Title:  Material Program Management (MPM) Manager

Job Title: Material Program Management (MPM) Manager 

Job Code: 43756

Job Location: Huntsville, AL

Job Schedule: 9/80: Employees work 9 out of every 14 days- totaling 80 hours worked- and have every other Friday off  

Job Description:

The Material Program Management (MPM) Manager is the Supply Chain focal point responsible for leading the end-to-end material strategy and execution for assigned programs. This role partners closely with Program Management, Procurement, Planning, Operations, Engineering, Quality, Finance/Business Management, and other Supply Chain functions to ensure material requirements are aligned to program cost, schedule, production, and customer commitments.

The MPM Manager leads a team of Material Program Managers and is accountable for providing clear visibility to the program’s overall material position, including material availability, procurement status, shortages, supplier risks, forecast performance, inventory, and production readiness. The manager ensures risks are identified early, actions have clear ownership and closure plans, and material issues are escalated at the appropriate level before they impact program execution.

This position requires a leader who can operate strategically while maintaining strong discipline, translate complex material information into actionable program-level insights, and drive cross-functional teams toward resolution of material, cost, schedule, and supplier challenges.

Essential Functions:

• Lead, develop, coach, and provide day-to-day direction to a team of Material Program Managers supporting assigned programs.
• Own and drive the integrated material strategy for assigned programs, ensuring procurement, planning, inventory, supplier performance, quality, engineering, and production activities are aligned to program requirements and schedule.
• Lead material readiness and Line of Balance (LOB) reviews to determine whether material supports planned production and delivery schedules. Identify constraints, gaps, and material at risk of not meeting program need dates.
• Drive proactive identification and management of material risks and opportunities, ensuring each significant issue has a clearly defined program impact, root cause, mitigation/recovery plan, action owner, and required completion date.
• Establish appropriate escalation paths for critical material and supplier issues and ensure risks are elevated based on potential impact to production, customer commitments, cost, and schedule.
• Lead the material forecasting process for assigned programs, including development and validation of monthly and quarterly material forecasts, identification of major forecast drivers, risks and opportunities, and corrective actions necessary to improve forecast accuracy.
• Analyze forecast performance and material actuals to identify significant variances, understand root causes, and implement corrective actions that improve predictability and financial performance.
• Partner with Procurement and Supplier Management organizations to ensure critical supplier issues are actively managed and recovery plans support program requirements.
• Support development and execution of program proposals, Estimates at Completion (EACs), material budgets, long-range material strategies, and other program financial planning activities.
• Provide clear, concise executive-level communication regarding material status, significant risks and opportunities, forecast performance, supplier challenges, recovery actions, and decisions or support required from leadership.

Qualifications:

Bachelor’s Degree and a minimum of 9 years of prior related management experience; or a Graduate Degree or equivalent with 7 years of prior related management experience; or a minimum of 13 years of prior related management experience in lieu of a degree.

Preferred Additional Skills:

• Experience within aerospace, defense, or another complex engineered product/manufacturing environment.
• Experience supporting development and/or production programs from early development through qualification, production ramp, and full-rate production.
• Working knowledge of MRP/ERP systems, material requirements planning, production planning, procurement, inventory management, supplier management, and manufacturing operations.
• Experience with material forecasting, EACs, program financial management, risk and opportunity management, and integrated program schedules.
• Demonstrated ability to identify root causes, develop recovery strategies, and lead cross-functional teams through complex material and supplier issues.
• Experience implementing process improvements, standard work, reporting automation, dashboards, or data-driven management tools.
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint; experience with Power BI or similar analytics and visualization tools is preferred.
• Knowledge of government contracting and the defense acquisition environment, including applicable FAR/DFARS requirements, is preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to lead through influence, operate effectively in a matrixed organization, manage competing priorities, and make timely decisions in a rapidly changing environment.
• Strong leadership, coaching, communication, problem-solving, and executive presentation skills.
• Ability and willingness to travel to company facilities, customers, and suppliers as business needs require.

#LI-DM1