MATERIALS MANAGER I

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Essential Functions:

Safety

• Ensure that all personnel reporting to this position carry on with their responsibilities in a safe and professional manner.
• Ensure personnel in this area are kept at the proper competency level through development, apprenticeship, coaching, etc.
• Ensure employees are provided appropriate guidance, counseling, or recognition on matters related to job performance and absenteeism. Maintain constructive and candid relationships by addressing issues in a timely manner.
• Lead the implementation of 5S concepts within Materials scope (offices, warehouses, stores).
• Ensure full adherence to NSG/Pilkington Values and Principles and the Standard of Business Conduct.

Planning & Scheduling

• Lead the development and execution of proactive material planning and production scheduling strategies to support operation.
• Oversee production scheduling and planning to ensure uninterrupted operations and on-time delivery. Balance inventory levels to meet customer demand while minimizing excess and obsolete stock.
• Lead a daily review of deliveries and synchronize necessary reactions across departments—including Production, Quality, Maintenance, and Shipping—to protect customer service and minimize disruptions. Provide feedback, align updates, and coordinate necessary reactions and resources with the plant management team through active participation in the daily plant meeting.
• Ensure schedule adherence and alignment of material releases with production priorities.
• Anticipate and communicate inventory impacts due to customer forecast changes, seasonal demand fluctuations, and product transitions.
• Lead, monitor and control freight costs through proactive planning, timely communication of exceptions, and implementation of improvement actions to optimize transportation efficiency while maintaining service levels.
• Lead the plant's Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process, that balances customer demand, capacity, labor, and inventory targets.
• Establish strong planning concepts, KPIs, and cadence to ensure predictable, responsive operations aligned with central teams, supply chain, commercial and manufacturing priorities.

Leadership & Cross-functional Collaboration

• Act as a key member of the plant leadership team, collaborating daily with Safety, Production, Maintenance, Engineering, Quality, and Finance to drive plant performance.
• Actively support daily production operations by coordinating fast and effective resolution of material flow disruptions.
• Lead rapid cross-functional coordination to resolve material shortages, shipping issues, or any disruption impacting production or customer delivery.
• Partner with central teams (supply chain, procurement, regional and global teams) to ensure continuity of supply and alignment with business strategies.
• Maintain clear communication and escalation protocols for emergent supply chain issues affecting customer's deliveries and operational performance.
• Lead the education and development process to address behavioral gaps, ensuring expectations are clearly defined, reinforced, and supported through consistent coaching, feedback, and accountability.

Inventory Controls & Compliance to SAP/Audits

• Lead implementation and maintenance of SOPs and best practices for SAP transactions, inventory accuracy, shipping/receiving, and warehouse operations.
• Drive excellence in the use of SAP for all supply chain functions including MRP, inventory transactions, material master data, and order tracking.
• Ensure all daily SAP transactions related to inventory movements, shipping, receiving, and material management are executed in full compliance with established procedures; conduct regular audits to verify data integrity and system discipline, and lead prompt cross-functional communication and corrective actions when inaccurate or incomplete SAP inputs are identified.
• Ensure full compliance with inventory-related internal controls, customer requirements, IATF 16949, and audit standards.
• Lead and manage weekly cycle counts and the physical inventory in line with NSG group procedures to meet accuracy targets.
• Control all inventories within budget and oversee actions to reduce surplus, obsolescence, and scrap while improving inventory turns and working capital.

Continuous Improvement

• Lead continuous improvement initiatives in planning, warehousing, inventory control, and material flow using structured problem-solving methods. Develop initiatives to ensure the achievement of OCS targets (operational cost saving) in line with department targets.
• Improve freight costs through structured initiatives such as optimizing transportation strategies, evaluating and onboarding alternative suppliers, redesigning logistics routes, and enhancing carrier performance—all while maintaining service reliability.
• Take ownership of obsolescence management by developing and executing a comprehensive recovery plan to reduce excess and aged inventory, including analysis, cross-functional coordination, strategic disposition, and process changes to prevent recurrence—critical to improving inventory health and working capital for the site.
• Control all departmental spending and Supply Chain costs within budget.
• Other duties as assigned by manager.

Scope/Dimensions:

• Single site manufacturing location with 2 shift operation, supplying finished goods to Tier 1 Automotive OEM and Tier 2 customers.
• Actively participating in problem solving teams and other groups as necessary to achieve KPI goals.
• Relies on experience and understanding of glass and plastics processes and written customer requirements to determine proper actions.
• Demands and priorities need adjusted regularly to provide a high level of service under tight timelines to several “customers” internally or externally.

Top 3 Competencies Needed for Success in the Role:

• Results: Decision Making
• People: People
• Vision: Customer Focused

Qualifications Required:

• Bachelor's Degree in Supply Chain Management, Operation Management, Engineering or related field.
• 5+ years of leadership experience in manufacturing supply chain, preferably in the automotive industry.
• Strong knowledge of MRP/ERP systems, with demonstrated SAP expertise.
• Proven ability to lead in a 24/7 operational environment with rapid decision-making needs. Willingness to work flexible hours and provide on-call support to sustain 24/7 operations.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Demonstrated success in leading cross-functional teams and driving systemic improvements

Qualifications Desired:

• Experience with lean material flow systems, Kanban, or Just-In-Time (JIT) replenishment.
• Working knowledge of IATF 16949 or other automotive quality standards.
• Six Sigma Blackbelt or greenbelt certification

Salary Range: $104,966 - $143,952

Equal Opportunity Employer This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.