Raw Materials Operation Manager

Job Description

Located in the heart of Central Ohio, Illuminate USA is transforming solar panel manufacturing from our cutting-edge facility in Pataskala. As a new standalone joint venture established by two global leaders in renewable energy, we’ve rapidly grown to over 1,500 associates and are now fully operational in our 1.1 million-square-foot factory. Our vision is to establish one of the largest solar panel manufacturing operations in the Western Hemisphere.

This is an exciting time to join Illuminate USA as we continue to grow and innovate. We’re not just building solar panels—we’re building a team of dedicated, passionate associates eager to make a real impact. If you’re looking to be part of a collaborative, people-focused, and forward-thinking workplace, we want to hear from you!

We offer competitive pay, comprehensive benefits, and continuous opportunities for career growth. Come join us on this journey to create a brighter, more sustainable future in the Columbus area.

The Raw Materials Operations Manager is responsible for overseeing all raw material activities within a solar panel manufacturing environment. This role ensures the timely availability, proper handling, inventory accuracy, and regulatory compliance of critical materials such as glass, silicon wafers/cells, aluminum frames, back sheets, encapsulants (EVA), junction boxes, and related components.

The manager partners closely with Production, Supply Chain, Quality, Finance and Engineering to support safe, efficient, and high-quality solar module manufacturing operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead daily raw materials operations including receiving, storage, staging, shuttling and line-side delivery.

• Ensure uninterrupted material flow to meet solar panel production schedules.

• Develop, maintain, and enforce SOPs for material handling, storage, and internal logistics.

• Optimize warehouse layout, material flow paths, and space utilization for oversized and fragile materials such as glass and frames.

• Own raw material inventory accuracy through cycle counts, root cause analysis, and reconciliation.

• Ensure FIFO compliance and lot traceability.

• Monitor inventory levels to balance production demand, lead times, and working capital.

• Investigate and resolve shortages, damages, obsolescence, and material losses.

• Ensure compliance with ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OSHA, and customer-specific quality requirements.

• Support material traceability required for solar module certifications and customer audits.

• Partner with Quality on inspection, non-conformance handling, quarantine, and disposition of raw materials.

• Drive safe handling practices for heavy, sharp, or high-value materials.

• Lead, coach, and develop supervisors, leads, and material handlers.

• Establish performance expectations tied to safety, quality, delivery, and cost.

• Support hiring, onboarding, training, and succession planning.

• Foster a culture of accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.

• Identify opportunities to improve material flow, reduce waste, and minimize handling damage.

• Apply Lean manufacturing principles to warehouse and line-side material operations.

• Track and report KPIs, developing corrective actions for performance gaps.

• Partner with Procurement and Planning on supplier performance and material readiness.

• Support engineering change orders (ECOs), new product introductions, and ramp-ups.

• Coordinate with Logistics and 3PL providers for inbound and off-site material management

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Raw material inventory accuracy

• On-time material delivery to production

• FIFO and traceability compliance

• Material damage and scrap rate

• Space utilization and labor productivity

• Safety incidents and audit findings

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience

• 7+ years of progressive experience in materials management, warehouse operations, or manufacturing operations within a high-volume manufacturing environment

• 3+ years of people leadership experience managing supervisors, leads, or frontline teams

• Demonstrated experience managing raw materials, inventory control, and internal logistics

• Strong working knowledge of FIFO, lot traceability, cycle counting, and inventory accuracy

• Experience supporting ISO 9001, OSHA, and internal audit processes

• Experience working with ERP/MRP systems and warehouse management systems

• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and cross-functional collaboration skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in solar, semiconductor, electronics, automotive, glass, or other capital-intensive manufacturing environments

• Experience managing oversized, fragile, or high-value materials

• Lean, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement training or certification

• Experience supporting new product introductions, ramp-ups, or engineering change management

• Experience coordinating with third-party logistics providers

Work Environment & Physical Requirements

• Work is performed primarily in a manufacturing and warehouse environment

• Regularly required to walk the production floor and warehouse, including standing, bending, and reaching as needed to observe operations and support teams

• Occasional lifting, carrying, pushing, or pulling of materials or equipment weighing up to 50 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation

• May require limited hands-on assistance during audits, investigations, training, or abnormal situations

• Ability to safely work around material handling equipment such as forklifts and pallet jacks

• Exposure to noise, moving equipment, and varying temperatures typical of a manufacturing facility

• Must be able to wear required personal protective equipment (PPE) as needed

Illuminate USA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any protected status as defined by law. 

Illuminate is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.