Buyer/Planner III

Buyer/Planner III

The Buyer/Planner III is responsible for the execution of purchased and manufactured planning activities for designated product line(s) with a focus on optimizing material flow. The position is also responsible for maintaining effective relationships with business unit leadership and sourcing management to ensure all tactical sourcing activities support the organization's business needs, strategic goals and financial plan.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop plans and execute purchase orders based on tactical parameters (supplier choice, price, delivery terms).
• Manage purchase order life cycle (creation, maintenance, follow through) with assigned vendors.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date reorder points and lot sizes for manufactured and purchased components.
• Negotiate pricing and execute purchase orders and agreements with suppliers to support business objectives.
• Place orders from approved suppliers to include verifying pricing, quantities needed, product availability, required delivery dates and best shipment methods.
• Respond to expedite requests from internal and external customers. Quote lead times on products to customer service.
• Provide machining and assembly schedules to the production team daily. Work with department supervisor to schedule overtime for the production team as necessary to meet customer needs.
• Review sales order backlog regularly and take action to reduce past due orders. Work with external vendors and internal departments to expedite components.
• Follow strategic sourcing strategies and supplier selections. Alert strategic sourcing if suppliers do not respect commitments and risk delaying the production schedule after having investigated all potential solutions with the Value Stream Manager.
• Manage incoming material flow to ensure inventory is maintained to the optimum level per established parameters. Provide strategic sourcing with proposals to improve the material flow from the supplier to the value stream.
• Understand and evaluate supplier processes, capacities and overall business capabilities to identify and implement areas for improvement in cost, quantity, delivery, quality, and inventory turns.
• Monitor order status in relation to production needs to verify materials are received on time.
• Utilize warehouse and inventory control policies and procedures to assure proper inventory levels.
• Investigate inventory discrepancies and determine root causes.
• Support the implementation of standard processes for vendor selection, material flow, and inventory management.
• Generate daily, weekly, and monthly reports as required.

Required skills and qualifications

• Bachelor's degree is required, preferably in Supply Chain Management, Business, Finance or Engineering
• A minimum of 5 years of relevant purchasing experience required, planning and assembly operations experience preferred.
• Prior manufacturing ERP experience required.

Preferred skills and qualifications

• Recognized certification in Supply Chain or Purchasing is preferred.
• SAP knowledge and experience are strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of manufacturing standards and practices, along with Kanban and pull systems is preferred.
• Highly productive with a strong sense of urgency and orientation to details, accuracy, and excellent outcomes. Results-oriented with a demonstrated ability to effectively manage time and multiple priorities.
• Strong problem-solving, critical thinking, and analytical skills, including the ability to gather and organize relevant information, and identify underlying issues or problems, trends, and cause-effect relationships.
• Excellent interpersonal skills that foster teamwork and collaboration and develop high quality working relationships in order to influence, gain support, and achieve results.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to effectively develop and write routine reports, process instructions and business correspondence. Able to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of employees and managers, customers, and suppliers.