Buyer/Planner

Buyer/Planner

About the Opportunity:

Join Norman Filter/Equipment Company, a family-owned and operated organization with businesses spanning both manufacturing and fluid power distribution. With a strong commitment to our people and our customers, we continually invest in our people, processes, and systems to support long-term growth and operational excellence.

We're looking for a Buyer/Planner to support purchasing, demand and supply planning, inventory management, and continuous improvement across Norman Equipment and Norman Filter Company. This role offers a unique opportunity to work across multiple areas of the supply chain. You'll support Purchase Order management for Norman Equipment , our distribution business, while taking on more complex planning, data, inventory, and supply chain responsibilities supporting Norman Filter Company , our manufacturing business.

We're looking for someone who brings experience as a Buyer, Planner, Scheduler, or similar supply chain professional and understands how decisions in one area affect the processes upstream and downstream. The right person will be comfortable working within an MRP-based ERP system, understand the importance of accurate master data, and bring the drive and curiosity to help improve how things are done.

What You'll Do:

As Buyer/Planner, you'll manage day-to-day purchasing responsibilities while using data and MRP tools to help Norman companies effectively manage supply, demand, inventory, and material flow. You'll also work closely with teams across the organization, including buyers, Shipping & Receiving, Accounts Payable, Customer Service, Sales, and other supply chain and operational functions.

Key responsibilities include:

• Manage activities throughout the Purchase Order lifecycle, including reviewing demand and supply signals, PO entry and maintenance, supplier pricing, lead times, and supplier communication.
• Analyze demand, inventory levels, forecasts, stocking requirements, and other supply chain data to support purchasing and planning decisions.
• Manage supply and demand positions using Material Requirements Planning (MRP) tools.
• Create and maintain reorder points (ROPs), economic order quantities (EOQs), and planning strategies for long-lead-time items.
• Maintain accurate master data within Epicor ERP, understanding how data accuracy impacts planning, purchasing, inventory, and downstream processes.
• Maintain supplier pricing, discount structures, lead times, and other critical purchasing and planning data.
• Support inventory management activities, including ABC classification, cycle counting, stocking strategies, and inventory accuracy improvements.
• Partner cross-functionally to improve material and information flow throughout the organization.
• Communicate with suppliers and negotiate improved pricing and terms when appropriate.
• Support the continued use and optimization of Epicor ERP, including system settings, documentation, data accuracy, and process improvements.
• Support supply chain metrics and KPIs and assist with root-cause analysis and corrective-action activities.
• Identify opportunities to improve purchasing, planning, inventory management, and broader supply chain processes.
• Support additional supply chain and operational projects as assigned.

What We're Looking For:

The ideal candidate combines hands-on supply chain experience with strong systems, data, and planning capabilities. Just as importantly, we're looking for someone with drive, grit, curiosity, and a continuous-improvement mindset who can bring new ideas and perspectives to the team. You may come from a buying, planning, scheduling, or similar supply chain background. We don't expect you to have personally performed every function across the supply chain, but you should understand how purchasing, planning, production, inventory, warehousing, and logistics connect and impact one another.

You'll also need to understand that an ERP system is only as effective as the information behind it. We're looking for someone who recognizes the importance of master data accuracy, can work confidently with MRP-generated information, and knows how to use that information to make sound business decisions.

Qualifications:

• 2+ years of experience in buying, purchasing, demand/supply planning, scheduling, or a related supply chain function.
• Experience working within an MRP-based ERP system , such as Epicor, SAP, Oracle, or a comparable platform.
• Strong understanding of master data and its impact on ERP/MRP accuracy and decision-making.
• Strong data analysis experience, including exposure to stocking levels, forecasting, inventory, and demand/supply information.
• Working comprehension of the end-to-end supply chain , including purchasing, production scheduling, inventory management, warehousing, and logistics.
• Demonstrated critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to make sound, data-informed decisions.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Clear and effective communication skills with the ability to collaborate across departments.
• Ability to remain calm, organized, and focused when navigating changing priorities, conflict, or high-pressure situations.
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution or equivalent supply chain experience.
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

Preferred Experience:

• Experience within a manufacturing environment.
• Experience using Epicor ERP.
• Exposure to both manufacturing and distribution business models.
• CPIM, CSCP, or similar supply chain certification.
• Experience with continuous improvement methodologies such as Lean or Six Sigma.
• Experience identifying and implementing purchasing, inventory, planning, or broader supply chain process improvements.

We recognize that strong supply chain professionals can come from different career paths. Buyers, Buyer/Planners, Material Planners, Production Planners, Schedulers, and other supply chain professionals who understand MRP and the broader flow of the supply chain are encouraged to apply.

Candidates with strong, relevant supply chain experience or certifications such as CPIM or CSCP are encouraged to apply even if their educational background doesn't follow a traditional path.

Benefits & Perks:

Norman Fiter/Equipment Company offers a competitive compensation and benefits package, including:

• $68,000–$80,000 annual salary
• Medical, dental, and prescription drug coverage
• Vision insurance
• Short-Term Disability
• Company-paid Long-Term Disability
• Company-paid life insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Flexible Spending Account options
• Paid vacation and company holidays

Why Join Norman Filter/Equipment Company?

As a family-owned and operated organization, Norman Filter/Equipment Company offers an environment where employees have the opportunity to contribute ideas, take ownership of their work, and make a visible impact.

Because Norman operates with a close-knit team, supply chain employees aren't confined to one narrow piece of the process. In this role, you'll gain exposure across the end-to-end supply chain, collaborating with purchasing, planning, manufacturing, inventory, Shipping & Receiving, Customer Service, Sales, Accounts Payable, and other areas of the organization. The breadth of the role provides an opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of the entire supply chain and expand your capabilities over time, including potential future opportunities within areas such as planning and scheduling.

If you're a supply chain professional who enjoys digging into data, understanding how systems and processes connect, solving problems, and continuously looking for ways to improve how things are done, we'd love to hear from you.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER – VETERAN OR DISABILITY