Materials Manager

About the role

• Location: Michigan City, Indiana, United States
• Job ID: R0146062
• Date Posted: 2026-09-23
• Company Name: HITACHI GLOBAL AIR POWER US, LLC
• Profession (Job Category): Production & Skilled Trades
• Job Schedule: Full time
• Remote: No

Summary of the position

The Materials Manager oversees material-related operations to ensure that all incoming and outgoing inventory is processed for Hitachi Global Air Power US, LLC (HGAP). Responsible for material storage and movement within several manufacturing and storage facilities to ensure manufacturing lines receive the correct material when needed.

This position is located at the Hitachi Global Air Power manufacturing plant in Michigan City, Indiana, and reports to the Vice President of Operations.

Key Accountabilities

• Ensure all Inventories are aligned with Sales Product Strategy and Production needs meeting Customer On-Time delivery expectations.
• Improve warehouse layout to drive sustainable inventory and production plans that meet the business financial targets and meet or exceed our customer and shareholder expectations.

Duties and responsibilities

• Manage material inventory control, shipping and receiving, handling, and storage throughout manufacturing and storage facilities in support of production to ensure delivery demands and schedules are met.
• Identify opportunities to reduce transportation, storage, and handling costs.
• Strategize about inventory volumes and storage capacity to maximize productivity, rearranging containers for improved efficiency while allowing material handlers to easily navigate between aisles.
• Support transformation efforts to digitally transform material handling systems such as automated guided vehicle systems (AGVs), autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), and collaborative robotic arms (cobots) for palletizing.
• Maintain balanced workloads by shifting assignments, workers and other resources under own control to achieve the most effective material handling and material processing operations.
• Explain work requirements, methods, and procedures; instruct workers in new procedures; and provide advice when problems arise.
• Adjust plans, assignments, and methods as necessary to accomplish the work effectively and economically.
• Coordinate activities with manufacturing, purchasing, engineering, planning, and quality departments to resolve material shortages.
• Provide weekly schedules for direct reports, including starting/ending times, as well as overtime hours.
• Monitor overtime hours to stay within budget while maintaining adequate coverage to support operations.
• Hold direct reports accountable to uphold Sullair values and policies; issue discipline as required in conjunction with the Human Resource Department.
• Review and execute corrective actions for Near Miss and Recordable safety incidents. Oversee proactive audits for discoveries of potential safety-related issues.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Inventory Management, Supply Chain Management, or Logistics
• Graduate degree in a logistics- or business-related field a plus
• Material Management certification, such as CPIM, CSCP, CLTD, and CLT, a plus

Professional experience

• Five plus years of experience in material management, including inventory management systems.
• Ability to establish self as credible leader and partner with site leadership as a trusted member of staff.
• Humble: respectful, receptive, agile, eager to learn.
• Transparent: shares critical information, speaks with candor, contributes constructively.
• Focused: quick learner, strategically prioritizes work, committed.
• Leadership ability: strong communicator, decision-maker, collaborative.
• Problem solver: analytical-minded, challenges existing processes, critical thinker.
• Working knowledge of Inventory Control Software, SAP, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access).

Key behaviors

• Lifting up to 35 lbs, lifting over 35 lbs. requires a lifting device, crane, or assistance from another associate
• Standing and walking minimum of 8 hours, must be able to bend/stoop, squat/crouch, kneel and twist
• Must understand and comply with Sullair Safety Standards

Physical requirements

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to walk, talk, and/or hear.
• The employee is occasionally required to stand, sit, and use hands to finger, handle, or feel.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 35 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Direct reports

• Material Handler Supervisors
• Shipping / Receiving Supervisor

Additional information

The successful candidate is responsible for complying with Hitachi Global Air Power US Code of Ethics and related policies. In performing the job, the incumbent shall take all steps necessary to comply with our safety rules and requirements and must actively support the organization's efforts to meet and exceed its goals of creating and maintaining a safe workplace.

This description is to serve as a guide. It is intended to be flexible and will continue to evolve over time with business needs and demands and may be updated periodically and at the Company's discretion.