Materials Manager

Founded in 1849, Ducommun is the oldest company in California and a global provider of innovative manufacturing solutions for customers in the aerospace, defense, and industrial markets. We specialize in electronic and structural systems, producing complex products and components for commercial aircraft platforms, mission-critical military and space programs, and sophisticated industrial applications.

About the role

The Materials Manager ensures effective materials management including material storage and inventory control, shipping and receiving, production planning, and supply chain. This role drives production planning, inventory control, and supplier performance, managing key external and internal supply chain elements such as Purchase Price Variance (PPV), supplier performance, material on-time delivery, quality, and inventory turns.

Responsibilities

• Investigate current supply chain trends and solutions, implementing improvements where appropriate.
• Manage key supply chain elements through materials management practices and Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP), including PPV, supplier performance, material on-time and quality, and inventory turns.
• Collaborate with program and supply chain teams to develop and agree on cost targets for new components prior to customer quotes.
• Serve as a key member of the S&OP process, participating in program/production reviews to communicate schedule status, needs, concerns, and mitigation plans.
• Work with production control, master scheduling, and supply chain teams to ensure end-to-end forward-looking supply chain execution, including demand, sales order entry, production planning, inventory management, and material preparation.
• Provide leadership in developing, improving, and implementing materials management and flow to minimize lead time and inventory while achieving sales plans and customer service requirements.
• Develop metrics for managing inventory costs, delivery times, service levels, and quality.
• Lead and participate in cross-functional teams to resolve delayed customer shipments, component shortages, overtime, priorities, and identified problems.
• Support new product launches, ensuring flawless execution in terms of cost, delivery, and quality by partnering with program management, manufacturing, engineering, commodity leaders, and supply chain teams.
• Generate cost, quality, and timing targets for new component launches and define/execute action plans to achieve Annual Operating Plan (AOP) targets.
• Manage material, inventory, and other costs to support AOP.
• Promote company core values of honesty, professionalism, respect, trust, and teamwork, utilizing the Ducommun Way methodology to achieve objectives.
• Collaborate with SBU and operations center leadership to continuously assess operating plans and apply business improvement methodologies.
• Actively lead or participate in cross-functional projects to improve customer satisfaction, reduce cycle time, past dues, and improve on-time delivery with proper inventory.
• Provide supply chain policy guidance, evaluation, and direction to staff, ensuring adherence to and development of supply chain standard work policies and procedures.
• Ensure effective supply chain management systems and processes are developed, implemented, and continually improved.
• Oversee selection, training, development, succession, and performance evaluation of direct reports.
• Foster growth and professional development of direct reports through coaching, mentoring, and career development planning.
• Report on core Ducommun performance measurements and define additional metrics aligned with specific initiatives and areas of opportunity.
• Link and align departmental goals to the goals of the operating center, strategic business unit, and corporate.
• Investigate current demand trends and solutions, implementing improvements where appropriate.
• Support AS9100 root cause corrective actions and audits as needed.
• Initiate, promote, and drive lean methodologies across all processes and standard work.
• Focus on continuous improvement within the scope of responsibilities for S&OP practices, material and process planning, and flow to minimize lead time and inventory.
• Implement standard work and processes across areas of responsibility.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent, in Business, Supply Chain, or a related field. MBA preferred.
• Minimum of 8 years of supply chain or related experience, including significant leadership experience. Commodity management and supplier development experience preferred.
• Minimum of 3 years of ERP system experience.
• Minimum of 3 years of previous S&OP processes experience.
• Aerospace or defense manufacturing experience desired.

Qualifications

• Strong cross-functional teamwork with collaborative and influential leadership skills.
• Strong analytical, communication, interpersonal, written, and verbal skills.
• Highly motivated and able to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Knowledge/experience in material, inventory, and production control processes.
• Demonstrated experience in team leadership across functions such as Sales/Customer Service, Supply Chain, or Procurement.
• Strong analytical thinking to assess and facilitate forward planning decisions.
• Advanced skills in Excel, PowerPoint, and systems database/query capability.
• Excellent verbal and written communication and training skills.
• Strong business and financial acumen.
• Strong team-building and talent growth and development skills.
• Understanding and ability to apply lean methodology and concepts into supply chain processes.
• ISM or APICS certification preferred. CPM, CSM, or CPSM preferred.