Materials Manager

Reference: i375

Client: Our client, a Fortune Top 150 company, has 95.000 employees on six continents. It is the world's largest independent supplier of specific technical systems. Continuous development of new products and improvement of quality, service, productivity and time compression have caused more than 50 consecutive years of growth. Prime objective is to continually exceed their customers' increasing expectations. The business unit, with plants in different European countries, focuses on several OEM's. The Dutch plant has been an operating company of this client since 1997. This JIT plant delivers interior systems in sequence to different brands.

Job description: Reporting to the Plant Manager you manage a team of circa 40 employees. You are overall responsible for the materials function: materials procurement, receiving, storage, and inventory control. Your varied brief includes ensuring the on-time delivery of customer orders and the cost-effective use of personnel, equipment, and inventories, including the development and maintenance of an orderly and cost-effective system. This will enable production and sales goals to be met while minimizing inventory and freight costs. You man-age inventory and material logistics and help ensure cost-efficient operations. Your main tasks: manage the Materials Management staff (provides timely and accurate information concerning shipments) and customer-service-related activities to ensure that the customer's needs are met and that the customer is kept informed; select, motivate, train, and ensure the development of a competent departmental staff. Monitor departmental personnel and ensure that they work according to company policies and procedures and demonstrate only the highest levels of ethical, health, safety and environmental standards; ensure the systems (JDTS and MFGPro) are in place and functioning, which will integrate factory capacity, shop and vendor lead times, current shop load and master plans. The system will assist in meeting customer demands and holding inventories at acceptable levels; develop good working relationships with all other support and service departments within the company. Ensure that those under their supervision maintain a safe and cost-efficient environment resulting in highest quality (products, material, services). Work together with these departments on engineering changes as well as production launches and phase outs; represent the Materials Department at management meetings. Recommend and assist with the development, planning and formulation of policies and long-range and short-range objectives and operating goals; establish a department budget. Monitor and be accountable for controlling the budget and take responsibility for economical trade-offs (optimization between different logistical functions). Direct the timely and accurate preparation of various reports (KPI) required by senior management; develop and maintain effective relationships with representatives of the material suppliers and with carriers; manage the most economical inbound and outbound transportation routes. Look for opportunities to combine shipments, milk runs and warehouse consolidation and distribution; establish optimum storage locations and handling methods. Wherever practicable, use the WOW system. Promote visual management and FIFO; determine and maintain appropriate equipment to load, unload, move, and store materials, including gravity feed racks. Determine, recommend, and maintain containers to be used and manage the in-house personnel involved in the maintenance and handling of materials; support of project teams of new product line launch; set up Material Systems.

Requirements:
· University degree in Economics or degree in Engineering plus economic background
· At least five years managerial experience in the areas of materials management and in-ventory control, preferably in industry
· Knowledge of supply chain relations in automotive industry, material management, handling and transportation, supply management concepts and practices, MFGPro and EDP
· People manager with strong leadership skills
· Team player with empathy
· Self starter with strong communication and planning skills
· Change agent, capable of implementing changes
· Negotiating skills, able to sell ideas, fighting spirit
· Ability to work effectively in an international organization
· Fluency in English; any other European language is a plus

Features: This position represents the opportunity to impact within a dynamic international group. Our client invites you to bring your skills and experiences to the diverse team of dynamic people who have contributed to outstanding growth and reputation. The company is committed to valuing the differences among the employees. Career opportunities can be overseas.

Location: South of The Netherlands

Consultant: Jolanda Bijl

General Application