Materials Flow & Readiness Leader

Robinson Inc.; Altoona (IA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Robinson Inc. in Altoona, IA is seeking a Material Handling and Readiness Manager to lead the Material Handling and Material Readiness functions, ensuring materials are received, stored, and ready for production and customer delivery.

You will coach supervisors, drive standard work, and partner with planning, purchasing, and inventory to mitigate material risks. The role emphasizes ownership of material flow, readiness, and raises the bar on safety, traceability, and process discipline across

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, supply chain, operations, or related field preferred; equivalent experience considered.
• 5+ years of experience in materials, warehouse, inventory, logistics, production support, or manufacturing operations.
• 3+ years of leadership experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Experience with ERP systems, inventory transactions, scanners, barcoding, and material tracking processes.
• Experience in a multi-step manufacturing environment with multiple work centers or buildings.

Responsibilities

• Lead the overall Material Handling and Material Readiness functions across the operation.
• Provide direction, coaching, and accountability to the Material Handling Supervisor and Material Readiness Supervisor.
• Ensure raw materials, components, WIP, and finished goods are received, stored, staged, transferred, and shipped accurately and efficiently.
• Ensure material readiness processes support production with complete and available material when needed.
• Establish clear ownership and alignment between material movement activities and material readiness activities.
• Develop and maintain standard work for receiving, material handling, storage, staging, material transfers, shipping support, job readiness checks, shortage management, and escalation.
• Partner with production leadership to align priorities with daily and weekly production needs.
• Work with planning, purchasing, and inventory teams to identify and resolve material risks before they impact schedule attainment.
• Drive visibility to shortages, missing materials, incomplete jobs, aging WIP, and material-related disruptions.
• Lead development of tools, reports, dashboards, and routines that improve material flow and readiness visibility.
• Support barcode, scanner, ERP, rack/bin, and license plate processes that improve traceability and execution.
• Monitor staffing, workload balancing, team performance, and responsiveness to operational priorities.
• Lead problem-solving efforts related to missing material, inaccurate locations, delayed movement, incomplete jobs, and schedule interruptions.
• Drive continuous improvement efforts that reduce downtime, waiting, searching, excess movement, and material-related waste.
• Establish and monitor KPIs for material flow, material readiness, shortage resolution, and service to production.
• Promote a strong culture of safety, organization, standard work, accountability, and cross-functional teamwork.

Skills

Leadership

Cross-functional teamwork

Data-driven decision making

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business, supply chain, operations, or related field

Equivalent experience considered

Tools

ERP systems

Barcoding & scanners

Material tracking processes

Job description

Robinson Inc. in Altoona, IA is seeking a Material Handling and Readiness Manager to lead the Material Handling and Material Readiness functions, ensuring materials are received, stored, and ready for production and customer delivery.

You will coach supervisors, drive standard work, and partner with planning, purchasing, and inventory to mitigate material risks. The role emphasizes ownership of material flow, readiness, and raises the bar on safety, traceability, and process discipline across