Production Buyer/Planner

Job Description

Job Description

Description:

About the Company  

Chan & Chan USA LLC is a growing food manufacturer producing high-quality frozen dumplings, buns, sausages, and other specialty products for our own brands and for leading retail and foodservice customers. Our team works in a modern, clean facility where safety, food safety, and quality come first. 

Position Summary  

The Production Buyer/Planner makes sure the Bethlehem plant has the right raw materials and packaging for manufactured products, in the right amounts, when production needs them, and keeps inventory accurate. This role buys production materials only; maintenance parts and services are purchased by Maintenance, and indirect supplies by the Production Clerk. The role plans material requirements from the production schedule and bills of materials, buys from approved suppliers, analyzes inventory, keeps line of sight on imported items, and balances inventory against shelf life, cash, and cooler and freezer space. Success is measured by on-time material availability, no production stoppages for missing materials, inventory accuracy, inventory days on hand, purchase price, and expired or excess inventory. 

Essential Functions  

• Plan raw material and packaging requirements for manufactured products from the production schedule, production bills of materials (BOMs), and forecasts, using material requirements planning in Sage X3. 
• Place and manage purchase orders for raw materials and packaging within the spend matrix; confirm pricing, quantities, and delivery dates. 
• Keep line of sight and oversight of imported items: track import orders, lead times, and arrivals with Logistics, and flag risks early. 
• Set and maintain safety stock and reorder points, balancing supply risk against shelf life, cash, and cooler and freezer space. 
• Expedite orders and follow up with suppliers; resolve shortages, late deliveries, and quality issues with FSQA and the warehouse. 
• Schedule inbound deliveries with the Warehouse Supervisor, and work with the Operations Manager and Production Clerk on schedule changes and material risks. 
• Analyze inventory: support the cycle count program with the Warehouse Supervisor, investigate and correct variances in Sage X3, and prepare month-end inventory reports with Accounting. 
• Track lot codes and expiration dates, and act on slow-moving, short-dated, and excess stock before it expires. 
• Maintain purchasing and inventory data in Sage X3, including items, suppliers, lead times, and pricing. 
• Request quotes, compare suppliers, support price negotiations, and track supplier on-time and quality performance. 
• Resolve purchase order, receipt, and invoice differences with Accounting. 
• Report supply and inventory KPIs: on-time supply, stockouts, inventory accuracy, days on hand, purchase price variance, and expired or excess inventory. 

Food Safety, Quality and Safety Responsibilities  

The company operates under dual USDA (FSIS) and FDA jurisdiction. 

• Follow Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), hygiene, allergen, and foreign-material controls; report food safety, quality, or safety concerns to a supervisor or FSQA immediately; and complete all required food safety and safety training. 
• Buy only from FSQA-approved suppliers, and keep specifications, certificates of analysis, and allergen statements current with FSQA. 
• Make sure every purchased material is traceable by supplier lot, and support mock recalls and traceability requests. 

Supervisory Responsibilities  

None.

Education and Experience  

Required  

• High school diploma or equivalent; bachelor’s degree in supply chain, business, or a related field preferred. 
• 3+ years of purchasing or materials planning for production materials in manufacturing. 
• Experience with material requirements planning in an ERP system. 
• Understanding of production bills of materials (BOMs). 
• Strong Excel skills, including lookups and pivot tables. 

Preferred  

• Import experience, including ocean freight lead times and import documentation (highly preferred). 
• Food manufacturing experience, especially meat or frozen foods. 
• Inventory control or inventory analysis experience. 
• Sage X3 experience. 
• APICS/ASCM certification (CPIM or CSCP). 
• Experience buying imported or specialty Asian ingredients. 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities  

• Plans ahead and adjusts quickly when schedules or supply change. 
• Uses Sage X3 and Excel to plan, track, analyze, and report accurately. 
• Negotiates with suppliers and holds them to commitments. 
• Communicates clearly with production, the warehouse, FSQA, Accounting, and suppliers. 
• Strong attention to detail with numbers, lot codes, and dates. 
• English required. Cantonese and Mandarin highly preferred; Spanish preferred. 

Required Training and Certifications  

• GMP, allergen, and food defense training before working in production areas. 
• Sage X3 purchasing and material planning training within 30 days of hire. 
• Supplier approval program training with FSQA within 30 days of hire. 

Physical Requirements  

Sit at a computer for extended periods; walk the plant and warehouse to check materials; occasionally lift up to 15 lb. 

Work Environment  

Normal office environment, with occasional time in production areas (below 50&degree;F), coolers, and freezers below 0&degree;F. Required PPE in production areas includes hairnets, smocks, and gloves. 

Schedule and Travel  

Monday to Friday, day shift, on site with no remote work. Overtime as needed to resolve supply issues, approved in advance and paid at time-and-a-half. Occasional supplier visits (under 5%). 

Disclaimer, ADA, EEO and Signatures  

Disclaimer: This job description is not an all-inclusive list of responsibilities, skills, or working conditions. Chan & Chan USA LLC may modify, add, or remove duties and assign other duties as needed. 

ADA: Applicants and employees must be able to perform the essential functions of this position, with or without reasonable accommodation. Requests for accommodation are reviewed case by case. 

EEO: Chan & Chan USA LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected by law.