Materials Manager at Herff Jones in Indianapolis, Indiana

Job Description:

Position: Materials Manager

Location: Indianapolis, Indiana

Starting Pay: $83-100K annually DOE

THE MOST TRUSTED NAME IN CELEBRATING STUDENT MILESTONES - HERFF JONES

Herff Jones is the leading provider of graduation and educational products and services designed to inspire achievement and create memorable experiences for students. Herff Jones' products include class rings and jewelry, caps and gowns, diplomas, frames, announcements, and Greek accessories as well as motivation and recognition programs. Since 1920, our team has worked alongside students, faculty, and staff on campuses nationwide to help build a stronger community and celebrate student milestones. Our continued success relies on hiring extraordinary talent, with a passion for making a difference and eagerness to roll up the sleeves, to help us write the story of our next 100 years.

Materials Manager - Indianapolis, IN

Your Opportunity:

We are seeking a Materials Manager to lead the materials function in our Indianapolis facility. This role is key to ensuring efficient material planning, procurement, and inventory management to meet customer expectations and support our operational goals.

Here's How You'll Make an Impact:

Reporting to the Plant Manager, you will be responsible for managing workflow from initiation to completion for both purchased orders and deliveries. This person will accurately track and report key functional metrics and anticipate unfavorable events through data analysis to prepare control strategies.

The Materials Manager will review the strategic finished goods and raw material position to meet customer expectations, which includes strategic supplier relations. This position will lead the Production Control and Procurement teams, while partnering with Distribution and Manufacturing operations to meet customer demand, cost objectives, and inventory management objectives. Additionally, this position will work with commercial teams to support new products and accounts and factor in timelines to achieve readiness to serve these new accounts.

What We Want You to Accomplish :

• Lead and manage all materials functions including procurement, inventory control, and production planning.
• Develop and maintain strategic relationships with suppliers to ensure timely and cost-effective sourcing of materials.
• Oversee and optimize ERP systems and material master data to support daily operations and new product launches.
• Establish and maintain optimal inventory levels of raw materials and finished goods to meet customer lead times.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Manufacturing, Distribution, and Commercial teams to ensure alignment on timelines and readiness.
• Lead, coach, and develop the Production Control and Procurement teams to achieve high performance.
• Ensure compliance with material management processes and practices, driving continuous improvement initiatives.
• Analyze key performance indicators and use data-driven insights to manage risks and identify opportunities for improvement.

Qualifications:

• 3+ years of relevant experience in materials management, supply chain, or operations.
• Proven ability to lead teams in a dynamic manufacturing environment with seasonal production flows.
• Strong communication skills across all organizational levels.
• Demonstrated success in lean operations, including frontline coaching and training.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and ERP systems; ability to adapt to manual and digital workflows.
• Experience managing budgets, staffing models, and implementing new programs.
• High attention to detail, excellent organizational skills, and a results-driven mindset.
• APICS (CPIM) certification preferred or equivalent experience.

What You'll Bring to the Table:

• Strong leadership and decision-making abilities.
• A sense of urgency and commitment to exceeding customer expectations.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.
• Analytical mindset with the ability to translate data into actionable insights.
• Commitment to continuous improvement and operational excellence.

JOIN THE BEST TEAM ON THE FIELD IN SPORT, SPIRIT & ACHIEVEMENT

About Herff Jones:

Indianapolis-based Herff Jones is the leading provider of graduation and educational products and services designed to inspire achievement and create memorable experiences for students. Herff Jones' products include class rings and jewelry, caps and gowns, diplomas, and announcements as well as motivation and recognition programs. Focused on building long-term relationships through a nationwide network of over 1,400 employees and sales partners, the professionals at Herff Jones have been helping elevate the student experience throughout the lifelong journey of education for more than 100 years. For more information about Herff Jones, please visit www.herffjones.com .

Herff Jones, Inc. and its affiliates are equal opportunity employers and maintain affirmative action plans to recruit, retain, develop, and promote qualified individuals without unlawful consideration of race, gender, gender identity, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, citizenship status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Herff Jones strives to maintain a work environment free from unlawful discrimination and harassment, where associates are treated with respect and dignity.

Any employment agency, person or entity that submits a résumé into this career site or to a hiring manager does so with the understanding that the applicant's résumé will become the property of Herff Jones. Herff Jones will have the right to hire that applicant at its discretion without any fee owed to the submitting employment agency, person, or entity.

Other details

• Job Family JF_Administrative
• Job Function Managerial
• Pay Type Salary