Materials & Distribution Manager

Nordic-Naturals; Vista (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Nordic Naturals is seeking a Materials & Distribution Manager in Vista, CA to lead end-to-end material flow, planning, and outbound distribution. You will bridge material planning with logistics, ensuring material availability for production and cost-effective fulfillment.

You will manage a small team, drive Lean improvements, and work with Sales, Customer Service, and Manufacturing to optimize KPIs and on-time delivery.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field.
• 5+ years in supply chain, materials management, or distribution operations.
• At least 2+ years in a formal people-management role.
• Advanced ERP/MRP proficiency (SAP, Oracle, NetSuite).
• Strong Excel and analytics capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Oversee procurement & planning strategy via MRP to ensure uninterrupted raw material supply.
• Collaborate with sourcing to manage vendor performance and inventory buffers.
• Lead inventory optimization with cycle counts and accuracy standards.
• Manage daily warehousing, pick/pack/ship, and finished goods distribution.
• Monitor logistics metrics, freight costs, and carrier performance for route optimization.
• Align shipping schedules with production output and demand spikes.
• Direct and develop a team of 2 direct reports in planning and logistics workflows.
• Set targets with the Director of Supply Planning and Execution; track KPIs.
• Foster Lean/Six Sigma continuous improvement; ensure safety/compliance.

Skills

ERP/MRP systems

Excel

Analytics tools

Inventory control

Warehouse operations

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management or related

Tools

WMS

Automation software

Job description

The Materials & Distribution Manager is a critical leadership role responsible for directing and optimizing the end-to-end flow of materials, inventory, and outbound distribution. Reporting directly to the Director of Supply Planning and Execution, this position bridges the gap between material planning and physical logistics, ensuring raw materials and components are available to support production while managing efficient, accurate, and cost-effective distribution channels in Vista. The ideal candidate will combine strategic supply chain oversight with strong people management, leading a dedicated team of 2 direct reports to drive operational execution.

Key Responsibilities

• Procurement & Planning Strategy: Oversee material requirements planning (MRP) to ensure an uninterrupted supply of raw materials and components while minimizing carrying costs and obsolescence.
• Supplier Coordination: Collaborate closely with sourcing and purchasing teams to manage vendor performance, delivery lead times, and inventory buffer levels.
• Inventory Optimization: Establish and enforce cycle counting programs, warehouse inventory accuracy standards, and inventory valuation controls across all storage locations.
• Distribution & Logistics Operations
• Fulfillment Execution: Manage daily warehousing, pick/pack/ship operations, and finished goods distribution to ensure on-time delivery (OTD) to customers.
• Network Efficiency: Monitor logistics performance metrics, freight costs, and carrier performance, identifying opportunities to optimize shipping routes and warehouse layout.
• Cross-Functional Alignment: Work hand-in-hand with Sales, Customer Service, and Manufacturing to align shipping schedules with production output and customer demand spikes.
• Team Leadership & Strategic Execution
• People Management: Directly lead, mentor, and evaluate a team of 2 direct reports overseeing day-to-day planning and logistics workflows.
• Departmental Alignment: Work directly with the Director of Supply Planning and Execution to set operational targets, track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and execute supply chain strategies.
• Process Improvement: Foster a culture of continuous improvement using Lean/Six Sigma principles to eliminate waste in material handling and fulfillment workflows.
• Safety & Compliance: Ensure all warehouse and material handling activities comply with OSHA regulations, company safety policies, and quality standards.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Operations Management, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Experience: 5+ years of progressive experience in supply chain, materials management, or distribution operations, with at least 2+ years in a formal people-management or leadership role.
• Technical Skills:
  • Advanced proficiency with ERP/MRP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, NetSuite).
  • Strong command of Excel and supply chain analytics tools.
• Core Competencies:
  • Deep understanding of inventory control methodologies (FIFO/LIFO, safety stock, ABC analysis).
  • Proven track record of managing warehouse operations and freight logistics.
  • Exceptional communication, negotiation, and cross-functional leadership skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certification in Supply Chain (e.g., APICS CPIM, CSCP, or CLTD).
• Experience implementing automation, WMS (Warehouse Management Systems), or advanced planning software.

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Nordic Naturals' Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.