Jobs › Plexus

Materials Team Manager

Plexus · Neenah, WI · $97,900–$146,900 a year · Full time

Posted Aug 27, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a time a shortage stopped or nearly stopped a production line. What did your team do?

What they are checking: Whether they lead a quick, coordinated recovery and then fix what allowed the shortage to happen.

Describe a time you developed someone on your team into a bigger role.

What they are checking: Whether they invest in people's growth, which keeps a materials team stable through busy periods.

How do you work with production so materials is seen as a partner and not a bottleneck?

What they are checking: Whether they build trust with operations through communication and reliability.

What would you do

Your buyers and planners keep blaming each other for late material. How do you handle it?

What they are checking: Whether they fix the process and handoffs between roles instead of picking a side.

A customer suddenly increases demand 40 percent for next month. How do you respond?

What they are checking: Whether they check material, lead times and capacity quickly and give the program team honest options.

About the work

What does a materials team own at an electronics manufacturing site, and how would you organize it?

What they are checking: Whether they understand the flow from planning and buying to receiving, storage and kitting to the line.

How do you keep inventory accuracy high, and what's your approach to cycle counting?

What they are checking: Whether they understand that bad inventory data causes shortages and excess, and they know how to find root causes.

How do you manage excess and obsolete inventory when customers change demand or designs?

What they are checking: Whether they know how to work customer liability and act early, before excess becomes a write-off.

Which metrics do you use to run a materials team?

What they are checking: Whether they use a balanced set like shortages, inventory turns, accuracy and on-time delivery, not one number.

How do you make sure components that need special handling, like moisture-sensitive parts, are stored and tracked correctly?

What they are checking: Whether they understand MSD handling and traceability, which affect quality in electronics assembly.

Practice this interview out loud.

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The full job description

As published by Plexus.

About us: At Plexus, our vision is to help create the products that build a better world. Driven by a passion for excellence, we partner with leading Aerospace/Defense, Healthcare/Life Sciences and Industrial companies to design, manufacture and service some of the world’s most transformative products, including advanced surgical systems, diagnostic instruments, healthcare imaging equipment, mission critical aerospace systems, and electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions. Visit Plexus.com to learn more about our unwavering commitment to our vision. When we invest in our people, we invest in building a better world. With a vision rooted in the wellbeing and inclusive engagement of our team members, our customers, their end users and our communities, people are the heart of what we do and who we are. It is our values that unite us and guide us in everything that we do, including how we operate, behave and interact to foster a workplace where every team member feels valued and empowered to contribute their best. Our values include: Growing our People, Building Belonging, Innovating Responsibly, Delivering Excellence and Creating Customer Success. As a team member, you will engage in impactful work through global collaboration and the use of emerging technologies, join an inclusive culture where every team member is valued and working toward a greater purpose, and be empowered to reach your full potential through various development programs designed to accelerate your growth. Plexus offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support team members' wellbeing, including medical, dental, and vision insurance, paid time off, retirement savings, and opportunities for professional development. We also prioritize work-life balance and offer a variety of perks to enhance the team member experience. For more information, visit our US benefits website at usbenefits.plexus.com . Our commitment to pay range transparency fosters an equitable workplace, where everyone can feel valued. The annual compensation range for this position is stated below. The salary offered within this range will be based upon the geographic location, work experience, education, licensure requirements and/or skill level. Salary Range: $97,900.00 - $146,900.00 Purpose Statement: This position serves as the customer liaison for a Customer Focus Team, representing both the strategic and tactical materials organizations. All customer related material requirements are interpreted and communicated by this position. This position will collaborate with both procurement and demand planning functions in support of the customer’s requirements. This position will seek to maximize customer fulfillment requirements while adhering to Plexus' policies and goals. Key Job Accountabilities: • Develop inventory strategy to achieve targeted net inventory levels/days of inventory. Collaborates with Master Scheduler, Demand Analyst and/or Procurement Team to assure customer satisfaction, inventory days objectives and the site revenue plan are achieved. • Execute timely submission of excess and obsolete material claims in accordance with the corporate process and customer contract, aggressively pursuing reductions. Review and approve purchase orders at appropriate signature level (Purchase price variance and Monetary), assuring the recovery of applicable purchase price variance and/or a defensible position if there is a future excess and obsolete claim. • Understand customer’s financial metrics and be accountable for impact to Parts Contribution, purchase price variance, Materials Labor Cost, Inventory Levels, Obsolescence and Freight on corporate financial performance. Take an active role in monthly/quarterly site revenue & inventory forecasting and margin objectives. • Initiate, evaluate and monitor suggested corporate supply chain solutions in order to optimize procurement and deployment techniques. Maintain optimal inventory levels that support customer on time delivery goals and meet corporate objectives. • When there is no Supply Chain Productivity Manager assigned to the account, provide the voice of the customer input into the repricing process to address exposure risk, cost reduction or localization needs. Accountable for the purchase price variance and discipline by design performance of assigned accounts. Education/Experience Qualifications: • Bachelor’s Degree with 6 or more years of related experience is preferred. An equivalent combination of education and/or experience will be considered. Other Qualifications: • Strong analytical skills. • Detail oriented. • Self-starter with the ability to operate without constant direction. • Ability to work in a dynamic environment across various functional business groups. • Strong written and verbal communication, interpersonal and problem solving skills. • Strong Google Workspace or MS Office skills with advanced knowledge of Excel. • General office equipment and materials. Physical Requirements: • Professional office environment with suitable lighting, comfortable temperatures, and low noise level. May require prolonged periods of sitting at a desk, using a computer, and other office equipment. Minimal physical activity is generally involved, emphasizing the importance of good posture and ergonomic workplace arrangements. This document does not represent a contract of employment and is not intended to capture every possible assignment the incumbent could be asked to perform. We are pleased to provide reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities or special requirements. If you need an application accommodation, please contact us by email at GHQ.TA@plexus.com . Please include your contact information and clearly describe how we can help you. This email is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) and do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. Some offers of employment are contingent upon successfully passing a drug screen and/or background check.

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