Materials Manager

About the Role

The Materials Manager is accountable for executing purchasing, production planning, and inventory management across the entire site, emphasizing best‑practice processes and achieving an optimal supply chain measured by quality, cost, and delivery metrics as defined by the Operating Company. Key responsibilities include developing a strategic supply‑chain plan, supporting new product development and ECN processes, maintaining a material cost‑savings funnel, driving approved projects to completion, managing sourcing initiatives and total cost of ownership, monitoring supplier performance via scorecards, measuring monthly and annual material goals, applying value‑stream mapping and lean tools to reduce inventory, participating in S&OP, conducting product life‑cycle analysis for Kanban/ERP, owning direct‑material Kanban implementation, ensuring production schedule compliance, teaching and managing PFEP, EPEI and other lean planning tools, evaluating make/buy decisions, negotiating contracts, interfacing with various internal functions, collaborating with the sourcing group, and contributing to global projects as needed. • Develop and execute a strategic supply‑chain plan aligning with quality, cost and delivery targets. • Support new product development and Engineering Change Notice (ECN) processes for purchasing and production planning. • Maintain a material cost‑savings funnel to meet operating‑company objectives. • Lead approved projects from identification through completion. • Manage sourcing initiatives and assess Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). • Monitor supplier performance using scorecards in collaboration with Supplier Quality Engineer. • Track monthly and annual material goals that support site objectives. • Apply value‑stream mapping and lean tools to streamline processes and reduce inventory. • Participate in Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) cycles. • Conduct product life‑cycle analysis for Kanban/ERP and manage direct‑material Kanban systems. • Ensure plant production schedule compliance through proactive follow‑up. • Own and teach Plan For Every Part (PFEP), Every Part Every Interval (EPEI) and other lean planning tools. • Evaluate make/buy decisions and negotiate MRO/indirect material contracts and capital purchases. • Interface with management, supervision, customer service, quality, finance, engineering and operations. • Collaborate with the Operating Company sourcing group on project implementation. • Contribute to Altra‑wide global projects as needed. • Apply strategic sourcing methodology to supplier selection and management. • Present information clearly to employees, managers, customers and suppliers. • Partner with shop‑floor supervision to drive continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• ▸supply chain
• ▸cost savings
• ▸sourcing
• ▸kanban
• ▸lean tools
• ▸s&op

What You Bring

Critical competencies required are ownership of inventory management through Kanban, strong negotiation skills covering commercial, regulatory, and intellectual‑property aspects, deep knowledge of strategic sourcing methodology, robust problem‑solving, critical‑thinking and analytical abilities, effective presentation skills for diverse audiences, and the ability to partner with shop‑floor supervision to execute continuous improvement. Professional qualifications include a bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, business, finance, engineering or a related field (or equivalent experience), production planning experience in a plant environment, at least five years in a material manager or supervisor role, and experience with Kanban processes; experience managing suppliers of raw steel, castings, and ball bearings is preferred. The role requires regular use of hands, reaching, standing, walking, and sitting, with a moderate noise level in the work environment; candidates must meet U.S. export‑control eligibility criteria. • Demonstrate ownership of inventory management via Kanban systems. • Exhibit strong negotiation skills, including commercial, regulatory and IP considerations. • Solve complex problems with critical‑thinking and analytical expertise.

Requirements

• ▸kanban
• ▸negotiation
• ▸critical thinking
• ▸problem solving
• ▸production planning
• ▸bachelor's

Benefits

Compensation ranges from $115,000 to $130,000 USD, dependent on location, skill set, experience, and education, and includes benefits such as medical, dental, vision, and prescription coverage, HSA/FSA accounts, paid time off and holidays, a 401(k) plan with matching contributions, AD&D insurance, tuition assistance, and paid leaves.

Work Environment

Onsite