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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for a Material Specialist

💰 $55,000 - $85,000

Supply ChainManufacturingLogisticsProcurement

🎯 Role Definition

The Material Specialist is a cornerstone of the supply chain and manufacturing ecosystem, responsible for the strategic planning, procurement, and management of all raw materials, components, and supplies required for seamless production and operational continuity. This role acts as a critical liaison between suppliers, production teams, and inventory management to ensure material availability, optimize costs, and maintain quality standards. A successful Material Specialist directly impacts the organization's efficiency, inventory health, and profitability by preventing line-down situations and managing the flow of goods with precision and foresight.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Inventory Coordinator / Clerk
  • Procurement Assistant
  • Junior Buyer
  • Production Scheduler

Advancement To:

  • Senior Material Specialist / Material Planner
  • Materials Manager
  • Supply Chain Manager
  • Procurement Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Supply Chain Analyst
  • Logistics Planner
  • Buyer / Senior Buyer

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Analyze production schedules, master demand plans, and bills of materials (BOMs) to accurately forecast short-term and long-term material requirements.
  • Generate, issue, and manage purchase orders (POs) with approved vendors, ensuring accuracy in quantity, specifications, pricing, and delivery dates within the ERP system.
  • Proactively monitor and expedite material orders, tracking shipments and maintaining constant communication with suppliers to mitigate potential delays and ensure on-time delivery.
  • Maintain optimal inventory levels for all assigned materials, balancing the need for production availability against targets for inventory turns and carrying costs.
  • Act as the primary point of contact for operational supplier issues, resolving discrepancies related to shipments, invoicing, and material quality in a timely manner.
  • Collaborate closely with receiving and warehouse teams to ensure accurate receipt of materials and resolve any receiving discrepancies against purchase orders.
  • Identify and manage potential supply chain risks, such as single-source suppliers or long lead times, and assist in developing mitigation strategies.
  • Maintain impeccable data integrity within the MRP/ERP system, including supplier lead times, safety stock levels, part numbers, and purchasing information records.
  • Coordinate the disposition of non-conforming or defective materials (NCM), processing returns to vendors (RTVs) and ensuring proper credit or replacement is received.
  • Conduct regular cycle counts and participate in physical inventory audits to ensure system-to-floor accuracy, investigating and reconciling any variances found.
  • Analyze material consumption trends and historical data to refine forecasting models, optimize reorder points, and improve overall material planning strategy.
  • Support New Product Introduction (NPI) initiatives by sourcing materials for prototypes and initial production runs, establishing the supply chain for new components.
  • Manage and reduce excess and obsolete (E&O) inventory by identifying slow-moving stock and coordinating its disposition through return, rework, or resale.
  • Prepare and present detailed reports on key performance indicators (KPIs) such as inventory value, on-time delivery performance, stock-outs, and purchase price variance.
  • Champion continuous improvement initiatives within the materials function, identifying opportunities to streamline processes, reduce costs, and enhance efficiency.
  • Serve as the subject matter expert on material availability, providing clear and timely updates to production planners, schedulers, and management teams.
  • Resolve invoice discrepancies by collaborating with Accounts Payable and suppliers to ensure accurate and timely payment processing.
  • Evaluate supplier performance based on delivery, quality, and cost metrics, providing feedback to the strategic sourcing and procurement teams.
  • Coordinate the flow of materials to outside processing vendors and ensure their timely return to support the production schedule.
  • Ensure all material management activities are compliant with company policies, quality system requirements (e.g., ISO 9001), and any relevant industry regulations.
  • Review engineering change orders (ECOs) and assess their impact on material availability, phasing out old components and planning for the introduction of new ones.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc reporting requests from management regarding inventory status, supplier performance, and material costs.
  • Contribute to the development and documentation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for materials management.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams on cost-saving projects and Lean manufacturing initiatives.
  • Participate in supplier audits and performance reviews alongside the quality and procurement teams.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • ERP/MRP Proficiency: Deep hands-on experience with enterprise resource planning systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, Epicor) for inventory, purchasing, and planning.
  • Advanced Excel Skills: Mastery of Excel for data analysis, including pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, conditional formatting, and basic modeling.
  • Inventory Management: Strong knowledge of inventory control principles and methodologies like Just-In-Time (JIT), Kanban, Safety Stock, and ABC analysis.
  • Bill of Materials (BOM) Interpretation: Ability to read, understand, and utilize complex multi-level BOMs to determine material needs.
  • Procurement Processes: Solid understanding of the procure-to-pay (P2P) cycle, including purchase order creation, management, and reconciliation.
  • Data Analysis & Reporting: Capability to analyze large datasets to identify trends, create forecasts, and generate insightful reports on material metrics.
  • Supply Chain Fundamentals: Comprehensive knowledge of basic supply chain and logistics concepts, including lead times, shipping terms, and warehouse operations.

Soft Skills

  • Attention to Detail: Meticulous and highly accurate in managing part numbers, quantities, and system data to prevent costly errors.
  • Problem-Solving: Proactive and resourceful in identifying potential supply issues and developing effective solutions under pressure.
  • Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills for clear and professional interaction with internal teams and external suppliers.
  • Time Management & Prioritization: Proven ability to manage multiple competing priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
  • Negotiation & Influence: The ability to effectively negotiate with suppliers on delivery schedules and resolve conflicts constructively.
  • Interpersonal Skills: Strong ability to build and maintain positive working relationships with suppliers and cross-functional colleagues.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High School Diploma or equivalent combined with significant, directly relevant experience in a materials or inventory role. Certifications such as CPIM or CSCP are a plus.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor's Degree from an accredited university or college.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Supply Chain Management
  • Business Administration
  • Logistics
  • Operations Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

2-5 years of direct experience in a material planning, inventory control, or procurement role, preferably within a manufacturing, aerospace, or electronics environment.

Preferred:

Experience working in an environment with a formal MRP/ERP system is strongly preferred. Exposure to lean manufacturing principles and a fast-paced production setting is highly advantageous.

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