Purchasing
Many material coordinator jobs involve acting as purchasing agents for a company. In this capacity, they purchase raw materials for companies to use in their manufacturing operations. For oil and gas companies, material coordinators may purchase everything from office supplies to fire extinguishers to sophisticated lab equipment used to conduct chemical testing. They often work with numerous suppliers, and must pay careful attention to pricing, availability and quality to ensure they are making the best deal for their company. In order to do the best possible job, coordinators must perform short and long-range planning and conduct extensive research regarding potential suppliers.
Hazardous Materials
For those material coordinators who do not specialize in purchasing, they are often responsible for designing, implementing and administering programs that involve the storage, handling and transportation of hazardous materials. Working within local, state and federal regulations, material coordinators enforce these regulations to make sure workers and others are in a safe environment. They answer questions about shipping, equipment upgrades and storage and handling techniques along with developing training programs for workers and other staff regarding safety and hazardous materials management. Most of these jobs require certification and continuing education to ensure the coordinator is up-to-date on the latest materials and how to handle them safely.
Inventory Management
Material coordinators are also responsible for managing the inventory of a specific department or, in some cases, the entire company. Within oil and gas companies, coordinators spend much of their time making sure machinery parts are in stock so they will be available when repairs need to be made. Since safety is also a prime concern, they are responsible for purchasing and having on hand essential safety equipment such as fire extinguishers, first-aid equipment and other materials. Along with managing these supplies, they also make sure everything stays in good working order by scheduling monthly inspections of fire extinguishers and other safety equipment.
Education
Most material coordinator jobs require some college, but there is much variation from company to company. Some coordinators have Bachelor’s degrees in Business or Accounting, while others have Associate degrees in similar fields. However, experience also counts in this field, and in many cases shipping clerks with many years of experience often work their way up to material coordinator positions. Salaries for these jobs can range from $30,000-$70,000 per year, with average salaries for most companies being $50,000. The job requires extensive attention to detail as well as the ability to interact with many different people, but for those who enjoy juggling lots of duties each day this position is for them.