Materials and Logistics Lead

About Ingredion:

Join Ingredion, where innovation impacts lives worldwide! Without even realizing it, you’ve experienced our work in your favorite chocolate, your pet’s food, the paper you write on, and your everyday snacks. As a global powerhouse across more than 60 industries, we harness the potential of natural ingredients to transform lives. Whether you’re just starting your career or bringing years of experience, there's a place for you here to make a real difference. Be part of our team that values a wide range of perspectives and is committed to shaping a better world with every product we create.

Location: Argo Plant – Bedford Park, IL.

Workplace type: On Site

Step into a pivotal role where logistics meets leadership. As a Material and Logistics Lead, you’ll shape the future of supply chain operations, drive key performance metrics, and help build the next generation of talent in a high-impact, high-visibility position.

As a Material and Logistics Lead, you will you will be responsible for material and resource scheduling for an assigned business unit (Dextrose, Refinery, Starch, Oil) at the Argo Plant, including coordination of toll packaging activities. You will also be assigned as the leader for one of the key team functions (Rail, Truck, Inventory/Planning, Special Projects), and will be accountable for your team’s operational performance and deliverables. The Materials and Logistics Lead role combines multiple phases of supply chain expertise in support of manufacturing operations and has an opportunity to deliver a positive customer experience by ensuring stock levels, lead times, and production schedules are aligned to deliver finished product in full and on time.

This role reports to the Materials, Warehouse & Logistics Manager at the Argo plant.

What you will do: 

• Oversee and manage the flow of materials from suppliers to production and distribution, ensuring timely availability to meet operational needs.

• Establish production requirements based on the Sales & Operations Plan, maintenance schedules, customer orders, and annual goals.

• Set and maintain weekly and daily production schedules in SAP, aligning with inventory levels and resource availability.

• Monitor product and resource inventories, including warehouse stock, packaging supplies, and transportation assets (e.g., railcars).

• Coordinate cross-functionally with supply planning, customer service, logistics, procurement, quality, and operations to mitigate delivery risks and optimize supply chain performance.

• Define packing schedules for operating units and toll packers, and communicate supply needs, inventory risks, and direct shipment plans.

• Lead logistics operations, including inbound/outbound shipments, warehousing, and transportation, driving performance through ownership of KPIs.

• Support continuous improvement initiatives by fostering technical proficiency and knowledge sharing across the team.

• Partner with Quality and Operations to manage constraints and expedite production or release activities when needed.

• Execute special projects and support tasks as assigned, contributing to broader operational goals.

• Participate in audits and mock recalls to ensure compliance and readiness.

• Provide back-up support for other team members to maintain operational continuity.

What you will bring: 

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical or business discipline, or equivalent work experience.

• Proven experience in a similar role within a manufacturing or operations environment.

• Proficiency with SAP and Microsoft Office tools, especially Excel and Word.

• Experience collecting and analyzing data from multiple sources, maintaining accurate records, and generating clear, actionable reports.

• Familiarity with ERP and analytics platforms such as e2open, Power BI, and RAILPort.

• Background in Lean, Six Sigma, or other process improvement methodologies is a plus.

Who you are: 

• Proven ability to influence and collaborate across functions without direct authority.

• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively across teams and levels.

• Solid decision-making and proactive planning capabilities in dynamic environments.

• Broad experience across multiple areas of the supply chain, including planning, inventory management, warehousing, logistic