Materials Planner

Estimated salary range: $70,000–$90,000 USD annually Compensation varies by experience. Benefits include paid time off, paid holidays, and a 401(k). About the Company Our client is a food company that works with manufacturing partners. We coordinate sourcing, production, quality, logistics, and finance to deliver products to customers. About the Role You will own daily ingredient and packaging purchasing and materials planning, reporting to the Strategic Sourcing Manager. Your work will help keep production running while meeting food safety and quality requirements. Approximately 60–70% of your time will focus on buying and 30–40% on planning. What You'll Do Use forecasts, production schedules, bills of materials, inventory, and open purchase orders to calculate material needs by manufacturing facility. Create, issue, update, and close purchase orders using approved suppliers, pricing, and purchasing parameters. Confirm orders and resolve delays, shortages, and partial shipments. Confirm material readiness before production. Monitor usage, seasonal availability, shelf life, aging, and excess inventory; coordinate consumption priorities with Operations and Quality Assurance. Schedule contract releases, track remaining balances, and maintain accurate NetSuite planning and purchasing data with the appropriate system and item-data owners. Enter sales orders and coordinate deliveries and material transfers with Logistics. Follow up on certificates of analysis, bills of lading, and approval documents. Investigate purchasing and invoice discrepancies, reconcile purchase orders with Finance, and support supplier nonconformance follow-up with Quality Assurance. Escalate issues requiring sourcing decisions. Maintain reports on shortages, open orders, inventory risks, and contract balances. Work with Production Planning, manufacturing partners, Logistics, Quality Assurance, Research and Development, and Finance. Coordinate samples, trial quantities, and initial deliveries after sourcing direction and required approvals. What Success Looks Like Materials are ready for approved production plans, with shortages and quality risks identified and escalated promptly. Purchase orders, contract balances, and purchasing records are accurate and current. Suppliers and internal teams have clear updates on delivery timing, open issues, and next steps. Daily purchasing runs reliably, allowing the Strategic Sourcing Manager to focus on longer-term sourcing and contracts. What You Bring Knowledge of purchase-order processes, materials planning, inventory management, and manufacturing supply needs. Experience using enterprise resource planning or material requirements planning systems for purchasing, order tracking, and reporting. NetSuite experience is preferred; other systems are welcome. Strong Excel and data analysis skills. Clear written and verbal communication, including direct follow-up with suppliers and manufacturing partners. Ability to maintain accurate records, manage competing priorities, and adapt purchasing plans as customer and production needs change. Willingness to ask questions, apply feedback, resolve mistakes, and take increasing ownership as you learn. Food industry experience is preferred. Relevant experience in adjacent industries will also be considered. You will begin with training in our systems and daily purchasing processes, working closely with the Strategic Sourcing Manager. As you build proficiency, you can take greater ownership of day-to-day work and contribute to broader projects. Location & Work Arrangement Work arrangement: Hybrid In-office Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday; remote Tuesday and Friday. ForceBrands is committed to equal opportunity and does not discriminate against any employee, applicant, or candidate in hiring, recruiting, or referral on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. #J-18808-Ljbffr