Materials Manager Responsibilities

A materials manager maintains and controls all materials utilized by any company.

A materials manager handles all aspects of equipment, raw material and other supplies required to run a company. The position is found in most every company from manufacturing to medical supplies. The manager oversees personnel, inventory, storage space and customer demands. Along with materials, the manager maintains documentation and develops a budget for the department.

Budget Responsibilities

The materials manager makes an annual budget that shows the materials required by every department of the company. This includes everything from large equipment and machinery needed by the production department to the pens and pencils used by the human resources department. The materials manager ensures that each department is being supplied with its required materials. The manager then makes the overall budget and files it with upper management for their review. Once the budget has been approved, the materials manager begins ordering and supplying each department.

Procurement

A materials manager identifies suppliers of raw materials, equipment, machinery and other supplies. Once competent suppliers have been identified, the manager begins procuring the items required by each department. This involves purchasing each item requested and placing it into inventory. The materials manager works with the purchasing department to ensure all suppliers are paid. Along with this procurement responsibility, the materials manager makes sure the supplies ordered are received and sent to their proper departments.

Evaluation

The materials manager evaluates each department's production or sales schedule to ensure that the departments are efficient. This efficiency review pertains to the required supplies to complete the department's job. If a department is being slowed because of lack of material, the materials manager formulates a new standard for the amount of material required. The materials manager also checks if the department is being supplied with too much raw material or supplies and makes the necessary adjustments to the inventory.

Quality Inspection

The materials manager meets with the quality department to ensure the supplies and materials being received from vendors are up to company standards. The manager develops a rating or scoring system to grade each vendor's products and makes adjustments based on the grading system. If a vendor is supplying sub-standard material, the materials manager finds another supplier.

Negotiations

The materials manager negotiates with every supplier. This ensures that all the materials being supplied to the company are within or even below the budget requirements. The materials manager requires vendors to quote a price for each item. The materials manager decides whether the price is within the range set by the original budget. If the materials manager cannot find a vendor to meet the budget requirements, he has to adjust the budget.

References

• Boston APICS, Materials Manager
• Net-Temps, Job Description for Materials Manager
• Job Street