Senior Manager , Materials

GE Appliances•Decatur, AL

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Manager, Materials is an area business leader responsible for leading and developing the hourly Materials team to ensure reliable material flow in support of production operations. The role partners closely with Manufacturing and Quality to drive safety, quality, delivery, and cost performance through lean continuous improvement. It owns day-to-day material availability and scheduling execution using Oracle EBS, builds a strong problem-solving culture through structured tools, and reinforces standard work and visual management. The position also champions safety, leads EHS improvement initiatives, supports quality objectives, and drives variable-cost productivity to achieve plant goals. The role is based in Decatur, Alabama. Working conditions include both office and manufacturing environments. Work may involve lifting materials and products up to 25 pounds. Work in the manufacturing environment requires safety equipment, including safety glasses, hearing protection, gloves, and work shoes or boots. GE Appliances describes its culture as centered on people, inclusion, diversity, belonging, engagement, and flexibility in arranging work with a leader to balance individual, team, and business needs.

Requirements

At least 5 years of leadership experience in a manufacturing environment, including supplier management and project implementation, with technical acumen across supply chain functions such as manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, materials, quality, procurement, and fulfillment; alternatively, be a GE Appliances Supply Chain Development Program or GearUp graduate.
Demonstrated leadership experience in a unionized manufacturing environment, leading both salaried and hourly teams.
Ability to collaborate in cross-functional environments to meet operational and customer requirements.
Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing setting.
Results-driven approach, including use of analytical and structured problem-solving methods and consistent follow-through.
Experience leading team-based projects and driving change through influence and collaboration.
Working knowledge of lean manufacturing principles and continuous improvement practices.
Strong technical aptitude relevant to materials, manufacturing, and supply chain operations.
Effective written, verbal, and presentation communication skills at all organizational levels.
Initiative, energy, accountability, and ability to develop within a team-based environment.
Legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire and able to maintain authorization without current or future employer or school sponsorship; the employer will not sponsor employment-based visas for this position.
Ability to work in office and manufacturing environments; work may involve lifting materials and products up to 25 pounds, and manufacturing work requires safety equipment such as safety glasses, hearing protection, gloves, and work shoes or boots.

Nice To Haves

BS/BA degree preferred, ideally in industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, or electrical engineering, or equivalent.
Six Sigma certification preferred.
Strong knowledge of Lean, DMAIC, workout, and other change mechanisms.

Responsibilities

Coach, lead, and develop the hourly Materials team, including team leaders, to ensure reliable material flow and achieve plant goals.
Partner with Manufacturing and Quality to improve safety, ergonomics, scrap, downtime, and overall operational performance.
Drive continuous improvement using lean methodologies to reduce waste and improve key business KPIs.
Own day-to-day material availability and scheduling execution using Oracle EBS to identify, troubleshoot, and resolve issues.
Communicate plant and area operational goals and use structured problem-solving tools, such as A3s, to define problems, track actions, and sustain results.
Coach teams on root cause analysis, prioritization, and effective escalation to build a problem-solving culture.
Reinforce standard work, visual management, and escalation processes in support of the Appliance Production System, while developing Materials team leaders.
Promote safety through compliance with EHS standards, including PPE, safety contacts, safe starts, and timely accident investigations with effective corrective actions.
Lead EHS improvement initiatives to reduce OSHA recordables and lost-time incidents and improve employee engagement and safety performance metrics.
Ensure materials processes support quality objectives and minimize Cost of Quality.
Drive variable-cost productivity by reducing labor, scrap, and overtime while improving hours per unit.
Use Oracle data and reports to proactively identify and correct part accuracy, inventory, and scheduling issues.