Materials Manager

Job Description

Materials Manager – Automotive & Industrial Hydraulics Manufacturing

Location: TERREPOWER Sparta, TN

Department: Operations / Supply Chain

Reports To: Plant Manager

Employment Type: Full-Time, On-Site

Job Summary

We are seeking a highly organized and proactiveMaterials Managerto step into a critical, established role within our fast-paced, lean-focused manufacturing facility. This is a backfill position, offering the opportunity to build on a solid foundation while driving continuous improvement in material flow, inventory accuracy, and production support.

Reporting directly to the Plant Manager, the Materials Manager will oversee a team of material handlers and warehouse personnel, ensuring seamless operations across 10 active production cells supporting both automotive and industrial hydraulic product lines. The ideal candidate will bring strong ERP expertise—particularly in Oracle, SAP, and Excel—and a hands-on approach to leadership, problem-solving, and cross-functional collaboration.

Key Responsibilities

Daily Operations

• Record and enter production data into Oracle; reconcile discrepancies between production and lead sheets.
• Manage inventory movements and maintain accurate locator systems.
• Ensure timely delivery of core and components to production cells to prevent downtime.
• Issue requests and provide production guidance to cell leads based on yield and customer-specific requirements.
• Resolve inventory issues and coordinate with shipping to address material discrepancies.
• Maintain real-time visibility of material availability and production flow.
  
  

Weekly & Monthly Planning

• Develop and communicate production schedules based on firm orders, inventory levels, and customer demand.
• Prioritize past-due orders and maintain real-time tracking spreadsheets.
• Identify and communicate component shortages to procurement.
• Generate and distribute fill rate reports using Oracle data.
• Respond to customer-specific expedite and backlog lists (e.g., Denso, Bosch, Nissan).
• Participate in bi-weekly customer meetings and monthly reporting cycles.
• Load and format SIOP data into Oracle MRP and update turbo sheet calculations.
  
  

Performance Metrics

• Monitor and improve key KPIs, including:
• Fill Rate – Timely fulfillment of customer orders
• Material Variance – Accuracy of material usage vs. plan
• Backorders – Reduction and resolution of delayed shipments
  
  

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Coordinate closely with the procurement team to communicate material needs and shortages.
• Serve as the primary liaison between production planning and customer service for reporting planned ship dates and order statuses.
• Collaborate with operations, shipping, and quality teams to ensure alignment on production priorities and delivery commitments.
  
  

Hydraulics Support

• Provide backup support for work order/pick issuing and shipping/receiving functions.
• Maintain accurate locators and resolve inventory discrepancies.
• Support internal customer service and assist with demand projections.
  
  

Team Leadership

• Supervise and support a team of material handlers and warehouse personnel.
• Provide training, guidance, and performance feedback to drive accountability and continuous improvement.
• Foster a culture of safety, efficiency, and lean thinking across all material handling operations.
  
  

Required

Qualifications & Skills

• 5 years of experience in materials management or production planning in a manufacturing environment.
• Proficiency in Oracle and SAP ERP systems.
• Advanced Excel skills, including pivot tables, VLOOKUPs, and data analysis.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and organizational abilities.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, lean-focused setting.
• Oversees cycle counting processes and yearly inventory.
• Helping to create and lead cycle counting program.
  
  

Preferred But Not Required

• Experience working with automotive or industrial hydraulic customers.
• Familiarity with lean manufacturing principles or continuous improvement initiatives.
• Exposure to customer-facing roles involving production status and delivery updates.