Materials Lead

About Us:

Panelmatic was founded in 1957 in Youngstown, OH to serve manufacturing industries with the design and building of custom electrical, instrument, and pneumatic control panels. Our business has sufficiently grown over the years to support expansion for our clients. We have produced control packages for many of America's top corporations in the data center, utility, chemical, environmental, food, pulp and paper, rubber, petroleum, pharmaceutical, glass, and metals. We also deliver equipment for use worldwide. Our rigorous methodology ensures compliance with domestic and international standards. We can meet the needs of our diverse clientele from start to finish through sales, design, fabrication, testing, and delivery.

Since 1957, we have been known for our high-quality, custom-built control packages, our comprehensive service, and our technological and manufacturing expertise. This expertise assures you of our ability to handle the largest and most complex packages quickly and efficiently.

Job Summary:

The Materials Lead is responsible for developing and executing enterprise-wide materials management strategies that support Panelmatic's aggressive growth objectives. This role provides leadership across warehouse operations, material flow, shipping and receiving, inventory control, logistics, and transportation management to ensure materials are available where and when needed while optimizing working capital, operational efficiency, and customer delivery performance.

The position will lead the standardization of materials management processes across all manufacturing locations and drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhance safety, productivity, inventory accuracy, and on-time delivery.

• Lead all warehouse operations including receiving, storage, inventory control, material handling, and outbound shipping.
• Develop standardized warehouse processes, procedures, and KPIs across all Panelmatic facilities.
• Optimize warehouse layouts, storage utilization, and material handling systems to support business growth.
• Drive improvements in inventory accuracy, cycle counting, and warehouse productivity.
• Ensure compliance with safety, quality, and regulatory requirements.
• Design and implement efficient material flow strategies from receiving through production and shipment.
• Establish supermarket, kitting, point-of-use inventory, Kanban, and replenishment systems where appropriate.
• Partner with Operations and Production teams to eliminate material shortages and production interruptions.
• Improve material presentation, line-side delivery, and internal logistics processes.
• Support lean manufacturing initiatives focused on waste reduction and throughput improvement.
• Oversee all inbound and outbound material movements.
• Establish receiving standards to ensure timely inspection, transaction processing, and material availability.
• Develop shipping processes that support customer delivery commitments and transportation optimization.
• Improve dock utilization, scheduling, and loading efficiency.
• Ensure compliance with customer-specific packaging and shipping requirements.
• Inbound & Outbound Logistics
• Manage transportation providers, freight forwarders, parcel carriers, and logistics partners.
• Develop logistics strategies to optimize freight costs, service levels, and transit performance.
• Lead carrier negotiations, transportation contracts, and performance management.
• Monitor freight spend and identify opportunities for cost reduction.
• Establish transportation KPIs and reporting processes.
• Partner with Supply Planning, Procurement, and Operations to align material availability with production requirements.
• Drive inventory optimization initiatives and improve inventory turns.
• Lead annual physical inventories and cycle count programs.
• Leadership & Organizational Development
• Build and lead a high-performing materials management organization.
• Develop talent, succession plans, and capability-building programs.
• Establish clear performance metrics and accountability throughout the organization.
• Foster a culture of safety, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.
• Support cross-functional collaboration across Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Engineering, Quality, and Finance.
• Lead Lean, Six Sigma, and operational excellence initiatives throughout materials management operations.
• Implement technology and automation solutions that improve efficiency and scalability.
• Standardize best practices across all facilities.
• Develop dashboards and metrics to drive operational performance improvements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, Business, or related field.
• Master's degree preferred.
• Experience
• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in materials management, warehouse operations, logistics, and supply chain.
• Experience managing multi-site manufacturing operations.
• Experience in industrial manufacturing, electrical equipment, control panels, switchgear, automation, or related industries preferred.
• Demonstrated success implementing warehouse and material flow improvements.
• Experience leading large teams and managing organizational transformation.

Technical Skills

• ERP systems experience (Epicor, SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, or equivalent).
• Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) experience.
• Strong knowledge of inventory management and logistics best practices.
• Advanced analytical and KPI management capabilities.
• Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement expertise.

Preferred Certifications

• APICS CPIM, CSCP, or CLTD
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt
• Supply Chain or Logistics certifications

• Medical, dental, vision, HSA, term life, AD&D, STD, LTD
• 100% medical premium paid for by Panelmatic for the employee-only level medical coverage
• 80% paid for by Panelmatic and 20% paid for by the employee on all other level medical coverage (i.e. employee plus child, employee plus spouse, family)
• 401k with employer match of 100% up to 4%
• Scholarships, educational reimbursement, paid volunteerism, and paid personal and professional development provided
• PTO and paid holidays provided
• Career advancement opportunities
• Competitive wages
• Family-friendly environment with average employee tenure above five years