Materials and Logistics Lead

Slate Auto • Louisville, KY

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Materials & Logistics Lead is responsible for making sure our production facility never runs out of what it needs to build, and that finished goods get to customers on time and at cost. That means owning our vinyl and materials supply — forecasting, ordering, tracking inbound shipments — keeping inventory counts accurate and stock-outs off the table, and managing the carrier relationships that get our products out the door. This isn't a role with a lot of hand-holding. You'll be working closely with the Site Manager and cross-functional teams, but the material flow of this facility is yours to own. If something is going to be late, you know before anyone else does and you’re already working on it. This is an individual contributor role to start, reporting directly to the Head of Wrap Operations.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in materials planning, procurement coordination, or supply chain operations within a manufacturing, fulfillment, or distribution environment.
• Solid inventory management experience including owning cycle counts, managed reorder points, and know what it takes to keep inventory data clean and reliable.
• Experience managing carrier relationships and outbound freight, including rate negotiation and performance management.
• Comfortable working with ERP or MRP systems for purchasing, inventory, and order management (SAP, Oracle, Plex, FUUZ, or similar).
• Strong in Excel including pivot tables, VLOOKUP, data analysis. You build your own tracking tools and don't wait for someone to hand you a report.
• Good communicator who can work across suppliers, carriers, production, and leadership without things falling through the cracks.
• Comfortable in an early-stage environment where the processes are still being built and the ability to figure things out matters as much as prior experience.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in a product launch or new facility ramp, where material readiness had to be built alongside the operation itself.
• Background in on-demand or custom manufacturing, or any environment with high product variability.
• Familiarity with vinyl, large-format graphics, automotive, or consumer products.
• Experience with lean manufacturing or Six Sigma applied to material flow and inventory management.
• Exposure to TMS platforms or automated reporting tools like Power BI.

Responsibilities

• Own material requirements planning for the facility, forecasting vinyl and component needs based on production schedules and order demand, and making sure purchase orders go out with enough lead time to keep the floor running.
• Manage supplier communication on a day-to-day basis: confirming delivery schedules, chasing late orders, and resolving issues before they create a production stoppage.
• Track inbound shipments and maintain visibility into what's on order, what's in transit, and what's at risk, flagging potential shortages early and working through solutions.
• Support supplier performance reviews and contribute to sourcing decisions by maintaining clear records of delivery performance, lead times, and pricing.
• Own inventory accuracy for the facility including raw materials, consumables, and non-inventory items alike. That means running cycle counts, reconciling discrepancies, and making sure what's in the system reflects what's on the shelf.
• Monitor stock levels and manage reorder points to prevent stock-outs without carrying unnecessary inventory.
• Identify and flag excess, slow-moving, or obsolete inventory and work with operations leadership to resolve it.
• Maintain clean, audit-ready inventory records in the ERP system and support any inventory-related reporting needs.
• Own the carrier relationships for outbound finished goods shipments — negotiate rates, manage contracts, and hold carriers accountable to on-time performance and service commitments.
• Ensure finished goods get to customers and installation partners on time and within cost targets, escalating and problem-solving when things go sideways.
• Track outbound shipment performance and report on key metrics such as on-time delivery, freight cost per unit, in transit damages, bringing insights and recommendations to site leadership.
• Collaborate with the Partner Operations team to align outbound scheduling with installation partner timelines and VIN assignment workflows.
• Maintain and report on the core materials and logistics KPIs: inventory accuracy, fill rate, inbound on-time delivery, freight cost, and stock-out frequency.
• Use Power BI, Excel or equivalent tools to analyze consumption trends, track supplier performance, and surface risks before they become problems.
• Participate in lean and CI initiatives focused on reducing waste in the material flow and improving how materials move through the facility.

Benefits

• We're building something new in Louisville, and the Materials & Logistics Lead will play a direct role in whether it runs well from day one. If you like having real ownership over something that matters and working somewhere that moves fast and trusts you to make good calls, this is that job.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed