Strategic Materials & Planning Manager

Qualdoc•Marietta, OH

1d•Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking an experienced Strategic Materials & Planning Manager to lead supply chain operations within a manufacturing environment supporting engineered-to-order and configure-to-order products. This position is responsible for material planning, procurement strategy, inventory performance, supplier management, and team leadership while ensuring uninterrupted support of production schedules and customer projects. This role combines day-to-day operational oversight with long-term supply chain planning and requires close collaboration with project management, sales, engineering, production, quality, and executive leadership teams.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Operations Management, Engineering, or a related field.
7+ years of progressive supply chain experience within a manufacturing environment.
Minimum of 3 years leading buyers, planners, or supply chain personnel.
Experience supporting electrical, electromechanical, industrial, or engineered manufacturing operations.
Strong knowledge of material planning, procurement, inventory management, and supplier performance programs.
Advanced experience with ERP/MRP systems such as SAP, Oracle, Epicor, Infor, IFS, or similar platforms.
Proven success improving inventory performance while maintaining material availability.
Experience working closely with project management, engineering, sales, operations, and finance teams.
Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills.
Advanced Microsoft Excel and reporting capabilities.

Nice To Haves

APICS CPIM, CSCP, CPSM, C.P.M., or related certifications.
Experience supporting power distribution products including switchgear, UPS systems, PDCs, STS, RPPs, and related equipment.
Familiarity with UL, ANSI, NEMA, NEC, and IEC standards.
Experience developing sourcing strategies for electromechanical components such as breakers, transformers, enclosures, bus systems, and power electronics.
Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma certification.
Experience with VMI, consignment inventory, blanket purchase agreements, and strategic inventory programs.
Exposure to import compliance and international sourcing activities.

Responsibilities

Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Buyer Planners. Establish performance goals, conduct reviews, and support employee development. Balance workloads across team members based on project demands and business priorities. Promote effective ERP/MRP utilization and ensure planning activities are executed through established systems. Support cross-training, succession planning, and professional development initiatives.
Align material plans with project schedules, customer commitments, and production requirements. Participate in project kickoff activities to identify long-lead components and supply risks. Monitor shortages and coordinate corrective actions to minimize project disruptions. Partner with project management teams to ensure material availability supports delivery commitments. Support quick-ship, configure-to-order, and engineered-to-order programs.
Provide material availability and lead-time guidance during quoting and order planning activities. Participate in Sales, Inventory, and Operations Planning (SIOP) discussions. Review sales forecasts, backlog trends, and anticipated demand to support inventory decisions. Assist with customer stocking agreements, blanket orders, and inventory programs.
Develop sourcing strategies for critical and long-lead materials. Identify supply chain risks and implement mitigation plans, including dual sourcing, safety stock, and supplier partnerships. Support commodity strategy initiatives and supplier positioning efforts. Evaluate make-versus-buy opportunities and provide recommendations to leadership. Monitor market trends, pricing changes, tariffs, and supply constraints impacting operations.
Manage inventory levels, working capital, inventory turns, and excess or obsolete inventory. Establish and maintain inventory policies including safety stock, reorder points, and cycle count programs. Lead annual physical inventory activities and inventory reconciliation efforts. Drive improvements in inventory accuracy and overall inventory performance.
Monitor supplier performance related to delivery, quality, responsiveness, and lead times. Conduct supplier business reviews and manage performance improvement initiatives. Support supplier qualification, development, and corrective action processes. Participate in supplier negotiations and long-term agreement management. Partner with quality teams on SCAR activities and supplier improvement efforts.
Maintain accurate item master, BOM, supplier, and planning data. Review MRP outputs and address planning exceptions. Support ERP system enhancements and reporting improvements. Promote data accuracy and system discipline throughout the supply chain organization.
Develop and present supply chain performance reports and KPI dashboards. Analyze inventory, supplier, and material availability metrics. Lead continuous improvement projects focused on planning effectiveness, inventory optimization, warehouse efficiency, and supplier performance. Support Lean Manufacturing, 5S, and waste-reduction initiatives.