Materials Operations Leader

Job Description Summary

The Materials Operations Leader is responsible for direct people leadership of employees working in Shipping/Receiving, Tool Crib, and Water spider roles across multiple shifts and factory locations. The role ensures workforce availability, employee development, training readiness, shift coverage, and safe working practices for the supported population.
In addition to people leadership, this role supports workforce readiness, standardization, and continuous improvement within logistics support areas by driving training coordination, cross-training, 5S, safety initiatives, and implementation support for structured operating practices such as Built in Quality and SWIP.
The role partners closely with functional stakeholders including Shipping Coordination, Buying, MRP, Materials, and Operations Leadership. Technical process ownership remains with the relevant functional owners, while this role owns people management, capability development, and support-area stabilization.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

1. People Leadership

• Provide direct people leadership for employees in Shipping/Receiving, Tool Crib, and Waterspider roles across assigned factories and shifts
• Manage attendance, absenteeism, vacation planning, and shift coverage for the supported population
• Lead hiring, onboarding, and integration of new employees
• Conduct performance management activities, including goal setting, feedback, development planning, and corrective actions where required
• Build employee engagement, accountability, and team stability across shifts
• Partner with shift leaders and functional stakeholders to address employee-related escalations

• Coordinate onboarding and role-specific training for new hires
• Own and maintain the training matrix for the supported population
• Drive cross-training plans to improve flexibility, backup coverage, and workforce resilience
• Track qualifications and training completion to ensure workforce readiness
• Partner with functional experts to align employee training with job requirements and established standard work
• Support adherence to standard work through employee accountability, training completion, and reinforcement of expected behaviors

• Promote a strong safety culture across Shipping/Receiving, Tool Crib, and Waterspider teams
• Lead daily safety messaging, awareness, and concern escalation for the supported population
• Ensure completion of required safety training and reinforce safe behaviors and compliance expectations
• Support follow-up of safety observations and people-related EHS actions
• Participate in safety improvement initiatives within logistics support areas

• Support implementation and sustainment of built in quality routines and standards within the department
• Participate in SWIP implementation and stabilization efforts with strong controls
• Lead or coordinate 5S improvements in Tool Crib and other logistics support areas
• Facilitate lean and continuous improvement initiatives focused on standard work & material flow standards
• Participate in daily management routines, shop walks, and improvement follow-up related to safety, quality, standard work, and training.
• Help identify and remove recurring barriers affecting workforce effectiveness and support-area stability

• Partner with Shipping Coordinator, Buyer, MRP, Materials leader, and Ops Leaders to align staffing and capability with operational requirements
• Represent staffing, training, safety, and people-related topics in daily or weekly operating rhythms as needed
• Support communication and coordination during temporary workforce gaps to minimize operational disruption
• Provide updates to leadership on staffing status, training progress, safety concerns, and improvement actions

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited university or college and 2 years manufacturing experience OR a High School Diploma / GED with at least 6 years of experience in manufacturing.
• 2+ years of leadership experience in manufacturing operations and/or materials management experience

• This role requires use of technical data subject to U.S. Government export restrictions and this posting is only for U.S. Persons (U.S. Citizens, lawful permanent residents and protected individuals (e.g., certain refugees and asylees)). GE will require proof of status prior to employment.
• Will support both the Parsippany, NJ site 4 days a week and Allentown, PA site Need to be willing to travel to the PA site 1 day a week.
• Our facility operates 24 hours per day on three shifts. You will occasionally be required to provide assistance to shifts outside of normal working hours

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited university or college in Supply Chain, Logistics, Business, Engineering, or related field; or equivalent experience in manufacturing, logistics, or materials operations leadership.
• Experience in frontline leadership, team leadership, or people management in manufacturing, logistics, warehousing, or materials operations
• Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Experience in staffing, training coordination, onboarding, and performance management
• Demonstrated ability to work across shifts and functions in a matrixed environment
• Strong safety mindset and ability to reinforce accountability
• Exposure to lean, 5S, CI, or operational excellence initiatives preferred
• Ability to drive stability and follow-through in support functions
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written, are required.
• Spanish language proficiency is considered an advantage.