Materials Planning and Logistics Manager (automotive)

Markent Personnel; Union (SC); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Markent Personnel's client, a global manufacturer of stamped automotive components, seeks an experienced Materials Planning & Logistics Manager for its Union, SC facility. You will lead all supply chain operations, including customer service, demand planning, production scheduling, inventory, warehousing, shipping, receiving, and internal logistics.

The ideal candidate will be a strategic supply chain leader who drives world‑class delivery, optimizes inventory, and leads continuous improvement

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Operations, or a related field; Master's preferred.
• 7+ years in supply chain, materials, scheduling, or logistics in manufacturing.
• 3+ years of leadership experience managing supply chain or materials teams.
• Strong knowledge of ERP/MRP systems, preferably SAP.
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing, pull systems, JIT, and CI.
• Automotive manufacturing experience preferred, stamping/welding/paint.
• Experience with AIAG, VDA, MMOG/LE is a plus; APICS certs preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead customer service, material planning, scheduling, inventory control, warehousing, shipping and logistics.
• Develop and lead a team of schedulers, planners, logistics and materials professionals.
• Drive inventory accuracy, working capital improvements, and overall supply chain performance.
• Lead S&OP process, aligning demand with plant capacity and business objectives.
• Ensure accurate customer orders, production schedules and supplier material releases.
• Optimize material flow using Lean, PFEP, Kanban and CI tools.
• Manage SAP ERP planning parameters, inventory controls and master data integrity.
• Support new product launches, engineering changes and customer logistics requirements.
• Monitor logistics KPIs and reduce premium freight costs; drive corrective actions.
• Partner cross-functionally with Operations, Purchasing, Quality, Engineering, Finance, Suppliers, and Customers.

Skills

Leadership

Analytical thinking

Problem solving

Communication

Cross-functional collaboration

S&OP

Education

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain or related field

Master's degree preferred

APICS CPIM/CSCP certifications preferred

Tools

SAP

Job description

Our client is an international manufacturer of stamped automotive components. They have an immediate need at their Union South Carolina facility to become their Materials Planning and Logistics Manager. They would prefer no relocation, and the person should have experience in a tier one automotive supplier.

Job Summary

Material Planning & Logistics Manager

Union, SC

We are seeking an experienced Material Planning & Logistics Manager to lead all aspects of supply chain operations at our Union, SC facility. This is a high-impact leadership role responsible for customer service, demand planning, production scheduling, inventory management, warehousing, shipping, receiving, and internal logistics.

The ideal candidate will be a strategic supply chain leader who can drive world-class delivery performance, optimize inventory, support operational excellence, and lead continuous improvement initiatives across the plant.

Key Responsibilities

• 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.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Operations, or a related field. Master's degree preferred.
• 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.
• 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.

What You'll Bring

• 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.