Senior Materials Manager; Air & Electromechanical Control Job Loves Park Illinois USA,Engineering

Position: Senior Materials Manager (Air & Electromechanical Control)
Location: Loves Park

Job Description Summary

Are you ready to see your career take flight? At GE Aerospace, we believe the world works better when it flies. We are a world-leading provider of jet engines, components, and integrated systems for commercial and military aircraft. We have a relentless dedication to the future of safe and more sustainable flight and believe in our talented people to make it happen.

The Senior Materials Manager (Air & Electromechanical Control) role in Loves Park is responsible for leading site internal end-to-end materials management and production control to support business objectives, with a primary focus on strengthening the Sale and Operations Planning (S&OP) process, optimizing inventory, improvement customer on-time delivery and enabling business unit transformation plans. This role partners closely with Operations, Finance, Commercial, Engineering and Program teams to ensure material availability, mitigate risk, and drive sustained improvements in service, cost, and working capital.

In this role, you will lead a team of materials professionals, partner closely with Operations, Sourcing, Engineering, and Program teams (~6 salaried direct reports and 20-25 hourly indirect reports), and drive continuous improvement in material flow, on-time delivery, and inventory performance for both production and new product/program introductions.

GE Aerospace in Loves Park, IL, focuses on the design and manufacturing of advanced aviation systems and components. This includes electrical power systems, actuation, pneumatic components, and participle separator systems for both military and civil aircraft. The facility also houses a world-class pneumatics laboratory for testing high-precision components like engine pneumatic valves and starter systems.

Job Description

Roles and Responsibilities

Materials Planning & Execution

Lead internal end-to-end materials planning for Air & Electromechanical Controls to support the master production schedule and customer demand
Lead supply-side SOP process, which includes capacity assessment, constraint management, level loading, and risk awareness/mitigation
Ensure material availability to meet Safety, Quality, Delivery, and Cost (SQDC) objectives
Own and maintain MRP health, including lead times, safety stocks, lot sizes, and planning parameters
Monitor and drive on-time delivery performance manufactured components
Coordinate with internal and external suppliers to resolve shortages, expedite critical parts, and mitigate supply risk via lean problem-solving methods

Inventory & Material Flow

Develop and execute inventory strategies balancing availability with working capital targets
Manage and improve inventory metrics, including inventory turns, excess and obsolete (E&O), and slow-moving stock
Drive high inventory accuracy through robust cycle counting and reconciliation processes
Optimize material flow from receiving to point-of-use, including kitting, staging, and material presentation
Implement and sustain lean material systems such as pull, kanban, supermarkets, and standard work for material handling

Leadership & Team Development

Lead, coach, and develop a team of materials planners, analysts, and/or material coordinators
Set clear goals and expectations aligned with SQDC and site business priorities
Provide regular performance feedback and support training, development, and succession planning
Foster a culture of respect, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Partner with Operations to align materials plans with capacity and production schedules
Collaborate with Sourcing to address supplier performance, capacity constraints, and long-lead strategies
Work with Engineering and Program teams to manage new product introductions and configuration changes
Coordinate implementation of engineering changes (ECO/ECR) and obsolescence plans with minimal disruption
Support customer meetings, internal reviews, and audits related to material readiness and performance

Continuous Improvement & Lean

Identify and execute continuous improvement projects in planning, scheduling, and material flow
Use data and problem-solving methods to address root…