Senior Manager, Materials & Planning

Sanders Industries Holdings•New Britain, CT

8h•$120,000 - $160,000

About The Position

KMM Precision Measuring is seeking an experienced, results-oriented Senior Manager – Materials & Planning to lead materials management, production planning, procurement, inventory control, and shipping/receiving. The position ensures timely and cost-effective availability of materials to support customer deliveries, manufacturing operations, and business growth. The Senior Manager directly leads a small team of materials professionals while remaining involved in daily planning, purchasing, inventory management, and operational problem-solving. The role combines strategic supply chain leadership with hands-on execution, using disciplined planning, supplier management, and data-driven decisions to improve delivery performance, inventory efficiency, and operational predictability. As a member of the management team, the Senior Manager will optimize KMM’s Epicor Kinetic ERP system, strengthen materials processes, and support continuous improvement across the business. The position requires using information subject to ITAR. Applicants must be U.S. persons as defined by ITAR: U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, political asylees, or refugees.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Business Administration, Engineering, or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant experience.
Minimum of 8–10 years of progressive experience in materials management, production planning, purchasing, or supply chain operations within a manufacturing environment.
At least 3 years of demonstrated supervisory or management experience.
Strong working knowledge of MRP, inventory management, purchasing, production scheduling, and materials control.
Experience using a modern manufacturing ERP system and ability to understand and manage planning parameters and transactional workflows.
Experience managing electronic components, complex bills of material, and long-lead-time purchased materials.
Demonstrated ability to manage suppliers, negotiate commercial terms, and resolve supply constraints.
Strong analytical, organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and ERP-based reporting and analysis.
Ability to work effectively in a small, fast-paced manufacturing organization requiring leadership and hands-on execution.
Applicants must be U.S. persons within the meaning of ITAR.

Nice To Haves

Direct experience with Epicor Kinetic ERP, including MRP, purchasing, inventory management, and production planning.
Experience in precision electronics, aerospace and defense, or other high-reliability manufacturing environments.
Familiarity with AS9100 quality management requirements and material traceability.
Experience with component obsolescence management, last-time buys, and supply chain risk mitigation.
Knowledge of make-to-order, make-to-stock, and engineered-to-order manufacturing environments.
APICS/ASCM CPIM or CSCP certification.
Experience implementing SIOP processes, ERP improvements, and operational KPI dashboards.
Familiarity with ITAR, export controls, and applicable aerospace and defense procurement requirements.

Responsibilities

Lead materials planning to ensure timely availability of purchased components, manufactured subassemblies, and finished goods.
Oversee production and material requirements plans aligned with customer orders, forecasts, inventory policies, and manufacturing capacity.
Establish and maintain disciplined Material Requirements Planning (MRP) processes within Epicor Kinetic.
Direct the Buyer/Planner team in reviewing MRP recommendations, identifying shortages, managing supply exceptions, and executing procurement and production planning.
Partner with Manufacturing, Engineering, Sales, and Customer Programs to establish realistic production schedules and customer delivery commitments.
Identify material constraints, long-lead components, and supply risks that could affect customer deliveries.
Maintain planning parameters, including lead times, safety stock, order policies, lot sizes, and purchasing requirements.
Support Sales, Inventory & Operations Planning (SIOP) to align demand, supply, inventory, and manufacturing capacity.
Oversee purchasing of electronic components, machined parts, fabricated assemblies, and other production materials, ensuring purchase orders comply with requirements, approved suppliers, and company policies.
Set supplier performance expectations and monitor on-time delivery, quality, responsiveness, cost, and lead-time performance.
Lead supplier negotiations on pricing, delivery schedules, minimum order quantities, and commercial terms.
Develop strategies to mitigate supply chain disruptions, component obsolescence, and single-source supplier dependencies.
Manage long-lead-time and end-of-life component procurement, including last-time buys and inventory exposure.
Coordinate with Engineering and Quality on alternate sourcing, supplier qualification, and component substitutions.
Ensure procurement complies with applicable customer, quality, contractual, and regulatory requirements.
Direct stockroom operations, including receiving, storage, identification, traceability, issuance, and inventory transactions.
Maintain inventory accuracy through cycle counting, physical inventory procedures, and disciplined ERP transactions.
Optimize inventory investment while maintaining material availability for manufacturing.
Monitor excess, obsolete, slow-moving, and at-risk inventory and recommend corrective actions.
Maintain material handling, storage, preservation, and traceability practices consistent with AS9100 requirements.
Control inventory movements, work-in-process materials, and inventory adjustments.
Collaborate with Finance on inventory valuation, reconciliation, and financial reporting.
Oversee daily shipping and receiving to ensure accurate, timely, and compliant movement of materials and finished products.
Ensure incoming materials are received and documented properly and routed for inspection or inventory placement.
Coordinate outbound shipments in accordance with customer delivery requirements and contractual commitments.
Maintain procedures for packaging, shipping documentation, carrier coordination, and shipment traceability.
Work with Quality, Customer Programs, and other functions to resolve receiving discrepancies, shipment issues, and delivery exceptions.
Support compliance with export control, ITAR, and customer-specific shipping requirements in coordination with designated compliance personnel.
Serve as functional leader for materials planning, purchasing, and inventory management processes in Epicor Kinetic.
Drive consistent, accurate, and timely ERP transactions across materials-related functions.
Improve ERP workflows, reporting, dashboards, and exception management; maintain appropriate planning and purchasing parameters for reliable MRP outputs.
Develop and maintain standard operating procedures for planning, purchasing, inventory control, and shipping/receiving.
Lead continuous improvement initiatives to reduce shortages and inventory discrepancies, improve schedule adherence, and increase operational efficiency.
Partner with Finance and other functions to strengthen internal controls, data integrity, and process accountability.
Supervise, coach, manage performance, and support professional development for Buyer/Planner, Stockroom, and Shipping/Receiving personnel.
Establish individual responsibilities, performance expectations, and daily operating priorities.
Lead regular materials review meetings addressing shortages, supplier commitments, inventory issues, and production readiness.
Collaborate with Manufacturing, Engineering, Quality, Finance, Sales, and Customer Programs to resolve operational constraints.
Escalate significant supply chain risks and recommend timely corrective actions to senior management.
Foster accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and proactive problem-solving while balancing longer-term improvements with hands-on daily execution.