Materials Manager

ebm-papst Inc.•Farmington, CT

5h•$110,000 - $125,000

About The Position

The Materials Manager – Planning & Execution is responsible for leading and integrating production planning, materials management, and warehouse operations to ensure stable, efficient production flow. This role oversees the alignment of demand, material availability, and execution readiness to support production schedules and customer commitments. The Materials Manager drives a proactive operating model focused on material availability, schedule adherence, and inventory performance, while eliminating reactive expediting and production disruption. This position plays a critical role in enabling consistent plant performance through strong leadership, cross-functional coordination, and disciplined execution of material and planning processes.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Supply chain, Operations, Business, or related field
5+ years of experience in materials management, planning, or operations
Prior leadership experience managing cross-functional or operational teams
Strong knowledge of production planning and scheduling
Strong knowledge of inventory management systems
Strong knowledge of warehouse operations
Experience with ERP/MRP systems
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
Effective communication and leadership capabilities

Nice To Haves

Lean / Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or higher)
Experience in manufacturing operations or turnaround environments
Experience leading integrated planning and materials functions

Responsibilities

Lead master planning and production planning to align demand with plant capacity
Ensure all production orders are fully planned and materially ready prior to release
Maintain a stable and executable production schedule aligned with business priorities
Coordinate closely with manufacturing to support daily execution requirements
Lead end-to-end material flow across inbound supply, internal movement, and line-side delivery
Ensure material availability to support production without disruption
Identify and resolve material shortages proactively
Maintain a single, prioritized view of material constraints aligned to production needs
Maintain optimal inventory levels to support production and customer demand
Balance inventory availability with working capital objectives
Monitor and improve inventory accuracy and turnover
Conduct regular audits and address discrepancies
Lead warehouse and material handling teams across shifts
Ensure efficient storage, movement, and delivery of materials
Establish and maintain standardized material handling processes
Improve space utilization and flow through lean practices
Monitor and analyze key performance metrics, including schedule adherence, on-time start performance, material shortages, and inventory levels and turns
Provide regular reporting and insights to leadership
Identify trends and implement corrective actions
Lead initiatives to improve material flow efficiency, planning accuracy, and inventory control
Apply lean tools and methods, including pull systems, Kanban, value stream mapping, and 5S
Eliminate waste and reduce variability in materials and planning processes
Partner with Manufacturing, Procurement/Supply Chain, and Engineering/CI
Ensure alignment between demand, material supply, and production capability
Lead daily material and planning reviews to ensure alignment with production
Maintain visibility to near-term risks (0–12 week horizon)
Ensure all issues are identified early, assigned clear ownership, and tracked to resolution
Lead and develop teams across planning, materials, and warehouse/logistics
Establish clear expectations, accountability, and performance standards
Build capability in planning, material control, and execution discipline
Ensure safe material handling and warehouse operations
Maintain compliance with company policies and regulatory requirements
Promote safe work practices across all areas of responsibility