Material Planner

Job Description

Job Description

Meet Us: King Arthur Baking Company has been sharing the joy of baking since 1790. Headquartered in Norwich, Vermont, we’re the ultimate baking resource – providing education, inspiration, and the highest quality products, all while fostering connections and community through baking. Our superior flours and mixes are available in supermarkets nationwide, and our direct-to-consumer business – website and retail stores – offers an even wider selection of specialty baking ingredients, mixes, gluten-free products, baking tools, and more. We bring baking education to millions of bakers through our cookbooks, podcast, recipe app, website, and baking school. We’re proud to be 100% employee-owned, which means everyone who works here has a real voice and a shared stake in what we do. This creates a strong sense of community built on trust, teamwork, and love of baking. As a benefit corporation, we’re committed to the best interests of all our stakeholders - employees, our local communities, our broader community of bakers, and our planet. Join us and help spread the joy of baking. King Arthur – where, as an employee-owner, your passion and ideas can truly make a difference.

The Position: The Material Planner is responsible for planning, ordering, and managing direct material supply to support production requirements across the manufacturing network. This role manages material forecasts, inventory levels, and supplier commitments to meet service, cost, and inventory targets. The Material Planner maintains material data and planning parameters within the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, monitors material risk, and partners with suppliers and internal stakeholders to ensure reliable material flow. This role also supports sourcing initiatives, including Request for Proposal (RFP) and Request for Quote (RFQ) processes, and serves as the sourcing lead for innovation execution, supporting trials and product launches

The Benefits: Yes, we have the regular "stuff" - medical, dental, vision, company paid short- and long-term disability, life insurance, paid parental leave, paid time off to rest, paid holidays to have fun, a 401(k) with a company match. But here's what makes us different: 40 paid volunteer hours a year, profit sharing*, participation in the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)* and knowing that those working with you are dedicated and engaged co-employee owners that believe in you and your extraordinary abilities to move us all forward.

The Location: Hybrid combining working from home, and onsite in White River Junction VT roughly 2 to 4 visits per year. Ideal candidates will be located within 120 miles of our offices.

The Pay: $61,600 to $83,200 annual salary; commensurate with experience.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Execute material planning and purchasing activities based on MRP signals to support production requirements
• Maintain accurate material forecasts, inventory levels, and supplier stocking programs
• Monitor material risk and proactively communicate constraints, shortages, and mitigation actions
• Manage material contract balances and coordinate with Accounting to resolve purchase order and invoice discrepancies
• Coordinate material returns and disposition of defective or damaged materials
• Partner with warehousing and internal teams to manage inventory levels, storage capacity, transfers, and material transitions
• Facilitate recurring supplier meetings and track performance metrics related to service, quality, and delivery
• Support sourcing initiatives, including RFP and RFQ processes, vendor selection, and cost optimization efforts
• Maintain ERP material planning data, including purchase info records and MRP parameters, to support effective ordering
• Serve as the sourcing resource for innovation execution, supporting material readiness for trials and product launches

Experience and Education

• 3+ years of experience in supply chain, sourcing, materials management, or a related field
• 3+ years’ functional use of planning systems and methodologies - Material Requirements Planning (MRP), SAP S/4HANA preferred.
• 3+ years’ functional experience in automated Procure to Pay systems and process - Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), EDI, SAP S/4HANA preferred.
• We value those who can demonstrate capability and articulate how prior experience will help them transition into this role.

Competencies

• Analytical Skills: Ability to analyze data, identify trends, optimize inventory levels and material flow. Think and act strategically, understanding how the role contributes to the larger business outcomes.
• Technical Expertise: Proficient in ERP and MRP systems with operational knowledge of system integrations and data flows. Working knowledge in SAP S/4HANA and advanced analytics tools such as Data Cubes and MS Power BI.
• Customer Service Orientation: Committed to delivering exceptional experiences for internal teams, external partners, and paying customers. Maintains high standards of quality and responsiveness in all interactions.
• Communication & Collaboration: Functions confidently with cross-functional teams and business partners in support of supply chain activities. Communicates proactively and effectively, tailoring messages to audience and context.
• Results Oriented & Attention to Detail: Identifies opportunities for improvement and consistency across operations. Demonstrates persistence, accountability, and a high-performance standard for self and others.
• Problem-Solving Abilities: Capable to identify issues, evaluate options and provide solutions. Participates in decision making, able to think critically and be creative driving effective resolutions
• Risk Management & Scenario Planning: Anticipates potential supply chain disruptions and evaluates alternative scenarios. Develops and implements mitigation strategies to minimize impact on inventory, cost, and service.
• Process Improvement & Systems Optimization: Continuously seeks opportunities to enhance planning processes and system performance. Champions best practices and leverages technology to drive efficiency and scalability.
• Influencing & Change Management: Guides stakeholders through process changes and system upgrades. Uses expertise and persuasive communication to gain buy-in and ensure successful adoption of new initiatives.

Success Factors

• Genuine enthusiasm for King Arthur’s mission, products, and baking in general with a commitment to living our values
• Community-minded, gets involved, volunteers

Physical Requirements/Work Environment/Safety

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical requirements

• Ability to work for prolonged periods at a desk, both in a home office and onsite, using a computer and other standard office equipment.
• Regular use of computer keyboard, mouse, and video conferencing tools.
• Ability to communicate effectively in person, over the phone, and through digital platforms.
• Occasional standing, walking, bending, or reaching within the office environment.
• May occasionally be required to lift or move items up to 15 pounds (e.g., office materials, documents).
• Visual acuity needed for reviewing documents, spreadsheets, and data on screens.
• Ability to commute to the office for in-person meetings, trainings, or other business needs as required.

Work environment

• Indoors, a normal office environment with little exposure to excessive noise, dust, or temperature changes.
• This role operates in a professional office environment where most work is performed at a desk.
• Remote work environment that meets KAB standards for work.

Safety

• Understands that safety is the responsibility of everyone at the organization and is responsible for adhering to/providing work in a safe and ergonomic manner, identifying unsafe conditions and correcting conditions immediately or reporting them promptly.
• Participates in safety and compliance training and safety and health programs.

Supervision

• N/A

Travel

• N/A

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

It is the responsibility of every employee to contribute to a positive and safe work environment through cooperative and professional interactions with co-workers, customers, and vendors. As a proud Benefit Corporation, King Arthur Baking expects our employees to adhere to company-wide green norms and remain educated on company impact campaigns.

There's room at our table for you! Apply today.

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other factors protected by law. King Arthur Baking provides reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities to allow them to participate in both the application process and during employment. Such individuals are encouraged to seek accommodations to allow them to apply for a position, participate in the application process, and meet the essential functions and requirements of the position.

*Amounts vary based on achievement of financial targets. Participation based on hire date and program entry date.