Materials Manager (51329)

DescriptionGradian is an engineering-led, full-line thermal solutions partner serving data center and other mission-critical, commercial, and industrial markets. Headquartered in Maple Grove, MN, with additional facilities across North America, we design and manufacture liquid cooling systems, air handling equipment, heat rejection units, and modular, factory-assembled thermal management solutions.

Gradian was founded through the unification of four complementary, established brands: MAS HVAC, Daedex, DeepCoolAI, and EcoChillers. Together, we act as a single-source provider, deploying cooling technologies as scalable systems optimized for efficiency, spatial constraints, and overall performance. With a vertically integrated engineering and manufacturing model, we pair rapid design turnaround with precision fabrication, so customers can move faster on complex projects where reliability, timeline, and quality all matter.

Why work here

At Gradian, you'll work alongside others who get genuinely fired up by complex problems, see your work go from first sketch to job site in weeks, not years, and know that while we're developing the technologies critical for AI infrastructure to scale, our culture remains people-first by design.

It is core to our identity that we operate as one team — driving to win together, energizing others, and building lasting relationships that make the work fun and rewarding.

Position Summary:

The Materials Manager is responsible for leading all materials management functions within a large, multi-product manufacturing facility. This role ensures the uninterrupted flow of materials from suppliers through warehouse operations, production, and customer shipment while optimizing inventory, on-time delivery, and manufacturing efficiency.

The Materials Manager provides leadership for Production Planning, Inventory Control, Warehouse Operations, Material Flow, Logistics, and ERP-driven planning processes. This position is accountable for maintaining factory Clear-to-Build readiness, executing production schedules, mitigating material shortages, and driving continuous improvement across the end-to-end supply chain.

The successful candidate will be a strategic and hands-on leader capable of balancing customer demand, operational capacity, inventory investment, and supply chain performance in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Team Management

Foster a culture of safety, operational excellence, continuous improvement, and customer focus.
Lead and develop teams responsible for Production Planning, Inventory Control, Warehouse Operations, Material Handling, and Logistics.
Establish performance objectives and accountability measures for all materials functions.
Coach and develop supervisors, planners, warehouse leaders, and materials personnel.
Partner closely with Operations, Purchasing, Engineering, Quality, Finance, and Customer Service leadership teams.
Drive cross-functional problem solving and decision making to support factory performance objectives.

Production Planning & Schedule Execution

Lead the execution of the Master Production Schedule (MPS) to meet customer demand and operational objectives.
Ensure production schedules are optimized based on labor, material, equipment, and capacity constraints.
Manage production planning activities across multiple product lines and manufacturing cells.
Monitor schedule attainment and implement recovery plans when production performance falls below targets.
Facilitate daily, weekly, and monthly planning reviews.
Support SIOP/S&OP processes through demand and supply balancing.

Clear-to-Build Management

Establish and maintain Clear-to-Build processes that ensure all required materials are available prior to production release.
Lead material readiness reviews and escalation processes.
Identify and mitigate supply risks impacting production commitments.
Coordinate with Purchasing and Supply Chain teams to resolve shortages and expedite critical materials.
Drive proactive actions to avoid line disruptions and missed customer deliveries.

Inventory Management

Develop and execute inventory strategies that balance customer service requirements with working capital objectives.
Maintain optimal inventory levels for raw materials, WIP, finished goods, and service parts.
Monitor inventory health through metrics such as:

Inventory Turns
Days on Hand (DOH)
Inventory Accuracy
Excess and Obsolete Inventory
Stockout Frequency

Lead cycle counting and physical inventory programs.
Implement actions to improve inventory accuracy and reduce excess inventory investment.
Ensure strong inventory control processes throughout the facility.

Warehouse Operations & Material Flow

Lead all warehouse operations including receiving, storage, replenishment, kitting, production support, and shipping.
Design and maintain effective warehouse layouts that maximize efficiency, safety, and inventory visibility.
Develop material presentation and replenishment processes that support manufacturing flow.
Drive continuous improvement in:

Material handling
Warehouse productivity
Space utilization
Inventory accuracy
Material replenishment systems

Ensure shop floor materials are delivered accurately and on time to support production schedules.
Implement lean material flow principles and point-of-use inventory strategies where appropriate.

Logistics & Transportation

Manage inbound and outbound logistics operations.
Ensure cost-effective transportation strategies while supporting delivery performance requirements.
Monitor carrier performance and freight costs.
Coordinate expedited shipments as required to support customer commitments and production continuity.
Partner with suppliers, transportation providers, and distribution teams to optimize logistics performance.
Drive continuous improvement in freight management and supply chain responsiveness.

ERP and Materials Systems Management

Ensure effective utilization of ERP and MRP systems to support planning and material control processes.
Maintain data integrity related to:

Bills of Material (BOM)
Lead Times
Inventory Parameters
Safety Stock Levels
Routing Information
Planning Policies

Lead continuous improvement of planning processes and system functionality.
Utilize ERP data and reporting tools to drive decision making and performance management.
Support system implementations, upgrades, and process standardization initiatives.

Supply Shortage Mitigation & Risk Management

Lead material shortage management processes across the facility.
Develop recovery plans for critical supply constraints.
Work with Purchasing and suppliers to improve delivery performance and minimize production disruption.
Assess supply chain risks and implement contingency plans.
Support dual-source, safety stock, and risk mitigation strategies where appropriate.
Communicate risks and recovery plans to plant leadership.

Continuous Improvement

Champion Lean Manufacturing and Operational Excellence initiatives.
Drive improvements in inventory performance, material flow, planning effectiveness, and warehouse productivity.
Establish and monitor key performance indicators across all materials functions.
Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions related to materials performance issues.
Support strategic growth, capacity expansion, and factory transformation initiatives.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Business, Engineering, or related field.

7+ years of progressive experience in Materials Management, Supply Chain, Production Control, or Manufacturing Operations.

3+ years of leadership experience managing teams within a manufacturing environment.

Experience with ERP/MRP systems such as SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, Infor, Epicor, or equivalent.

Strong knowledge of:

Production Planning
Inventory Control
Warehouse Operations
Material Flow
Logistics
Supply Chain Management
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and leadership skills

Preferred Qualifications

APICS/ASCM CPIM, CSCP, or CLTD certification.
Experience in a complex, multi-product manufacturing environment.
Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma certification.
Experience implementing warehouse, inventory, or ERP process improvements.

Leadership Attributes

Hands‑on, sleeves‑rolled‑up leader who can operate at both strategic and tactical levels.
Strong ownership mindset with bias for action and results.
Comfortable building systems and processes in ambiguity.
Clear communicator who partners effectively with Operations, Engineering, Purchasing, and Finance.
Data‑driven decision maker with practical manufacturing instincts.

Benefits:

Medical, vision, and dental plans
Short-term and long-term disability insurance
Group term life insurance coverage
HSA, FSA, and Dependent Care plans available
8 paid holidays, 4 floating holidays, and generous PTO policy
401k matching
Annual safety shoe allowance
Education assistance program</spa