Materials director vs materials supervisor

The differences between materials directors and materials supervisors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a materials director, becoming a materials supervisor takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a materials director has an average salary of $127,061, which is higher than the $67,592 average annual salary of a materials supervisor.

The top three skills for a materials director include supply chain, logistics and continuous improvement. The most important skills for a materials supervisor are continuous improvement, safety procedures, and logistics.

Materials director vs materials supervisor overview

	Materials Director	Materials Supervisor
Yearly salary	$127,061	$67,592
Hourly rate	$61.09	$32.50
Growth rate	-6%	6%
Number of jobs	20,718	61,634
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 72%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Average age	47	46
Years of experience	6	2

What does a materials director do?

A materials director oversees daily operations of a purchasing office and storeroom. They oversee an organizations' policies, supervise staff within the purchasing office, distribute supplies, carry out requisitions, coordinate warehouse activities, and maintain relationships with vendors. They also need to keep detailed records of procurement activities and material quantities.

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.

Materials director vs materials supervisor salary

Materials directors and materials supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Materials Director	Materials Supervisor
Average salary	$127,061	$67,592
Salary range	Between $92,000 And $173,000	Between $51,000 And $89,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Elkhart, IN
Highest paying state	California	Wyoming
Best paying company	Koch Industries	Mercy Corps
Best paying industry	Energy	Manufacturing

Differences between materials director and materials supervisor education

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

	Materials Director	Materials Supervisor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 72%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Stanford University	Stanford University

Materials director vs materials supervisor demographics

Here are the differences between materials directors' and materials supervisors' demographics:

	Materials Director	Materials Supervisor
Average age	47	46
Gender ratio	Male, 88.0% Female, 12.0%	Male, 79.6% Female, 20.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 7.5% White, 66.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	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 Percentage	11%	6%

Differences between materials director and materials supervisor duties and responsibilities

Materials director example responsibilities.

Manage cross-functional teams during the implementation of an ERP system that are successfully install and maintain without affecting the revenue stream.
Lead assembly operations and materials during major line reconfiguration and ISO certification.
Manage supplier performance base on identify KPIs and implement supplier-sourcing strategies to improve performance.
Implement and enhance use of MRP system, allowing use of accurate inventory reporting for fiscal year end.
Stream line and upgrade the planning process improving internal and external service levels in an ISO certify environment.
Enhance the functionality of the ERP system by revising all part numbers to conform to standardize part number/description protocols.

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.

Materials director vs materials supervisor skills

Common materials director skills

Supply Chain, 17%
Logistics, 9%
Continuous Improvement, 6%
Materials Management, 5%
Inventory Control, 5%
On-Time Delivery, 5%

Common materials supervisor skills

Continuous Improvement, 6%
Safety Procedures, 6%
Logistics, 6%
Inventory Control, 6%
Shipping Receiving, 5%
MRP, 4%

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Materials Director
Materials Director vs Materials Supervisor

Updated January 8, 2025

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