Aerospace Materials Manager

You'll partner closely with Operations, Production, Engineering, Quality, Program Management, and Finance to execute our Sales, Inventory & Operations Planning (SIOP) process and push continuous improvement across the supply chain. The Materials Manager/Lead drives the planning, procurement, inventory control, and material flow that keep our precision aerospace manufacturing operations running.

Eleven Recruiting is searching for a Materials Manager/Lead to join one of our largest aerospace manufacturing clients sitting onsite in Rockford, Illinois. The Materials Manager/Lead drives the planning, procurement, inventory control, and material flow that keep our precision aerospace manufacturing operations running. This role owns material availability, optimizes inventory, strengthens supplier performance, and keeps customer deliveries on time. You'll partner closely with Operations, Production, Engineering, Quality, Program Management, and Finance to execute our Sales, Inventory & Operations Planning (SIOP) process and push continuous improvement across the supply chain.

Responsibilities: 

• Develop and execute production material plans aligned with customer demand and master production schedules.
• Manage MRP recommendations and ensure timely release of purchase orders and manufacturing orders.
• Analyze excess, obsolete, and slow-moving inventory and develop reduction plans.
• Establish inventory policies including safety stock and reorder points. Purchasing & Supplier Management.
• Manage procurement of raw material, machined components, outside processing, hardware, and indirect materials.
• Negotiate pricing, lead times, and supplier agreements.
• Develop strategic supplier relationships focused on quality, cost, delivery, and responsiveness.
• Coordinate daily material availability with production scheduling.
• Lead shortage meetings and establish recovery plans.
• Support engineering changes and material transitions.
• Ensure material transactions are completed accurately within the ERP system.
• Lead Productivity Projects focused on supplier performance improvement and Purchase Price Variance (PPV) savings.
• Improve inventory turns and cash utilization.
• Reduce supplier lead times.
• Improve supplier on-time delivery.
• Standardize planning processes across company location.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Operations, Business, Engineering, or related field.
• 10+ years of experience in materials management, supply chain, purchasing, or production planning with 3+ years as a Sr. Buyer.
• MUST have experience in aerospace industry and AS9100.
• Strong ERP/MRP experience (Epicor, Infor, SAP, Oracle, or equivalent).
• Strong analytical and Excel skills.
• APICS CPIM or CSCP certification preferred.
• Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or Continuous Improvement experience needed.
• Government contracting or defense industry experience preferred.

Salary: $90,000 - $110,000
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