About this role
Job Description
The Materials Manager is the single point of accountability for capital project materials and equipment at the Fairfield Tubular location. This leader owns the full material lifecycle: OEM shipment, delivery, receipt, storage, preservation, issue to contractors, and turnover to Operations. The role works across multiple plant sites with Procurement, Engineering, Construction, Operations, plant warehouse managers, OEMs, and contractors. The goal is simple: the right materials, on site, in good condition, before crews need them.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Planning and Procedures
- Develop and maintain a Materials Management Plan for each capital project.
- Set site receiving rules, storage standards, and material handling procedures, and apply them at every plant site and storage location.
- Align material plans with the project schedule, construction sequence, and work packages, and confirm materials are on hand before work packages are released to the field.
Leadership and Supervision
- Supervise and develop materials coordinators, receiving staff, and material handlers.
- Direct contractor and third-party logistics personnel supporting materials work.
- Set priorities, assign work and train employees on procedures, systems, and safe material handling as well as hold them accountable for results.
Logistics and Expediting
- Manage all inbound and outbound freight for the Capital Projects team.
- Track shipments and OEM fabrication and ship dates against project need dates, flag late or at-risk items early, and work with Procurement to recover them.
- Maintain a rolling delivery look-ahead with Construction and project schedulers.
- Plan heavy-haul and oversize moves, including routes, permits, escorts, and offloading.
- Confirm site readiness before major deliveries, including access, clearances, cranes, and laydown space.
- Coordinate gate access, delivery windows, and site traffic with plant Security and Operations.
- Coordinate international shipments with freight forwarders and customs brokers.
Receiving and Inspection
- Run receiving for all project materials and owner-furnished equipment.
- Verify quantities, condition, and documentation against purchase orders and packing lists.
- Document over, short, and damaged (OS&D) items with photos at receipt, and resolve them with OEMs, vendors, carriers, and buyers through closure.
- Complete receiving records the same day materials arrive, including vendor documents, certifications, and material test reports.
Laydown Yards and Storage
- Plan, set up, and manage laydown yards and satellite storage facilities.
- Lay out yards for safe access, drainage, material segregation, and crane reach.
- Maintain a location system so any item can be found quickly.
- Maintain yard security, including fencing, lighting, and access control.
Preservation
- Maintain a register of all equipment and materials that require preservation.
- Schedule, perform, and document preservation to OEM requirements to protect OEM warranties.
- Coordinate de-preservation and inspection before items are issued for installation.
Inventory Control and Issuing
- Keep accurate records of materials received, stored, issued, transferred, and returned, with regular cycle counts to reconcile physical and system inventory.
- Issue materials to contractors against approved work packages.
- Control transfers between plant sites so every item stays traceable.
- Manage surplus, returns to vendor, scrap, and salvage.
Turnover and Closeout
- Turn over spare parts, critical spares, and vendor documentation to Operations and Maintenance.
- At closeout, reconcile all project materials, close out storage, logistics, and yard-support contracts, and demobilize and restore laydown areas.
Reporting and Records
- Maintain audit-ready receiving, storage, preservation, and issue records.
- Build and maintain Excel trackers and reports on key metrics, including delivery performance, open OS&D items, inventory accuracy, and preservation compliance.
- Support project cost tracking for materials and freight.
Communication and Collaboration
- Serve as the primary materials contact for OEMs, carriers, and contractors.
- Partner with Procurement, Engineering, Construction, Operations, Safety, and warehouse managers across multiple plant sites, including securing warehouse and storage space.
- Participate in project and look-ahead meetings and stakeholder updates.
- Escalate material risks early, with clear options and recovery plans.
Safety and Compliance
- Lead safe material handling, rigging coordination, and housekeeping in all material areas.
- Keep laydown yards and warehouses organized and free of hazards.
- Ensure deliveries meet plant safety, DOT, and site security requirements.
Integrity
- Manage company assets, vendor relationships, and freight spend with complete integrity.
- Disclose and avoid any conflict of interest with carriers, vendors, or freight providers.
- Protect confidential project, vendor, and pricing information.
EDUCATION, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
Required
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university.
- 7+ years of progressive experience in materials management, logistics, or warehousing.
- Direct experience supporting large industrial capital projects, including owner-furnished equipment.
- 3+ years supervising and developing multiple employees.
- Hands-on experience setting up and running laydown yards and satellite storage facilities.
- Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including trackers, pivot tables, lookups, and reports.
- Working knowledge of receiving, OS&D, inventory control, and purchase-order documentation, with experience in an ERP or inventory management system.
- High attention to detail and accuracy, and the ability to manage multiple priorities, projects, and deadlines at once.
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills with OEMs, contractors, and cross-functional teams across multiple plant sites, including warehouse managers.
- Strong personal accountability, high moral integrity, and a proven record of trustworthiness.
- Ability to meet the physical and PPE requirements of the plant floor and outdoor laydown areas.
Preferred
- Degree in supply chain, logistics, business, engineering, or a related field.
- Experience with steel mill or heavy manufacturing capital projects.
- Heavy-haul and oversize logistics experience, including permits and route planning.
- Knowledge of preservation practices for motors, gearboxes, and electrical equipment.
- Experience with SAP, Oracle, or similar materials management systems.
- Experience with barcode, RFID, or other materials tracking technology.
- Familiarity with Advanced Work Packaging or work-package-based material planning.
- Working knowledge of DOT, hazmat, and import and customs requirements.
- Familiarity with U. S. Steel operations, standards, and systems.
- Forklift certification and working knowledge of rigging and lifting practices.
WORK ENVIRONMENT/ PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
- Ability to regularly move throughout the manufacturing, warehouse, construction, outdoor laydown years and material storage areas.
- Ability to navigate uneven surfaces, stairs, ramps and other industrial work areas.
- Ability to use a computer and other standard office equipment and stand, sit or walk for long periods of time.
- Wear required personal protective equipment (PPE) and comply with site-specific safety requirements.
Competency Summary
At U. S. Steel all employees are expected to display the following core competencies every day to advance corporate, team and individual goals:
Think: Think Critically and Drive Change
Lead: Develop Talent and Collaborate
Do: Empower Performance and Deliver Results
Company Overview
Since 1901, U. S. Steel has been a recognized leader in steel production. Today, as the first North American steel company to have declared a 2050 net-zero greenhouse gas emissions goal, we remain as innovative as ever, leading transformation across our industry while continuing to make products for everyday life - from industries as far ranging as automotive, construction, containers and packaging, appliances, and energy.
We show pride in our communities with community partnerships, corporate charitable contributions, company-sponsored employee volunteer initiatives, leadership training, and much more. And of course, we have a steadfast commitment to safety first in our workplaces and respect for our employees, who are United by Steel.
We are honored to have earned accolades and awards from well-regarded organizations, including the following:
- Newsweek’s Top 100 Most Loved Workplaces® 2021, ’22, ‘23
- Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Equality 100 Award 2020, ’21,’22, ‘23
- Disability: IN’s Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion 2021, ’22, ‘23
- Ethisphere’s World’s Most Ethical Companies® 2022, ‘23
- Military Times’ Best for Vets: Employers 2023
- Mansfield Certification for progressing Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion in Legal Department: 2023
Conducting business with integrity and with the highest ethical values has underpinned U. S. Steel’s success for over 100 years, and it remains critical to our company’s success in the future. U. S. Steel is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is our policy to provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) according to job qualifications without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, age, genetics, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity, disability status or status as a protected Veteran or any other legally protected group status. (California residents may visit www.ussteel.com/CANotice regarding collection of personal information and U. S. Steel's privacy practices.)