Materials Management Specialist
The Materials Management Specialist is responsible for coordinating purchasing activities, maintaining accurate inventory and material data, and supporting vendor relationships to ensure materials meet production requirements. This role collaborates closely with multiple departments to manage materials flow, support sourcing and cost management, and improve materials-related processes in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
About Careertakes
👉 Important disclosure: Careertakes is a third-party recruiting platform supporting this hiring process. If selected, you will be employed directly by our client, Logistics & Warehouse.
Applicants for this role may also receive access to additional matched opportunities through the Careertakes platform.
What You’ll Do
This is a hands-on Materials Management role supporting purchasing, inventory accuracy, vendor communication, and material availability to meet production needs for a confidential client in the logistics & warehouse sector. You will work closely with Operations, Production Planning, Warehouse, Customer Service, Quality, and Product Development.
- Prepare and issue purchase orders for raw materials, packaging, fragrance oils, chemicals, and other production materials.
- Track order acknowledgements, lead times, availability, pricing, and delivery schedules; follow up with vendors as needed.
- Maintain accurate expected delivery and incoming-material records and communicate availability to Production Planning and Operations.
- Support cycle counts, research inventory discrepancies, and help identify root causes and corrective actions.
- Create and maintain raw material and packaging item records, including descriptions, costs, vendor data, purchasing units, and item-master details.
- Assist with bills of material (BOM) maintenance for finished goods and review item data when new products move into production.
- Coordinate administrative flow of artwork, proofs, and specifications for printed packaging; maintain organized records of approved artwork and revisions.
- Support sourcing for new-product development by requesting samples, quotations, specifications, and documentation from suppliers.
- Obtain and organize supplier documentation (SDS, technical data, certificates, regulatory statements) to support Quality and compliance requests.
- Identify shortages or supply risks and escalate significant cost, quality, delivery, or supply concerns to the Operations Manager.
- Support identification and evaluation of alternate suppliers, cost-saving opportunities, and process improvements.
- As experience grows, assume increasing ownership of routine purchasing, supplier communication, materials management, sourcing, and material-related systems.
What We’re Looking For
Minimum qualifications — candidates who meet these should apply. Entry-level applicants with relevant education, aptitude, and a willingness to learn will be considered.
- High school diploma or equivalent required. Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Operations, or related field is a plus.
- Must speak English; bilingual Spanish is a plus.
- Previous purchasing, inventory, materials management, manufacturing, or supply-chain experience is a plus but not strictly required.
- Experience with ERP systems, inventory systems, or purchasing software is a plus.
Reports to: Operations Manager.
Skills & Tools
- Strong organization, attention to detail, and data accuracy
- Inventory management and cycle-count support
- Purchasing and vendor communication
- Analytical problem solving and root-cause investigation
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel, Word), email, and general business systems
- Ability to learn new software/ERP systems and manufacturing materials/processes
- Project management, scheduling, and follow-up
- Good interpersonal and written/verbal communication skills
- Comfortable working in a fast-paced manufacturing/logistics environment
Additional details
- Employment type: Full time
- Location: Brookfield, CT — on-site (role supports production and warehouse operations)
- Estimated salary (from source): $74,024 per year — estimated
- Employer: Confidential client (via Careertakes)
- This role will develop progressively; early work emphasizes purchasing support, documentation, and inventory accuracy. More strategic supplier and sourcing responsibility will be delegated as experience and knowledge grow.
Equal Opportunity & Hiring Transparency
Careertakes and our client are Equal Opportunity Employers committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We prohibit discrimination or harassment of any kind. To support a fair and efficient hiring process, AI tools may be used to assist with application review or resume screening. These tools do not replace human decision-making. Final hiring decisions are made by people.
If you have questions about how your data is used, please contact us directly.
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