Materials Planning and Logistics Manager; automotive

Materials Planning and Logistics Manager (automotive)

Location:

Union, SC
No Remote

Type:
Direct Hire

Material Planning & Logistics Manager
Union, SC

We are seeking an experienced Material Planning & Logistics Manager to lead all aspects of supply chain operations at our Union, SC facility. This is a high-impact leadership role responsible for customer service, demand planning, production scheduling, inventory management, warehousing, shipping, receiving, and internal logistics. The ideal candidate will be a strategic supply chain leader who can drive world-class delivery performance, optimize inventory, support operational excellence, and lead continuous improvement initiatives across the plant.

• Lead customer service, material planning, production scheduling, inventory control, warehousing, shipping, receiving, and logistics operations.
• Manage and develop a team of schedulers, planners, logistics, and materials professionals.
• Drive inventory accuracy, working capital improvements, and overall supply chain performance.
• Lead the Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process, aligning customer demand with plant capacity and business objectives.
• Ensure accurate customer order management, production schedules, and supplier material releases.
• Optimize material flow through Lean manufacturing principles, pull systems, PFEP, Kanban, and other continuous improvement tools.
• Manage ERP (SAP) planning parameters, inventory controls, and master data integrity.
• Support new product launches, engineering changes, packaging validation, and customer logistics requirements.
• Monitor key logistics KPIs, reduce premium freight costs, and drive corrective actions through structured problem-solving.
• Partner cross-functionally with Operations, Purchasing, Quality, Engineering, Finance, Suppliers, and Customers to achieve business goals.

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Operations, or a related field. Master's degree preferred.
• 7+ years of experience in supply chain, materials management, production control, scheduling, or logistics within a manufacturing environment.
• 3+ years of leadership experience managing supply chain or materials teams.
• Strong knowledge of ERP/MRP systems, preferably SAP.
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing principles, including pull systems, JIT, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Automotive manufacturing experience strongly preferred, particularly within stamping, welding, or paint operations.
• Experience working with automotive OEM customers and industry standards such as AIAG, VDA, and MMOG/LE is a plus.
• APICS certifications (CPIM, CSCP, etc.) are preferred.

• Proven leadership and team development skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent communication and customer relationship management skills.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced manufacturing environment while managing multiple priorities.
• Passion for operational excellence, continuous improvement, and delivering results.