Materials Manager

Utz Quality Foods, Inc; Algona (WA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Utz Brands in Algona, WA is seeking a Materials Manager to oversee material planning, procurement, and inventory control to support production schedules while minimizing costs.

You will lead procurement decisions, manage ERP/MRP systems, develop KPIs, and collaborate with plant managers to optimize stock and prevent shortages.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
• 3–5 years in Supply Chain (procurement, planning, transportation).
• 3–5 years in CPG, food or beverage industry.
• Experience with supplier development and lean manufacturing.

Responsibilities

• Oversee procurement to ensure timely materials at competitive prices.
• Manage ERP/MRP systems for inventory and purchasing.
• Maintain inventory accuracy with cycle counts and audits.
• Track KPIs to reduce waste and improve supply chain efficiency.
• Collaborate with managers to forecast needs and place orders.

Skills

Relationship building

Communication

Problem solving

Excel

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

ERP/MRP systems

Job description

At Utz Brands, we're on a mission to excite and delight snack lovers everywhere-and we've been doing it for over a century! With iconic brands like Utz, Zapp's, Boulder Canyon, and On the Border, we're building the fastest-growing pure-play U.S. snacking company of scale. Now, we're looking for a Materials Manager to help us keep the crunch going strong.

The Opportunity: Materials Manager-Algona, WA

The Materials Manager oversees all activities related to material planning, procurement, inventory control and manages inventory levels of direct materials with approved suppliers to support customer and production schedule requirements. This role ensures the timely availability of materials required for production, while minimizing inventory holding costs and maximizing efficiency.

What You'll Do:

• Oversee purchasing and procurement functions to ensure timely acquisition of quality materials at competitive prices.
• Determine the correct method to process purchasing depending on total cost, timeliness, competitive bidding, and existing contracts.
• Make purchase decisions in accordance with company procedures and regulations.
• Process purchasing transactions according to local, state, and federal policies and procedures.
• Input data such as purchase orders and/or receiving into Utz system.
• Collaborate with department managers to clarify purchase requirements, identify plant consumption needs and trends and place orders to procure those materials.
• Maintain and improve inventory accuracy through regular cycle counts and audits.
• Supports inventory planning and excess/obsolete identification by providing data-driven insights and recommendations.
• Monitors and communicates material variances that may impact production, service levels, or financial reporting, keeping leadership informed and aligned.
• Collaborate with department managers to clarify purchase requirements, identify plant consumption needs and trends and place orders to procure those materials.
• Track and report on key metrics to reduce waste and improve procurement.
• Communicate pending tasks to suppliers and internal customers.
• Manage raw material and packaging inventory levels to ensure optimal stock.
• Manage the procurement and inventory of plant-wide consumables such as PPE, jan/san products, cleaning chemicals, gloves, and other indirect materials.
• Generate and track purchase orders, ensuring accuracy and alignment with production needs
• Review and correct discrepancies between purchase orders, delivery receipts, and invoices; coordinate with vendors and AP team to resolve invoice issues in a timely manner.
• Implement and maintain ERP and MRP systems for inventory and supply chain management.
• Analyze supply chain data to identify potential risks and improvement opportunities.
• Develop KPIs to monitor material performance and supply chain efficiency.
• Assisting with Inter-Utz warehouse auditing, cycle counting, and organization.
• Ability to work in multi-functional department.
• Other duties as assigned.

What We're Looking For:

Education

• Bachelor's Degree is preferred, or the equivalent combination of education, training and experience

Experience

• 3-5 years of experience in Supply Chain (eg Procurement, Planning, Transportation, etc...)
• 3-5 years of experience in CPG, Food or Beverage Industry.
• Knowledge of and experience in proactive Supplier Development activities (root cause problem solving, lean manufacturing, kaizen).
• Experience working with multiple internal customers / business / functional units

Skills

• Ability to build effective relationships, and build consensus with peers and stakeholders
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to tailor messages to the given audience, present information in a clear and concise manner
• Strong problem solving and analytical skills with ability to extract key themes, determine root causes, develop creative solutions, and craft concise messages
• Ability to prioritize, organize, and multitask in a flexible, fast-paced environment
• Advanced Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word skills is highly desired

External Recruitment Process

• Easy Application (5 mins): Introduce yourself and answer a few key questions to get started.
• Engaging Chat Interview (20-25 mins): Share your experiences in an online chat, highlighting how your values align with ours.
• Live Interview: Selected candidates will meet with the hiring manager to explore their alignment with the team and overall Utz company culture.

Why Utz?

We believe in taking care of our people. Our benefits include:

• Medical, dental, and vision plans
• Employer-matched 401(k)
• Profit sharing, bonus plan, employee stock purchase plans
• Career growth opportunities in a supportive, inclusive environment

Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.