Materials Analyst

Spherion Asheville; Asheville (NC); On-site; USD 72,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Spherion Asheville is seeking a Materials Analyst to optimize supply chain and manufacturing operations. You will leverage SAP data analysis to maintain optimal inventory levels, prevent bottlenecks, and improve predictability, while collaborating across Procurement, Planning, QA, and Logistics.

The ideal candidate has 2–5 years in materials management, strong SAP experience (MM/PP), advanced Excel, and hands-on knowledge of MRP concepts in a fast-paced manufacturing setting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field is required.
• 2–5 years in materials management, inventory control, or supply chain analytics.
• Hands-on SAP ERP familiarity (MM and PP modules).
• Advanced Excel skills and data visualization tools (Power BI/Tableau).
• Solid understanding of MRP concepts and inventory strategies.

Responsibilities

• Monitor materials levels (raw, WIP, finished) in SAP to balance demand and working capital.
• Review MRP outputs daily to identify shortages or excess inventory.
• Maintain SAP master data (lead times, safety stock, reorder points, BOM, MOQ).
• Develop and track KPIs like Inventory Turnover, OTIF, DOS, and obsolescence.
• Execute and refine SAP MRP runs; convert planned orders to requisitions/production orders.
• Coordinate with Procurement, Production Planning, QA, and Logistics to resolve disruptions.
• Track supplier performance and manage expedited shipments during shortages.
• Participate in Lean/Six Sigma/5S projects to streamline material flow and reduce waste.
• Identify slow-moving or obsolete inventory and plan dispositions.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

SAP

Excel

Power BI or Tableau

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management

Tools

Power BI

Tableau

ERP systems (MM/PP)

Job description

The Materials Analyst plays a critical role in optimizing supply chain and manufacturing operations. By leveraging extensive data analysis within SAP, this role ensures optimal inventory levels, prevents production bottlenecks, and improves supply predictability. The ideal candidate blends strong analytical capabilities with direct experience managing direct and indirect materials in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Compensation:

$72k-$85k with benefits

Responsibilities

• Monitor raw materials, work-in-progress (WIP), and finished goods levels using SAP to balance production demand against working capital goals.
• Review Production Schedules and Material Requirements Planning (MRP) outputs daily to identify potential shortages, delays, or excess inventory.
• Maintain master data integrity in SAP (including Lead Times, Safety Stock levels, Reorder Points, Bills of Materials [BOM], and Minimum Order Quantities [MOQ]).
• Develop, track, and present key performance indicators (KPIs) such as Inventory Turnover, On-Time In-Full (OTIF) delivery, Days of Supply (DOS), and Scrap/Obsolescence rates.
• Execute and refine MRP runs in SAP, converting planned orders into purchase requisitions or production orders as required.
• Act as the primary liaison between Procurement, Production Planning, Quality Assurance, and Logistics to resolve supply chain disruptions.
• Partner with Buyers and Strategic Sourcing to track vendor delivery performance and manage expedited shipments during critical shortages.
• Participate in continuous improvement projects (e.g., Lean, Six Sigma, 5S) to streamline material flow, reduce cycle times, and eliminate waste.
• Identify slow-moving and excess/obsolete (E&O) inventory; collaborate with cross-functional teams to devise disposition strategies.
• Other duties as needed/assigned

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required(preferably in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business Administration, Industrial Engineering, or a related field).
• 2–5 years of experience in materials management, inventory control, or supply chain analytics within a large manufacturing environment or adjacent field.
• Hands-on experience using SAP ERP (MM and PP modules preferred) other ERP software experience will be considered
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Excel (Pivot Tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, macros) and data visualization tools (e.g., Power BI or Tableau).
• Solid understanding of MRP concepts, inventory control strategies (Safety Stock, JIT, Kanban), and manufacturing processes.