Material Manager V

The Material Manager V is responsible for leading and executing materials management operations across multiple manufacturing sites. This hands-on role ensures consistent material availability, inventory accuracy, and efficient material flow to support production and customer delivery. The position requires active daily engagement in SAP Business ByDesign (BYD), close collaboration with plant teams, and coordination across sites to standardize processes and optimize performance.

This position reports to the Director of Supply Chain and will work onsite at Zinc Five headquarters in Tualatin, Oregon.

Material Manager V Job Duties:

• Oversee material planning, inventory, and flow across multiple manufacturing locations
• Balance inventory between sites to prevent shortages and excess
• Coordinate intercompany transfers and ensure accurate and timely system transactions in SAP BYD
• Standardize material control processes across all locations
• Ensure uninterrupted material supply to production lines at each facility
• Actively troubleshoot shortages, expedite materials, and escalate critical issues
• Partner with site production and planning leaders to align on daily and weekly schedules
• Spend time on-site regularly to validate execution and support teams
• Own inventory accuracy across all sites, with direct involvement in cycle counts and physical verification
• Conduct annual physical inventories as needed
• Investigate and resolve discrepancies using root cause analysis
• Manage safety stock levels and planning parameters within SAP BYD
• Control excess and obsolete inventory through proactive monitoring
• Utilize SAP Business ByDesign daily for MRP execution, demand planning, and inventory control
• Manage MRP exception messages, purchase requisitions, and stock transfers
• Work with internal assets to ensure data integrity across sites (BOMs, lead times, planning parameters, inventory records)
• Train and coach site users on best Material Management practices within SAP BYD
• Ensure consistent application of FIFO, lot traceability, and material handling standards
• Support optimization of warehouse layout and material flow
• Step into site-level operational support during peak demand or staffing gaps
• Work closely with procurement to manage supplier performance across all sites
• Actively track and expedite critical materials
• Support supplier issue resolution related to quality, delivery, or capacity constraints
• Drive lean material flow initiatives (Kanban, pull systems, point-of-use inventory)
• Identify and implement process improvements across sites
• Establish and enforce standard work and KPIs for materials management
• Lead cross-site collaboration and best-practice sharing
• Lead and mentor site-level materials teams (planners, buyers, warehouse staff)
• Establish clear priorities, accountability, and performance expectations
• Support hiring, training, and development of team members

Job Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Operations, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• Professional certifications such as ASCM - CPIM, ISM - CPSM
• 7+ years of experience in materials management within manufacturing
• Experience supporting multiple site locations
• Strong hands-on operational experience in inventory, planning, and warehouse operations
• Strong understanding of MRP logic, BOMs, routings, and lead times
• Advanced Excel and data analysis capability

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in Supply chain, Operations, or related field
• Prior leadership experience managing distributed teams preferred
• SAP Business ByDesign (BYD) experience preferred (MRP, inventory, and planning functions)

Key Competencies:

• Attention to detail
• Excellent communication skills - verbal and written
• Good judgment with solid decision making
• Customer service oriented
• Teamwork
• Continuous improvement
• Hands-on leadership (comfortable working on the floor across sites)
• Systems discipline (strong SAP BYD user with focus on data integrity)
• Multi-site coordination (balancing competing priorities across locations)
• Urgency & problem-solving (quick response to shortages and disruptions)
• Process standardization (driving consistency across plants)
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Critical thinking

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions:

• Travel between manufacturing sites (up to 10%)
• Significant time spent on plant floors and in warehouses
• Fast-paced, multi-priority environment requiring daily issue resolution
• Occasional after-hours support for critical production issues
• Must be able to maintain a level state of alertness while performing this job

Salary offers will depend on factors that include the location you work from, your level, education, training, specific skills, years of experience and comparison to other employees already in this role.

In addition, the successful candidate for this position will become eligible for a comprehensive set of outstanding benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, 401k, paid sick time, paid time off for vacation, paid holidays, paid community service days, professional/personal…