Material Management Lead

Laitram Machine Shop; New Orleans (LA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Laitram Machine Shop is seeking a Material Management Lead to head the department's day-to-day operations, ensuring on-time delivery, quality, and value. The role emphasizes leadership, cross-training, data accuracy, and collaboration across Production Control and Shipping teams.

The ideal candidate will have experience in warehousing, inventory management, and lifting duties, with strong communication skills and a focus on continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• 2+ years in Warehousing, Picking, or Inventory Management.
• 1+ year in a leadership role and ability to mentor others.
• 1+ year operating lift equipment, including forklifts.
• Able to lift 45 pounds and perform physically demanding tasks.
• Strong verbal and written communication with multiple departments.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day leadership and support to the department; address questions and resolve routine issues.
• Assist with training and cross-training to maintain coverage.
• Receive and count stock items; record data and participate in cycle counting.
• Conduct routine shop order audits to identify schedule changes and material consumption.
• Review production and shipping schedules to identify priorities and ship dates.
• Coordinate with other teams to ensure crates and material flow meet production needs.
• Manage material workflow from receipt to inventory to shipping, including shop supplies.
• Support Receiving, Shipping, and Materials Management teams as needed.
• Follow safety, attendance, and policy requirements; perform housekeeping; work overtime when required.

Skills

Leadership

Team coordination

Communication

Inventory management

Safety compliance

Cross-training

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

Oracle

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Job description

Manufacturing & Production, Supply Chain Management & Warehouse

Division

Laitram Machine Shop is seekingan Material Management Lead to work in our Material Management department.

Laitram, LLC, is a global manufacturing company that has been part of the Louisiana business landscape for more than 50 years. Laitram employs over 3,000 people worldwide across four operating divisions – Intralox LLC, Laitram Machinery, Inc., Lapeyre Stair, Inc., and Laitram Machine Shop LLC. Laitram has been recognized for innovation and workplace excellence, including the New Orleans City Business "Best Place to Work" award. For more information, visit www.laitram.com .

Laitram Machine Shop provides cost effective, zero-defect inventory parts and components to other Laitram divisions, while supporting new product development through technical expertise and rapid turnaround.The supervisor is responsible for all aspects of the department’s day-to-day operations, including managing priorities, resources, equipment, workflow, and personnel with the goal of operational excellence. The supervisor will be passionate about individual and team development while consistently meeting customer expectations for delivery, quality, and value. The individual will offer creative solutions to challenges, opportunities, and rapidly changing priorities, with the ability to focus on future planning and project collaboration.The supervisor ensures that the Laitram Business Philosophy and Continuous Improvement Program are implemented throughout the department.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day leadership and support to the department — answer questions, resolve routine requests and issues, and escalated items requiring others' involvement in a timely manner.
• Assist with initial and ongoing operational, safety, and equipment training, and help cross-train employees to maintain department coverage.
• Receive and count stock items, accurately record data, and participate in daily cycle counting.
• Conduct routine shop order audits to identify schedule changes and determine when material will be consumed.
• Review the production and shipping schedule to identify priorities and orders approaching required ship dates.
• Communicate with Production Control on order status, material availability, and potential delays.
• Coordinate with Intralox crate builders to ensure crates are available for shaft orders.
• Manage and maintain the workflow of material from receipt through storage, in-process, return to inventory, and movement to Shipping, including shop supplies.
• Manage internal requisitions and required materials, and communicate status updates.
• Assist and support the Receiving, Shipping, and Materials Management teams, including working in areas that are short-staffed or over capacity.
• Follow all department attendance, safety, and operating policies, perform housekeeping duties as required, exhibit teamwork and self-management, and work overtime, weekends, holidays, and flexible schedules as needed.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED.
• 2+ years of experience in Warehousing, Picking, or Inventory Management.
• 1+ year of experience in a leadership position, with a desire to lead, develop, and mentor others.
• 1+ year of experience operating lift equipment, including forklifts.
• Experience handling, prioritizing, and delegating multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.
• Positive attitude, strong sense of urgency, close attention to detail, and effective verbal and written communication with employees, supervisors, and other departments.
• Stable work history and willingness to cross-train in other work centers as needed.
• Ability to work safely for extended periods, mostly standing and well beyond an 8-hour workday, and work overtime, flexible schedules, holidays, and weekends as required.
• Must be able to perform the essential job requirements identified in the Functional Job Description for this position, including the ability to lift 45 pounds.

Preferred Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in Warehousing, Picking, or Inventory Management.
• Previous leadership experience in a warehouse, picking, shipping, or manufacturing/assembly environment.
• Experience coordinating material flow to production schedules and communicating order status, priorities, shortages, and delays with other departments.
• Working knowledge of overhead crane operation.
• Experience with Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Oracle.