GARED Performance Sports Systems Materials Manager Job Overview The Materials Manager is a key member of the GARED Performance Sports Systems leadership team and is responsible for the overall management and strategic direction of materials, procurement, strategic sourcing, inventory control, production planning, supplier management, and material flow throughout the organization. The Materials Manager has organizational ownership and accountability for all sourcing and procurement activities , including domestic and international/overseas sourcing, supplier selection and development, supplier negotiations, purchasing, supplier performance, cost management, supply-chain risk, material availability, inventory optimization, and continuity of supply. This position will lead the organization's Sourcing/Procurement Team and establish the strategies, processes, standards, and performance expectations governing how GARED sources and purchases materials, components, products, and services. The Materials Manager will work closely with Operations, Engineering, Quality, Sales, Finance, and other functional leaders to ensure the organization has the right material, at the right quality, at the right cost, and at the right time to meet customer requirements and business objectives. The position will champion Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, 5S, and continuous-improvement practices throughout the Materials, Procurement, Sourcing, Planning, Receiving, and Inventory functions. The Materials Manager is expected to identify and eliminate waste, improve processes, reduce costs, optimize inventory and working capital, and improve overall supply-chain performance. The Materials Manager is expected to be a key team member and strong cross-functional partner , contributing to the success of the entire organization and supporting initiatives beyond the traditional scope of the Materials function.

Reports to:

Plant Manager Core Areas of Accountability The Materials Manager has primary organizational accountability for: Strategic Sourcing & Procurement Domestic & International/Overseas Sourcing Supplier Selection & Development Supplier Performance & Vendor Management Purchasing & Procurement Processes Material Cost & Cost Control Inventory Management & Evaluation Production Planning & Scheduling Material Availability & Flow ERP/MRP Planning & Purchasing Discipline Supply-Chain Risk Management Lean Six Sigma & Continuous Improvement 5S & Workplace Organization Sourcing/Procurement Team Leadership Key Responsibilities 1. Organizational Sourcing & Procurement Ownership Own and lead all sourcing and procurement activities for GARED Performance Sports Systems. Establish the overall sourcing and procurement strategy for the organization. Develop and maintain sourcing policies, procedures, standards, and processes. Lead the Sourcing/Procurement Team and establish clear accountability and performance expectations. Ensure all purchasing and sourcing activities support company objectives for quality, cost, delivery, reliability, capacity, and continuity of supply . Establish appropriate sourcing strategies for raw materials, components, finished goods, services, and other externally purchased requirements. Lead supplier selection, qualification, development, negotiation, and ongoing performance management. Identify opportunities to consolidate spend, leverage purchasing volume, improve terms, and reduce total cost. Establish appropriate competitive-bidding and sourcing practices where applicable. Ensure purchasing decisions are based on total business value and not simply purchase price. 2. Strategic & International/Overseas Sourcing Lead domestic, international, and overseas sourcing initiatives for the organization. Identify and evaluate competitive global sources for materials, components, products, and services. Maintain knowledge of global supply markets, supplier capabilities, commodity trends, transportation considerations, tariffs, duties, and other factors affecting sourcing decisions. Evaluate total landed cost , including purchase price, freight, duties, tariffs, logistics, quality, lead time, inventory carrying costs, payment terms, and other associated costs. Negotiate commercial terms with domestic and international suppliers. Develop alternate and backup sources for critical materials and components. Identify and mitigate risks associated with overseas sourcing, including extended lead times, transportation, geopolitical conditions, tariffs, currency exposure, supplier capacity, quality, and continuity of supply. Establish appropriate inventory and contingency strategies for internationally sourced materials. Develop long-term strategic relationships with key international suppliers. 3. Supplier & Vendor Management Own overall supplier and vendor performance management . Establish supplier expectations and measurable KPIs for quality, delivery, cost, responsiveness, capacity, and service . Monitor supplier performance and establish corrective-action plans when expectations are not met. Lead supplier business reviews as appropriate. Hold suppliers accountable to negotiated pricing, quality, delivery, and service commitments. Partner with Quality and Operations to resolve supplier performance issues. Continuously evaluate the supplier base for competitiveness, capability, risk, capacity, and strategic fit. Lead supplier development and improvement initiatives. Develop strong, professional, and mutually beneficial supplier relationships while maintaining appropriate accountability. 4. Cost Management & Cost Control Own and drive procurement and material cost control across the organization. Establish annual sourcing and cost-reduction objectives. Lead supplier negotiations and cost-reduction initiatives. Monitor purchase-price variance, material pricing, supplier increases, commodity trends, and market conditions. Identify savings through negotiation, alternate sourcing, specification changes, volume leverage, supplier development, process improvement, and other initiatives. Partner with Finance to establish accurate material budgets and cost reporting. Identify and communicate material cost risks and opportunities to leadership. Support product costing and new-product development with accurate sourcing and material-cost information. Ensure purchasing activity supports the organization's profitability and working-capital objectives. 5. Inventory Management & Evaluation Own the organization's inventory management strategy and inventory evaluation process . Establish appropriate inventory levels, safety stocks, reorder points, lead times, and planning parameters. Regularly evaluate inventory based on value, velocity, age, usage, demand, risk, and future requirements . Identify and manage excess, obsolete, slow-moving, inactive, and at-risk inventory. Develop and execute action plans to reduce excess and obsolete inventory. Analyze inventory trends and identify opportunities to improve inventory turns and reduce working capital. Evaluate inventory requirements resulting from engineering changes, product changes, declining demand, supplier changes, and other business conditions. Partner with Finance and Operations regarding inventory valuation, reserves, write-offs, and disposition strategies. Ensure inventory levels are aligned with current and forecasted customer demand. Improve inventory availability while minimizing excess inventory and working capital. Maintain high levels of inventory accuracy and transactional discipline. 6. Production Planning & Scheduling Oversee production planning, scheduling, and production control activities. Ensure production schedules align with customer demand, available capacity, labor, materials, and inventory. Identify material shortages and capacity constraints before they impact customers. Work closely with Operations leadership to establish realistic and achievable production schedules. Analyze customer demand, sales forecasts, production requirements, inventory, and plant capacity. Adjust planning priorities as customer and business requirements change. Establish effective communication and escalation processes for material and production constraints. 7.

ERP / MRP

Management Ensure effective utilization and discipline of the organization's ERP/MRP system. Maintain accurate planning parameters, bills of material, lead times, minimum order quantities, safety stocks, and other planning data. Ensure purchasing and planning transactions are accurate and timely. Utilize ERP data to identify trends, risks, opportunities, and improvement opportunities. Continuously improve the effectiveness of MRP and planning processes. 8. Lean Six Sigma, Kaizen & 5S Champion Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and 5S principles throughout the Materials and Procurement organization. Lead and participate in Kaizen and continuous-improvement events. Identify and eliminate waste, unnecessary inventory, excess movement, waiting, over-processing, and other non-value-added activities. Establish and maintain 5S standards within Purchasing, Materials, Receiving, Warehouse, Inventory, and related work areas. Implement standardized work and visual-management systems. Utilize root-cause analysis and data-driven problem solving. Establish measurable improvement plans and track results. Develop a culture where employees are expected and empowered to identify and solve problems. 9. Team Leadership & Development Lead, develop, coach, and hold accountable the Sourcing, Procurement, Materials, Planning, and Inventory teams as applicable. Establish departmental goals, KPIs, and performance expectations. Develop team members through coaching, training, mentoring, and continuous improvement. Build a culture of accountability, ownership, communication, teamwork, and problem solving . Develop succession plans and strengthen the capabilities of the Materials and Sourcing organization. Lead by example and demonstrate the company's expectations for professionalism, teamwork, and continuous improvement. 10. Cross-Functional Leadership The Materials Manager is expected to be a key organizational team member , not simply a functional department leader. Partner with Operations to ensure material availability and production performance. Partner with Sales and Customer Service to understand demand and changing customer requirements. Partner with Engineering on new products, specifications, sourcing, and supplier development. Partner with Quality on supplier quality and corrective actions. Partner with Finance on budgets, material costs, inventory valuation, working capital, and purchasing performance. Participate in company-wide strategic initiatives and problem-solving. Communicate proactively with leadership regarding opportunities, risks, and constraints. Put the success of the overall organization ahead of individual departmental objectives . Promote a one-team mentality and actively support other departments when organizational needs require it. Key Performance Indicators The Materials Manager will establish and manage measurable KPIs, including: Supplier on-time delivery Supplier quality performance Supplier corrective actions Purchase-price variance Annual sourcing savings Material cost reductions Inventory turns Inventory accuracy Excess and obsolete inventory Inventory working capital Material availability Production material shortages Production schedule attainment Supplier lead times Supply-chain risk ERP/MRP accuracy and discipline Purchasing performance 5S performance Lean/Kaizen activity and measurable results Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations, Business, Engineering, Logistics, or related field preferred. Minimum 5 years of progressive experience in materials management, procurement, strategic sourcing, supply chain, or manufacturing. Proven experience leading a procurement, sourcing, materials, or supply-chain team. Demonstrated experience in domestic and international/overseas sourcing. Strong experience with strategic sourcing, supplier management, negotiations, and cost control. Experience evaluating and managing inventory based on cost, demand, usage, velocity, risk, and business requirements. Strong understanding of manufacturing operations and material flow. Experience with ERP/MRP systems and material-planning processes. Demonstrated application of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and 5S principles . Strong understanding of forecasting, inventory management, production planning, and scheduling. Experience managing strategic supplier relationships and negotiations. Strong understanding of total landed cost and global supply-chain considerations. Strong financial and analytical capabilities. Advanced problem-solving and root-cause-analysis skills. Excellent communication, negotiation, organizational, and leadership skills. Ability to work effectively across departments and lead through influence. Strong Microsoft Office and ERP/MRP proficiency. Preferred Qualifications Lean Six Sigma certification.

APICS/ASCM

CPIM or CSCP certification. Significant international/overseas sourcing experience. Experience with strategic supplier contracts and negotiations. Experience implementing or significantly improving ERP/MRP systems. Experience leading Kaizen events and 5S initiatives. Experience in a manufacturing environment with significant engineered products and/or custom manufacturing. Strong understanding of manufacturing cost structures and financial principles. Leadership Expectations The Materials Manager is expected to be a key member of the GARED leadership team and is expected to: Lead with integrity, accountability, and professionalism. Be a strong team player and collaborative leader . Put the success of the overall organization ahead of departmental interests. Take ownership of problems and drive them to resolution. Communicate openly, proactively, and professionally. Make data-driven decisions with a strong sense of urgency. Develop people and build a high-performing team. Lead by example in Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and 5S practices. Continuously challenge existing processes and seek better ways of working. Promote a culture of Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, Accountability, and Continuous Improvement . Support company initiatives outside the traditional scope of the Materials function when organizational needs require it. Represent GARED professionally with employees, customers, suppliers, and strategic business partners.

Reports to:

Plant Manager Company Overview GARED® services the after-market, retail, and custom gymnasium structure markets, and have become the leader in innovative product design, precision engineering, and premium manufacturing of sports equipment. Our centrally located manufacturing and warehouse facilities, and new state-of-the-art powder coating operation in Noblesville, Indiana have enabled us to offer our customers shorter lead times and more economical shipping costs. We sell our products through a trusted network of dealers across the United States and around the world. GARED® offers a competitive salary that rewards performance and dedication, along with a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Medical, Dental, and Prescription Drug Program
• Retirement 401(k) Program
• Vacation and Holidays
• Flexible Spending Accounts

Life Insurance, Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance Benefits:

401(k) Dental insurance Employee discount Flexible spending account Health insurance Health savings account Life insurance Paid time off Referral program Tuition reimbursement Vision insurance

Work Location:

In person