Materials and Procurement Specialist

Novagard Solutions•Cleveland, OH

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Materials and Procurement Specialist is responsible for supporting manufacturing operations through procurement, material planning, scheduling coordination, supplier management, and reporting activities. This role ensures raw materials, packaging, and production-critical supplies are available to support production requirements while balancing inventory levels, supplier performance, and operational priorities. The position works closely with Operations, Production Scheduling, Engineering, Quality, R&D, and Logistics teams to maintain continuity of supply, improve operational visibility, and support efficient manufacturing operations. The Materials and Procurement Specialist also supports the development of reporting tools, exception-management processes, and continuous improvement initiatives that enhance supply chain performance and production readiness.

Requirements

5+ years of experience in procurement, supply chain, production planning, or materials management within a manufacturing environment.
Experience supporting production scheduling and material planning activities.
Strong understanding of inventory management, material flow, and ERP/MRP planning systems.
Experience developing operational reports, dashboards, KPIs, or exception-management tools.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
Ability to analyze data and make sound operational and business decisions.
Experience negotiating with suppliers and managing supplier relationships.
Understanding of supplier quality requirements and material specifications.
Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.
Ability to manage competing priorities and respond effectively in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
Continuous improvement mindset with experience supporting process improvement initiatives.
Advanced Excel and ERP/MRP system experience.

Nice To Haves

Chemical manufacturing experience preferred.
Knowledge of lean manufacturing and continuous improvement concepts preferred.
International sourcing or trade compliance experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Source and procure raw materials, packaging, and services required to support manufacturing operations.
Develop and maintain supplier relationships to ensure quality, delivery performance, responsiveness, continuity of supply, and competitive pricing.
Negotiate pricing, lead times, minimum order quantities, and commercial terms to optimize total cost of ownership.
Monitor supplier performance and coordinate corrective actions related to quality, delivery, responsiveness, and service issues.
Identify and evaluate alternate suppliers and sourcing opportunities to reduce risk and improve supply chain resilience.
Ensure purchased materials comply with applicable customer, quality, and regulatory requirements.
Coordinate with Operations and Production Scheduling teams to ensure material availability for upcoming production requirements.
Review production schedules, inventory levels, and demand forecasts to identify potential shortages, supply constraints, or inventory risks.
Prioritize and expedite critical materials to support production needs and minimize downtime.
Assist in balancing production priorities, supplier lead times, and inventory levels to support operational efficiency.
Coordinate with suppliers, logistics providers, and internal teams to resolve supply disruptions and delivery issues.
Develop and maintain reporting tools, dashboards, and tracking systems to improve visibility to material availability, supplier performance, inventory levels, and production risks.
Build and manage exception-based reporting processes to proactively identify shortages, late deliveries, inventory concerns, and schedule risks.
Analyze procurement, inventory, and production data to identify trends, gaps, and improvement opportunities.
Support development and standardization of supply chain, procurement, and material planning processes.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on inventory optimization, planning accuracy, supplier performance, and operational efficiency.
Assist in establishing KPIs and performance metrics related to procurement, inventory, material availability, and supplier performance.
Support ERP/MRP system improvements and data accuracy initiatives.
Maintain accurate procurement records, material specifications, certifications, and supplier documentation within ERP/MRP systems.
Support internal, customer, and supplier audits as required.
Collaborate with Operations, Engineering, Quality, R&D, Scheduling, and Logistics teams to support production requirements, new product introductions, and process improvement initiatives.
Support budgeting, cost tracking, and reporting related to material spending and supply chain initiatives.
Adhere to company policies, ethical sourcing standards, and safety requirements in all supply chain activities.