supplier capabilities to mitigate supply chain risk.
• Coach employees on work methods, discipline, and safety; ensure company policies and safety procedures are consistently followed and risks are controlled.
• Foster a positive, team-oriented culture and staff each department in accordance with the approved staffing plan.
• Partner with production, engineering, and finance to forecast material requirements, support operational objectives, and maintain production timelines.
• Negotiate vendor contracts and pricing, and monitor supplier performance to maintain a stable, cost-effective supply chain.

Operational Management:

• Own and maintain the plant's daily production schedule, sequencing work across all departments based on customer priority, material availability, and floor capacity; coordinate closely with production teams to keep schedules aligned with inventory and supply chain requirements.
• Oversee kitting operations, ensuring work orders are fully staged and kitted before release to the production floor.
• Maintain optimal inventory levels and accuracy through inventory control procedures, regular audits, and cycle counts, minimizing excess, obsolete, and out-of-stock conditions.
• Monitor inventory turnover and performance trends, investigate and resolve discrepancies, and prepare regular reporting on stockouts and inventory aging.

Continuous Improvement:

• Continuously identify and implement process, lean, and data-driven improvements to reduce cost, increase efficiency, and address KPI gaps across material management operations.
• Partner with cross-functional teams on process-improvement and system-enhancement projects.

Training and Development:

• Identify training needs and provide ongoing development—covering inventory procedures, technical skills, and cycle counting—to empower team members and support career growth.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements related to inventory management and control.