Material Handling Supervisor

Avantor; Carpinteria (CA); On-site; USD 62,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Avantor is seeking a Material Handling Supervisor, EWM to lead all Extended Warehouse Management (EWM) processes at the Carpinteria, CA site. You will supervise warehouse staff, ensure accurate system usage, and drive improvements across picking, putaway, replenishment, and shipping operations.

You will act as BPL for EWM, coordinate with IT and SAP support, and maintain process documentation. A strong background in SAP EWM and Lean is essential for success in this role.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, Logistics, Operations Management, or related field preferred; equivalent experience may be considered.
• 3–5+ years of warehouse or logistics experience, including hands‑on involvement with inventory movement and fulfillment processes.
• Prior leadership or supervisory experience overseeing warehouse staff or material handlers.
• Strong working knowledge of SAP, preferably S/4HANA with Extended Warehouse Management (EWM).
• Experience as a super user or process owner is highly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in process improvement, workflow optimization, or Lean/continuous improvement methodologies.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to review operational data, identify inefficiencies, and recommend corrective actions.

Responsibilities

• Supervise distribution team to meet daily objectives including warehouse operators and material handlers.
• Oversee order fulfillment, inventory movement, and shipping scheduling to align with plans and targets.
• Serve as the site’s Business Process Leader (BPL) for SAP S/4HANA EWM and ensure process consistency.
• Lead daily oversight of warehouse operations: picking, putaway, replenishment, staging, shipping, and inventory movements.
• Coach and develop warehouse staff, providing direction and performance feedback.
• Monitor EWM task queues, prioritize workload, and allocate labor to prevent bottlenecks.
• Maintain SOPs and training materials; conduct end-user training on EWM practices.
• Analyze data to identify inefficiencies and drive continuous improvement in productivity.
• Ensure inventory accuracy with timely cycle counts and proper bin management.

Skills

Leadership

SAP EWM

Training

Lean

Analytics

Communication

Cross-functional

Inventory control

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

SAP S/4HANA

Job description

The Opportunity:

Avantor is looking for a Material Handling Supervisor, EWM to serve as the site’s primary leader for all Extended Warehouse Management (EWM) processes within SAP S/4HANA. They will oversee the daily activities of the warehouse material handlers and function as the Business Process Leader (BPL) for EWM, ensuring system accuracy, operational discipline, and continuous improvement across all warehouse workflows. The Supervisor is responsible for aligning warehouse practices with SAP standards, coordinating system issue resolution, developing and maintaining process documentation, and providing ongoing training to end users. In addition, the role provides direct leadership and oversight to the warehouse team, driving performance, supporting material flow, and ensuring timely and accurate execution of picking, putaway, replenishment, staging, and shipping tasks. The Supervisor, EWM plays a critical role in restoring and improving operational performance, enhancing customer response time, reducing OTIF backlog, and ensuring consistent, reliable support for production and delivery operations. This is a full-time position based out of our Carpinteria, CA office.

How you will thrive and create an impact:

• Delivers day-to-day operational objectives through the supervision of a team of distribution associates, including warehouse operators, material handlers and/or administrative support staff.
• Sets daily priorities for the team and oversees execution of distribution activities such as order fulfillment, inventory movement, and shipment scheduling, ensuring alignment with operational plans and service targets.
• Serve as the site’s Business Process Leader (BPL) for SAP S/4HANA EWM, ensuring process consistency, system accuracy, and adherence to standardized workflows.
• Lead daily oversight of internal warehouse operations, including picking, putaway, replenishment, staging, shipping, and inventory movements.
• Manage, coach, and develop warehouse material handlers, providing direction, performance feedback, and support to ensure operational excellence and safety compliance.
• Monitor EWM task queues in real time, prioritize workload, and allocate labor to prevent bottlenecks and maintain efficient material flow.
• Troubleshoot EWM-related issues, coordinate solutions with IT, SAP support teams, and cross-functional partners, and ensure timely communication to warehouse staff.
• Maintain and update SOPs, work instructions, and training materials related to all EWM processes and warehouse activities.
• Conduct training and refresher sessions for end users to reinforce EWM best practices and improve system proficiency across the team.
• Analyze operational data, identify process inefficiencies, and implement continuous improvement initiatives to restore and enhance pre‑SAP productivity levels.
• Ensure accurate and timely execution of inventory transactions, cycle counts, and bin management to maintain high inventory accuracy.
• Drive improvements in customer response time and OTIF performance by enabling faster, more reliable warehouse execution and reducing aging open tasks.
• Support cross-functional alignment with Production, Quality, Planning, Logistics, and Customer Service to ensure coordinated material availability and order fulfillment.
• Uphold safety standards, enforce compliance with warehouse procedures, and ensure proper use of equipment and technology.
• Reviews team performance and workflows to ensure efficiency, and makes adjustments or recommends enhancements to processes and procedures to improve the effectiveness of the distribution area.
• Works on problems and issues within the distribution function, such as delays, space constraints, or inventory discrepancies, requiring the analysis of operational data and performance metrics.
• Communicates with internal and external contacts, including supply chain planning, transportation providers, and customer service teams, on matters that require understanding operational dependencies, supporting cross-functional goals, and engaging others to resolve issues or implement improvements.

What we’re looking for:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, Logistics, Operations Management, or related field preferred; equivalent experience may be considered.
• Experience: 3–5+ years of warehouse or logistics experience, including hands‑on involvement with inventory movement and fulfillment processes.
• Prior leadership or supervisory experience overseeing warehouse staff or material handlers.
• Strong working knowledge of SAP, preferably S/4HANA with Extended Warehouse Management (EWM).
• Experience as a super user or process owner is highly preferred.
• Proven ability to troubleshoot system issues, interpret EWM task flows, and collaborate with IT or SAP support teams.
• Demonstrated experience in process improvement, workflow optimization, or Lean/continuous improvement methodologies.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to review operational data, identify inefficiencies, and recommend corrective actions.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to train, coach, and support end users at varying levels of SAP proficiency.
• Ability to prioritize tasks, manage multiple deadlines, and lead a team in a fast‑paced operational environment.
• High attention to detail with strong commitment to accuracy and compliance in all warehouse processes.
• Experience working cross‑functionally with Production, Quality, Planning, Logistics, and Customer Service teams.
• Ability to lift, move, or handle materials as required to support operational needs and demonstrate proper procedures.

Environment Working Conditions & Physical Effort:

• Work is performed in a combination of office and warehouse environments, with regular exposure to operational areas including storage racks, forklifts, pallet jacks, and active material handling activities.
• May be exposed to varying temperatures depending on warehouse climate conditions, including cooler or warmer areas based on season and storage requirements.
• Moderate noise levels typical of warehouse operations, including equipment movement, packaging activities, and shipping/receiving tasks.
• Must follow all safety protocols and use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when entering or supervising work in the warehouse.
• Periodic physical effort required, including walking the warehouse floor, climbing stairs or ladders, and standing for extended periods while observing or assisting with operational tasks.
• Occasional lifting, carrying, or handling of materials up to approximately 25–40 pounds, as needed to support operations or demonstrate proper procedures.
• Requires sufficient mobility and manual dexterity to access bins, verify inventory, observe equipment use, and interact with SAP/EWM systems or handheld scanning devices.
• Must be able to respond quickly to operational issues or workflow interruptions, sometimes requiring movement between multiple warehouse zones.

Disclaimer: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of employees assigned to this position.

Avantor is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

Why Avantor?

Dare to go further in your career. Join our global team of 14,000+ associates whose passion for discovery and determination to overcome challenges relentlessly advances life‑changing science. The work we do changes people’s lives for the better. It brings new patient treatments and therapies to market, giving a cancer survivor the chance to walk his daughter down the aisle. It enables medical devices that help a little boy hear his mom’s voice for the first time. Outcomes such as these create unlimited opportunities for you to contribute your talents, learn new skills and grow your career at Avantor. We are committed to helping you on this journey through our diverse, equitable and inclusive culture which includes learning experiences to support your career growth and success. At Avantor, dare to go further and see how the impact of your contributions set science in motion to create a better world.

Pay Transparency:

The expected pre-tax pay for this position is $62,000.00 - $100,050.00. Actual pay may differ depending on relevant factors such as prior experience and geographic location.

EEO Statement:

We are an Equal Employment/Affirmative Action employer and VEVRAA Federal Contractor. We do not discriminate in hiring on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state/province, or local law. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact us by email at [e-mail] and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Requests for accommodation will be considered on a case‑by‑case basis.

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We will use the personal information that you have submitted to us in order to consider your application for the relevant role. Your privacy is important to us. Please click here for our Privacy Policy which explains the purposes for which we will use your personal information and the ways in which we will handle and retain your information. It also explains the rights you have in relation to your information, and how to contact us with any queries or requests.

3rd Party Non‑Solicitation Policy:

By submitting candidates without having been formally assigned on and contracted for a specific job requisition by Avantor, or by failing to comply with the Avantor recruitment process, you forfeit any fee on the submitted candidates, regardless of your usual terms and conditions. Avantor works with a preferred supplier list and will take the initiative to engage with recruitment agencies based on its needs and will not be accepting any form of solicitation.

Avantor®, a Fortune 500 company, is a leading global provider of mission‑critical products and services to customers in the biopharma, healthcare, education & government, and advanced technologies & applied materials industries. Our portfolio is used in virtually every stage of the most important research, development and production activities in the industries we serve. One of our greatest strengths comes from having a global infrastructure that is strategically located to support the needs of our customers. Our global footprint enables us to serve more than 225,000 customer locations and gives us extensive access to research laboratories and scientists in more than 180 countries. We set science in motion to create a better world.