Senior Manager, Production Control Operations

Position Summary

At Slate, we’re building safe, reliable vehicles that people can afford, personalize and love. The Senior Manager, Production Control Operations will oversee all aspects of material management at the Warsaw Plant, ensuring efficient handling of raw materials, components, and finished vehicles to meet production targets and optimize cost efficiency.

• Direct daily operations of material management and logistics, overseeing scheduling, inventory management, kitting, lineside delivery, and service parts to ensure seamless workflow and timely production fulfillment.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a high‑performing team of Material Operations, Third‑Party Logistics (3PL), and service part management, fostering collaboration and accountability.
• Ensure strict adherence to safety, quality, and environmental regulations across all material handling and logistics processes.
• Collaborate with material planning, production control engineering, logistics, and production teams to validate that new processes, equipment, and layouts support operational excellence and maximize throughput.
• Review, synchronize, and provide actionable feedback to material and production planning teams to align schedules with material availability, supplier readiness, and build requirements.
• Coordinate closely with logistics, engineering, and production departments to align material strategies with build requirements and takt time objectives.
• Proactively monitor and resolve material shortages, delivery delays, and inventory discrepancies in real time to prevent production disruptions.
• Facilitate daily tier meetings and escalation routines to maintain build integrity, promptly addressing and resolving operational challenges.
• Support incoming inspection activities, ensure Bill of Materials accuracy, and oversee implementation of engineering changes.
• Partner with material planning and IT teams to maintain ERP/MRP system accuracy and ensure seamless data exchange with warehouse and shop‑floor control systems.
• Track, analyze, and optimize key performance indicators such as inventory accuracy, material availability rate, schedule adherence, inventory turnover, dock‑to‑stock time, line stoppages due to shortages, cycle‑count accuracy, material handling efficiency, and scrap or obsolescence rate.
• Drive ongoing improvements in material flow, cycle‑count practices, and system integration to enhance reliability and efficiency.
• Lead material kaizen initiatives to improve flow, reliability, and cost‑effectiveness throughout the factory via cross‑functional collaboration, data‑driven analysis, and frontline feedback.
• Must be willing to relocate to Warsaw, Indiana. Relocation assistance will be provided.

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Industrial Engineering, or a related field. Master’s degree is preferred.
• 12+ years of experience in automotive operations, manufacturing, and material or supply planning, with a focus on production control and operations.
• Strong understanding of ERP/MRP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, FUUZ) and MES integration.
• Proven ability to lead cross‑functional teams and drive daily execution in a startup or launch environment.
• Excellent problem‑solving, communication, and organizational skills.
• Experience with lean manufacturing, JIT, and kanban systems.
• Familiarity with ISO 9001 standards.

The role is set in a fast‑paced startup environment requiring hands‑on leadership. Work will take place across office, shop floor, and supplier engagement sites, and may require travel to suppliers, launch sites, or logistics hubs.

• Travel up to 20% of the time.
• Lifting up to 35 pounds.
• Ability to stand, walk, and perform repetitive tasks for extended periods.

Slate is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and affirmative action employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, marital status, parental status, cultural background, organization level, work styles, tenure, and life experiences. Slate is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities in its job application procedures.