Materials Manager

About the Role

We’re Watts—together, we’re reimagining the future of water. This highly motivated and results-driven individual will join the Operations Leadership team, overseeing all aspects of inventory control to ensure a steady flow of materials that meet production needs. The Materials Manager coordinates with internal teams, leads inventory control staff, manages vendor relationships, and maintains optimal inventory levels. This role requires strong organization, priority management, attention to detail, and effective supplier negotiation.

This position has direct reports: 3 Exempt Planners, 1 Purchasing Agent, and 2 hourly employees. It reports to the Plant Manager, is onsite, and is based in Saint Pauls, NC.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior-level leadership and oversight of shipping, receiving, planning, procurement, and inventory control functions, ensuring alignment with operational, financial, and customer service objectives.
• Establish and continuously improve enterprise-wide material management strategies, including policies, procedures, controls, and systems to optimize cost, working capital, service levels, and operational efficiency.
• Lead the planning and execution of end-to-end materials management activities, including procurement, inventory control, production planning, and quality coordination, to support manufacturing schedules and customer demand.
• Ensure quality, continuity, and timeliness of material flow by maintaining balanced inventory levels, mitigating supply risk, preventing stock-outs, and minimizing excess and obsolete inventory.
• Own inventory performance metrics, including inventory turns, backorders, past-due backlog, cash flow impact, and service levels, and drive corrective actions to achieve targets.
• Partner with Sales, Marketing, Operations, and Finance to develop robust demand forecasts, including new product introductions, and maintain rolling short- and mid-term inventory and cash flow projections.
• Provide strategic leadership to Planning personnel in the effective use of Master Production Scheduling (MPS), Material Requirements Planning (MRP), and ERP systems, ensuring data integrity and disciplined processes.
• Oversee procurement governance, including review and approval of key purchase orders, change notices, claims, and contracts to ensure compliance with company policy and risk management standards.
• Allocate and prioritize procurement and planning resources, ensuring alignment to business priorities and capacity constraints.
• Direct the identification, disposition, and recovery of surplus, excess, and obsolete inventory.
• Act as a senior cross-functional leader, influencing decisions across operations, supply chain, finance, and commercial teams; drive collaboration and escalation where needed to resolve complex supply challenges.
• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team, building capability, succession, and a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and data-driven decision-making.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Supply Chain, or a related field.
• 5+ years of progressively responsible experience in materials management, supply chain, planning, and/or procurement.
• 2+ years in a senior leadership or people management role.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex, cross-functional material planning and inventory strategies within a manufacturing or distribution environment.
• Strong executive communication skills, with the ability to analyze and interpret complex business data and present recommendations to senior leadership.
• Deep expertise with ERP, MRP/MPS systems, and planning tools, along with strong proficiency in Microsoft 365 and data analysis applications.

Preferred Qualifications

• Lean, Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification strongly preferred.
• A proven track record of driving measurable operational improvement.
• Advanced analytical capability, including statistical analysis and financial trade-off evaluation across service, cost, and working capital.
• Proven ability to solve complex, ambiguous problems and lead change in environments with limited standardization.
• Demonstrated ability to lead in matrixed organizations, influence without authority, and align stakeholders across functions.

Skills

• Commitment to Watts’ values of integrity, accountability, continuous improvement and innovation, and transparency.
• Punctuality and dependability.
• Ability to be flexible and adapt to changing work priorities and stressful conditions.
• Adherence to all personnel policies, procedures, and standards of process as implemented by Watts.
• Maintain productive and collaborative relationships with other Watts employees.
• Adherence to Watts’ seven cultural beliefs: Growth Mindset, Customer-Focused Innovation, Constant Communication, Clear Goals, Collaborate Globally, Be Inclusive, and Take Action.

Working Conditions

This role is onsite at a manufacturing facility in Saint Pauls, NC. The majority of duties are performed in an office environment, but occasional presence on the manufacturing floor is required, including wearing appropriate personal protective equipment. The position operates Monday–Friday, with an occasional Saturday. Scheduled work hours will be communicated by the manager.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to remain seated at a desk or workstation for extended periods.
• Ability to perform repetitive tasks like typing on a keyboard or using a mouse for extended periods.
• Ability to physically move around the office, organize or transport files, packages, or other office-related materials.
• Ability to read documents, use a computer, and perform data entry tasks.
• Ability to communicate clearly with management and coworkers, particularly in meetings or phone calls.
• Ability to operate standard office equipment such as computers, printers, phones, and copiers.
• Ability to occasionally lift and carry light objects, such as office supplies, documents, or small equipment.
• Ability to wear personal protective equipment, which may include safety shoes, hearing protection, and safety glasses.

Benefits

Benefits apply only to permanent roles:

• Competitive compensation based on skills, qualifications, and experience.
• Comprehensive medical and dental coverage, retirement benefits.
• Family-building benefits, including paid maternity/paternity leave.
• 10 paid holidays and Paid Time Off.
• Continued professional development opportunities and educational reimbursement.
• Additional perks such as fitness reimbursements and employee discount programs.