Materials Manager

For nearly a century, The Jel Sert Company has focused on creating high-quality, high-value foods and beverages that help bring people together. Jel Sert is proud of being awarded the Great Place to Work certification along with making Fortune's Great Place to Work in Chicago and Great Place to Work in Manufacturing and Production. We are currently looking for a passionate and dedicated individual to join our team as an MATERIALS MANAGER. If you are looking for a work environment that encourages personal growth, responsibility, and a shared vision for creating incredible products that help create lasting memories, then Jel Sert wants you!

The Materials Manager directs and oversees material management policies, objectives, and initiatives. Manage all aspects of material flow for Jel Sert to include the placement of all inventory purchase orders, MRP analysis and new items introduction. Responsible for some price management and all procurement of all packaging, ingredients and miscellaneous materials for Jel Sert. Support new item launches and improvement of efficiency/effectiveness of Materials team.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Direct the direct reports in the Materials Management group on all order placement to support production needs
• Manage supplier base for all purchased items
• Manage working capital while providing best support for customer / production needs
• Manage, support and oversee all Jel Sert new item launches from concept to shipping
• Work with Contract Operations group on costs and inventory control
• Work directly with Operations and Planning group in support of daily, weekly and monthly production needs
• Support / oversee production with Co-packers as needed to support Jel Sert products
• Work with IT as needed to develop and implement process improvements using various programs
• React to and mitigate any supply interruptions as needed
• Work with some ingredient suppliers to maintain / improve overall costs

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• 5-8 years of experience in Materials Management with packaging and ingredient experience within the Manufacturing industry required.
• Demonstrated success in management
• Materials management professional with an in-depth knowledge of supply chain management and execution.
• Strong preference for individual with experience within the food and beverage or CPG industry.
• Strong leadership capabilities with a proven ability to lead and develop teams, and quickly drive change.
• Excellent knowledge of MRP system, Excel, PowerPoint required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Strong management and negotiating skills and understanding of business processes.
• Ability to balance multiple priorities and be able to make solid decisions in ambiguous situations.
• Strong communication skills in order to professionally represent the company with customers and suppliers.
• Subject matter expert, resourceful and creative problem solver.
• Strong analytical, problem solving, critical thinking and innovative solution capabilities
• Exceptional time management, project management, and organizational skills; and the ability to work independently or as part of a team.
• Strong interpersonal skills, approachable, professional, positive and flexible.
• Work interactively and proactively with internal and external parties at all levels.
• Strong project management skills in order to meet communicated schedules and deadlines while working in a fast paced environment.
• Self-starter and independent thinker with the ability to quickly react to situations.
• Work on multiple tasks and/or projects at once with minimal assistance within a fast paced results-driven environment.

BENEFITS & SALARY

The minimum compensation for the Materials Manager is $103,200 annually. This position is also eligible for the EBIT Bonus program. The Jel Sert Company is committed to pay transparency and will provide further compensation information during the interview process. Compensation is determined by a candidate's experience, education, skills, training, and the internal equity within our organization. Actual compensation to be paid will be determined upon an offer. In addition to a competitive compensation package, regular full-time corporate employees of Jel Sert are eligible for our extensive benefits programs that can be reviewed here.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Climbing: Ascending or descending ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, and the like, using feet and legs and/or hands and arms.
• Walking: Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another.
• Pushing: Using upper extremities to press against something with steady force in order to thrust forward, downward or outward.
• Pulling: Using upper extremities to exert force in order to draw, drag, haul or tug objects in a sustained motion.
• Lifting: Raising objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects horizontally from position to-position. This factor is important if it occurs to a considerable degree and requires the substantial use of the upper extremities and back muscles.
• Fingering: Picking, pinching, typing or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with whole hand or arm as in handling.
• Grasping: Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm.
• Feeling: Perceiving attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of fingertips.
• Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; those activities where detailed or important spoken instructions must be conveyed to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly.
• Hearing: Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction, and having the ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and making fine discriminations in sound.
• Repetitive motions: Making substantial movements (motions) of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers.
• Sedentary work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time.

• The worker is required to have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading.
• Discern differences between red/green/amber.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Office, warehouse, and manufacturing environment.

• The worker is subject to hazards such as physical conditions, such as proximity to moving mechanical parts or moving vehicles.
• The worker is not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions due to office or administrative work.

FOOD SAFETY and QUALITY RESPONSIBLITIES

Follow applicable procedures and work instructions.

Monitor Quality Control Points (QCP) if Applicable QCCP's.

Back-up to Director of Materials Management

IMPACT ON JEL SERT SUCCESS

This job impacts company success in purchase of packaging and ingredients, working capital in raw/finished goods, service level to customers, and management and support of Materials staff.