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Material lead vs materials supervisor

The differences between material leads and materials supervisors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a material lead and a materials supervisor. Additionally, a material lead has an average salary of $86,429, which is higher than the $67,592 average annual salary of a materials supervisor.

The top three skills for a material lead include continuous improvement, logistics and materials management. The most important skills for a materials supervisor are continuous improvement, safety procedures, and logistics.

Material lead vs materials supervisor overview

Material LeadMaterials Supervisor
Yearly salary$86,429$67,592
Hourly rate$41.55$32.50
Growth rate-3%6%
Number of jobs22,58061,634
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 49%Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Average age4546
Years of experience22

What does a material lead do?

As a material lead, they must know record-keeping practices, automated system operations, safety/supervisory practices and principles, adopt skills in operating materials handling, automotive and office equipment, and in lifting heavy packages and objects. They are entitled to coordinate the activities of subordinates, design stockroom layout and oversee rearranging processes, examine incoming shipments for shortage or damage and correspond with the shipper to rectify and fill out appropriate documents and forms. They also need to review the complex work procedure to resolve question presentations by workers.

What does a materials supervisor do?

The job of a materials supervisor is to oversee the shipping, receiving, handling, and warehousing of materials. You will supervise the transport of materials and ensure that the material needs of an organization are met. Typical job duties include overseeing the daily business operations of the group, ensuring best practices in safety, productivity, housekeeping. The supervisors ensure that attendance is being followed and monitoring routine operations in materials management, including logistics and planning. As a materials supervisor, you are also expected to mentor team members for professional and personal development.

Material lead vs materials supervisor salary

Material leads and materials supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.

Material LeadMaterials Supervisor
Average salary$86,429$67,592
Salary rangeBetween $56,000 And $132,000Between $51,000 And $89,000
Highest paying CitySouth San Francisco, CAElkhart, IN
Highest paying stateNew HampshireWyoming
Best paying companyBiogenMercy Corps
Best paying industryTechnologyManufacturing

Differences between material lead and materials supervisor education

There are a few differences between a material lead and a materials supervisor in terms of educational background:

Material LeadMaterials Supervisor
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 49%Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeWestern Carolina UniversityStanford University

Material lead vs materials supervisor demographics

Here are the differences between material leads' and materials supervisors' demographics:

Material LeadMaterials Supervisor
Average age4546
Gender ratioMale, 73.9% Female, 26.1%Male, 79.6% Female, 20.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% Asian, 7.0% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%Black or African American, 12.3% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 4.8% White, 60.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage11%6%

Differences between material lead and materials supervisor duties and responsibilities

Material lead example responsibilities.

  • Manage materials MRP software systems set-up, sourcing, planning and layout for new product introduction of GACB.
  • Lead project to establish a Kanban system for hardware to a key station to reduce cycle time and increase efficiency.
  • Manage re-establishment of material management ERP system.
  • Manage all incoming domestic and overseas products including MRO and consignment materials.
  • Manage all raw materials and conduct inventory audits, maintain compliance guidelines, and supervise MRO purchasing to balance material shortage/surplus.
  • Utilize multiple databases and MRP systems to identify and resolve inventory issues daily
    • Show more

Materials supervisor example responsibilities.

  • Manage the inventory of electrical parts and component using KANBAN.
  • Manage a free BOM scrubber design to review manufacturer's current part lists.
  • Develop, implement, and manage logistics of outsource manufacturing operations to sister companies in Canada and Italy.
  • Establish procedures that manage critical factors such as moisture sensitivity, electrostatic discharge, storeroom temperature and FIFO inventory staging system.
  • Implement new inventory management system into MRP.
  • Implement OSHA forklift safety standards to ensure safe and efficient warehouse operations when unloading freight trucks.
    • Show more

Material lead vs materials supervisor skills

Common material lead skills
  • Continuous Improvement, 9%
  • Logistics, 9%
  • Materials Management, 6%
  • Lean Manufacturing, 4%
  • Purchase Orders, 4%
  • Sigma, 4%
Common materials supervisor skills
  • Continuous Improvement, 6%
  • Safety Procedures, 6%
  • Logistics, 6%
  • Inventory Control, 6%
  • Shipping Receiving, 5%
  • MRP, 4%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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