Materials Manager

Materials ManagerWhisker is redefining what it means to live with cats—designing intelligent systems that remove friction, elevate the everyday, and celebrate the quiet brilliance of feline companionship. Today, Litter-Robot leads the category. Tomorrow, an entire ecosystem that expands what's possible for cats and the people who love them. We believe the future is feline. And we're imagining that future today.This role will be onsite five days a week out of our Juneau, Wisconsin office. Our team of 700+ passionate pet people thrives on collaboration, innovation, and the occasional office cameo from a four-legged friend.The Materials Manager leads the end-to-end flow of materials supporting Whisker's manufacturing operations—from production planning and supplier commitments through receiving, inventory control, material movement, and production support. This leader is responsible for ensuring material availability while balancing customer service, production requirements, inventory investment, warehouse capacity, and cost.The Materials Manager partners closely with Operations, Engineering, Quality, Finance, Marketing/Demand Planning, and other Supply Chain functions to support company growth, new-product launches, and an exceptional customer experience. Functions reporting to this role initially include procurement, production planning and scheduling, BOM and materials master-data management, inventory control and cycle counting, and materials warehousing. This manager will support a team of approximately 9 salaried support, 8 hourly support, and 30 warehouse support.Based on your experience, this role may be elevated to Senior Materials Manager.The Materials Manager develops and executes Whisker's materials strategy to ensure the right materials are available in the right quantities and at the right time. This role leads procurement, production planning, inventory control, materials warehousing, and BOM-related processes while driving improvements in service, inventory, material flow, cost, and team performance.Essential Duties and Responsibilities:This list of duties and responsibilities is not all-inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties and responsibilities as deemed necessary.Oversees material resource planning to ensure appropriate levels of inventory are in place to support production schedules and inventory targets without exceeding warehouse capacityLeads a team of buyers to facilitate timely placements of purchase orders and communication with suppliers to ensure on-time delivery of components to support production plansOversees the production planning/scheduling team to meet customer and retail demand + lead time commitmentsLeads and coordinates short- and long-term capacity planning in relation to both current and future state objectives to meet both tactical and strategic goalsIdentifies solutions to supply chain challenges, working with cross-functional teams to ensure customer satisfaction is protectedContributes to the sales & operations planning, working directly with supply chain, marketing, finance, and operations teamsManages the part warehouses and material movements within: receiving, storage, and transfersMaintains accurate finished goods, work-in-progress and raw material inventories through ongoing transactional discipline, cycle counting program, operational processes, and annual physical inventory countsWorks with engineering and manufacturing to ensure timely communication and execution of BOM buildouts, pilot builds, and new program launchesDevelops processes to enhance systemic efficiency across the entire organizationIntegrates new software solutions, ERP functionality, and corresponding processes to better and more efficiently run the departmentChampions continuous improvement throughout their department including safety, quality, accountability, and employee development. Includes process and system gap identification with actions to remediateWill perform additional responsibilities when requiredLeadership Responsibilities:Directly supervises the department. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with Whisker policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, training, and hiring team members, planning and prioritization, assigning and directing work, ensuring accountability, appraising performance, addressing team member issues, and upholding safety and quality guidelines.Requirements:What You'll Bring:Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, and/or equivalent years of experienceMinimum of 5 years experience in Materials Leadership, preferably in a Manufacturing or Assembly environmentPrior management experience leading a team include purchasing, planning, supplier, and inventory management personnelStrong knowledge of ERP/MRP systems requiredStrong knowledge of production planning, inventory costing, working-capital management, and scheduling principlesStrong written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills at all levels of the organization and with various external stakeholdersDemonstrated hands on approach, learning systems and able to cover for team when neededExcellent analytical and organizational skills along with the ability to handle multiple projects effectivelyProactive communication with cross functional and leadership teamsMaintains confidentiality of proprietary informationAbility to maintain a professional atmosphere in a fast-paced environment with numerous interactions and interruptionsA high degree of initiative and focus on accountabilityAbility to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with Team Members and colleaguesComfortable with office pets (cats, dogs)Not Required but Nice to Have!Experience in a medium- to high-volume consumer-products or durable-goods manufacturing environment.APICS/ASCM certification, such as CPIM or CSCP.MBA or advanced degree in supply chain, operations, or a related discipline.SAP ERP experience; SAP Business One experience is especially beneficial.Experience selecting, implementing, or optimizing ERP, MRP, WMS, and other bolt-on software solutions.Experience leading or actively participating in an S&OP process.Experience with lean material systems, including PFEP, supermarkets, kanban, and point-of-use replenishment.Experience supporting new-product introductions, engineering changes, and product phase-in/phase-out activities.Benefits & Perks:Join a tenacious, inventive company that empowers team members to chart their own path, lead by grounding decisions in the "why", and has a strong sense of empathy and openness to new perspectives. Be a part of exciting growth, work with incredible people, and create tomorrow's pet products—plus a whole lot of extras. You will also be provided with:Premium Medical/Dental/Vision insurancePaid parental leaveWhisker Parents Program1 day "pawternity" leave for new pet adoptionPet Insurance Discount401K matchFlexible spending accountsCompany-paid short-term disability and life insuranceEmployee Assistance Program (EAP)Generous paid time off14 Paid HolidaysTop of the line equipmentPet-friendly officeWhisker products and swagContinuing education SupportOn-site gym with PelotonReferral programStatement of Inclusivity:We believe different perspectives make Whisker better and strive to create a place where everyone has equal opportunities to thrive.