Job Openings
Ashland City, TN
Materials Manager
The Materials Manager has primary responsibility for manufacturing site shipping, receiving, production scheduling and sequencing, raw materials requirements planning, raw materials purchasing, materials deployment within the manufacturing campus, materials movement to the production floor, control of inventory accuracy and cycle counting.
The Materials Manager sequences and coordinates site activities with local Production Management, communicates with Central Planning regarding capacity and production timing issues and product and production data, coordinates purchasing activities with Domestic and International Sourcing Operations; communicates with Distribution Operations and Customer Service regarding the timing of inventory availability. This position also facilitates new production requirements with Marketing in support of product changes and new product introductions.
The Materials Manager will coordinate with other Manufacturing Operations staff to minimize downtime and schedule changes due to shortages or misplacement of raw materials. Raw material inventory turns and minimal obsolescence of these materials is an essential deliverable. This position will strive for high inventory accuracy at time of physical inventory, minimal receiving corrections, and low accumulated inventory adjustments.
The responsibilities include but are not limited to:
- Shipping: Ensures the timeliness and accuracy of all shipments, including specific customer and regulatory requirements (HAZMAT) made either directly to customers or into the Homax distribution system
- Receiving: Ensures the timeliness and accuracy of all receipts and inventory transfer transactions into JDE specific to the Ashland City manufacturing campus. This includes transactions at vendors for Homax owned materials and at 3rd party warehouse locations
- Production Scheduling and Sequencing/MRP: Translates weekly bucketed Master Production Schedule to a daily sequential production plan by line that accounts for capacity constraints and overcomes bottleneck equipment. The Master Production Schedule and sequenced plan drive material deployment requirements and purchases of raw materials
- Raw Materials Purchasing: Ensure the timely placement of POs, availability of vendor held inventory and on-time delivery of materials. Proper levels of inventory must be maintained to support production and to minimize obsolescence, while maintaining optimal pricing and maximizing positive PPV opportunities. Vendor scorecards must be developed, maintained and shared with vendors in order to track cost, quality and delivery performance
- Deployment: Given specific space constraints within the physical manufacturing facility, actively manage deployment of deliveries based on the production plan from local vendor held inventory locations and 3rd party warehouses. Materials Movement: In order to minimize production downtime and schedule changes, make sure material movements within the manufacturing facility occur in coordination with the production plan, utilizing all drop and pick-up zones
- Inventory Control: Ensure that transactional integrity exists throughout the plant organization in all JDE activities that impact inventory. This at times will require providing training to specific individuals or functional teams. In addition, utilization of inventory locations within the manufacturing plant must be optimized for those items deemed necessary to keep on-hand
- Cycle Counting: Ensure a robust, routinely executed process exists to cycle count and determine root cause issues for inventory inaccuracies
- Product Data: In coordination with Central Planning, actively seek out and maintain accurate item attribute data that drives planning and cost management processes; i.e. lead-times, contract pricing, minimum order quantities, etc
- Safety and Regulatory: Adhere to federal, state and local regulations and codes, including but not limited to OSHA, EPA, FAA, insurance requirements, and local fire and building codes. Plan, manage and implement initiatives to remain within regulatory requirements working with the plant Safety Coordinator
- Quality: Work with manufacturing, quality, maintenance and finance operations to identify and communicate product quality problems. Work with these functions to define improvement programs, specifically managing projects associated with the vendor base
- Budgets: Provide input to operating budgets for plant operations and improvements
- Systems: Manage the use of integrated business systems to satisfy the process and reporting needs of the business. Work with IT to identify new systems or to better use existing systems to improve the materials management function
- Other: Work with other departments within the organization to achieve company objectives. Support other business initiatives and activities, as directed by supervisor
Supervisory Responsibilities
- Support Homax Core Values of Integrity, Customer Driven, Respect for People, and Innovation and Quality Improvement
- Good training skills and a strong belief in the importance of continuous training with a strong orientation towards continuous improvement. Support training requirements that build best in practice supply chain expertise in purchasing, planning, inventory control, shipping, receiving and material handling. This includes specific training on required JDE functionality as well as any federal, state and local regulations and codes, including but not limited to OSHA, EPA and FAA, that apply to material management
- As the leader of the Materials Management Team support the Homax Vision by providing customers with the best value through quality products, delivery management and customer service; creating opportunities for our customers to consolidate their supply chains; bringing to market innovative new products that hold competitive protection such as patents, proprietary formulations and brand uniqueness; adding through acquisition or licensing similar products that create economies of scale to capitalize on Homax’s sales force, customer base and distribution capabilities; promoting teamwork at all levels of the organization and creating an environment where all individuals are responsible for ensuring the highest level of quality in our products and services
- Purchasing, Scheduling and Production Control experience required; Accomplished in constructing, managing, and continuously improving a materials flow process that is in accordance with accepted JIT practices and lean manufacturing concepts. This includes determining root causes of material flow problems and successfully eliminating them
- Excellent understanding of BOMs, ECN processes and, Lean manufacturing techniques, preferred training in JIT and TQM
- Demonstrated leadership ability; ability to pull teams together; ability to develop people
- Excellent problem solving skills; demonstrated ability to lead teams in problem solving activities and creating change
- Proven ability to handle multiple priorities in a continuously changing environment
- Good verbal and written communication skills: ability to create partnerships with suppliers and the functional teams in the plant to create a better delivery system from vendor to finished goods shipping.
Eduacation/Experience
- Bachelor’s degree (B.A. or B.S.) from four-year College or university and five plus years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience
Communication Skills
- Ability to read, analyze, and interpret common industry related journals, financial reports, and legal documents. Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, or members of the business community. Ability to write reports and articles for publication that conforms to prescribed style and format. Ability to effectively present information to top management, clients, external groups, and/or boards of directors.
Reasoning and/or Critical Thinking Ability
- The ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instruction. Constructive thinking and alternative short- to long-term solutions must be considered. Action plans must be developed and implemented.
Computer Skills
- Advanced ability to operate computers and related software programs.
Technical Skills
- Project Management: Experience analyzing, evaluating, identifying and driving needed change in materials management activities
- Regulatory: Working knowledge of typical regulatory requirements within manufacturing settings; OSHA, EPA, FAA, DOT and HAZMAT
Certificates, Licenses and Registrations
- APICS or CPM certifications preferred
Physical Requirements and Work Environment
- This position requires the manual dexterity sufficient to operate phones, computers, and other office equipment. This person must communicate clearly using the English language to accurately convey information and be able to hear at normal speaking levels both in person and over the telephone. Vision correctable to 20/40 is required to review written materials
- Occasional exposure to adverse working conditions. Work may be performed in cramped or awkward positions. Occasional exposure to safety hazards, noises, traffic, inclement weather conditions, climbing and/or lifting (30+ lbs.) chemicals and other hazardous materials, and machinery
Interested candidates are encouraged to submit resume and cover letter including salary requirements to careers@homaxproducts.com or send to P.O. Box 5643, Bellingham, WA 98227. We offer a pleasant work environment with opportunities for professional growth, paid vacation, medical, dental, vision, short and long-term disability insurance, 401-K with matching and profit sharing contributions. No calls, please.