Materials Planning and Logistics Manager (automotive)

Software Placement Group; Union (SC); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Software Placement Group is seeking an experienced Material Planning & Logistics Manager to lead supply chain operations at its Union, SC facility. This senior role oversees customer service, demand planning, production scheduling, inventory management, warehousing, shipping, receiving, and internal logistics to drive world-class delivery performance.

Ideal candidates have tier-one automotive supplier experience, strong SAP/ERP mastery, and Lean practices.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Operations, or related field.
• 7+ years in supply chain, materials, scheduling, or logistics in manufacturing.
• 3+ years in leadership of supply chain or materials teams.
• Strong knowledge of SAP or ERP/MRP systems.
• Experience with Lean, JIT, and continuous improvement.
• Demonstrated leadership and communication skills.
• Experience with tier one automotive suppliers preferred; relocation not required.

Responsibilities

• Lead material planning, scheduling, inventory control, warehousing, shipping, and logistics operations.
• Develop and mentor schedulers, planners, and materials staff.
• Drive inventory accuracy and working capital improvements.
• Lead the S&OP process aligning demand with plant capacity and objectives.
• Coordinate with Operations, Purchasing, Quality, Engineering, Finance, Suppliers, and Customers.
• Manage SAP planning parameters and master data integrity.
• Support new product launches and engineering changes.
• Monitor logistics KPIs and reduce premium freight costs.
• Optimize material flow using Lean, PFEP, Kanban, and continuous improvement.

Skills

Leadership

Demand planning

Production scheduling

Inventory management

Lean manufacturing

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree (preferred)

Tools

SAP

Excel

Job description

Location: Union, SC | Schedule: Full-time, on-site

Overview

An international manufacturer of stamped automotive components is seeking an experienced Material Planning & Logistics Manager to lead supply chain operations at its Union, SC facility. This is a high-impact leadership role overseeing customer service, demand planning, production scheduling, inventory management, warehousing, shipping, receiving, and internal logistics, with the goal of driving world-class delivery performance and operational excellence across the plant. The company prefers candidates with experience at a tier one automotive supplier and would prefer no relocation.

What you'll do

• Lead customer service, material planning, production scheduling, inventory control, warehousing, shipping, receiving, and logistics operations
• Manage and develop a team of schedulers, planners, logistics, and materials professionals
• Drive inventory accuracy, working capital improvements, and overall supply chain performance
• Lead the Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process, aligning customer demand with plant capacity and business objectives
• Ensure accurate customer order management, production schedules, and supplier material releases
• Optimize material flow through Lean manufacturing principles, pull systems, PFEP, Kanban, and other continuous improvement tools
• Manage ERP (SAP) planning parameters, inventory controls, and master data integrity
• Support new product launches, engineering changes, packaging validation, and customer logistics requirements
• Monitor key logistics KPIs, reduce premium freight costs, and drive corrective actions through structured problem-solving
• Partner cross-functionally with Operations, Purchasing, Quality, Engineering, Finance, Suppliers, and Customers to achieve business goals

Required qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Operations, or a related field
• 7+ years of experience in supply chain, materials management, production control, scheduling, or logistics within a manufacturing environment
• 3+ years of leadership experience managing supply chain or materials teams
• Strong knowledge of ERP/MRP systems, preferably SAP
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing principles, including pull systems, JIT, and continuous improvement methodologies
• Proven leadership and team development skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
• Excellent communication and customer relationship management skills
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced manufacturing environment while managing multiple priorities
• Passion for operational excellence, continuous improvement, and delivering results
• Experience in a tier one automotive supplier preferred, with no relocation preferred

Preferred qualifications

• Master's degree preferred
• Automotive manufacturing experience strongly preferred, particularly within stamping, welding, or paint operations
• Experience working with automotive OEM customers and industry standards such as AIAG, VDA, and MMOG/LE is a plus
• APICS certifications (CPIM, CSCP, etc.) are preferred

Why this role

This is a high-impact leadership opportunity to drive world-class delivery performance, optimize inventory, and lead continuous improvement initiatives across a manufacturing plant.