Senior Buyer/Planner

Senior Buyer/Planner

Reporting to the Executive Director of Manufacturing & Supply Chain, the Senior Buyer/Planner is responsible for coordinating procurement and material planning activities to ensure the timely availability of raw materials, components, packaging materials, consumables, and other supplies required to support GMP drug product manufacturing operations. This position serves as a key liaison between Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Quality, Warehouse, Finance, Engineering, and Client Services to proactively identify and resolve material and supply risks.

The Senior Buyer/Planner develops and maintains material requirements and purchasing plans based on production schedules, inventory levels, lead times, client requirements, and forecasted demand. The position is expected to maintain strong supplier relationships, monitor supplier performance, manage purchase orders, and ensure materials are available in accordance with approved specifications, quality requirements, and production timelines.

The ideal candidate has strong knowledge of purchasing, production planning, inventory management, and GMP requirements and is comfortable working in a fast-paced CDMO environment where priorities and production requirements may change frequently.

Principal duties include:

• Creating and maintaining an integrated planning process to align PLI Leadership/Business Development and Supply Chain with a demand plan, while clearly articulating the assumptions, risks, and opportunities to the plan.
• Identifying and selecting suppliers, negotiating contracts, and ensuring timely and cost-effective procurement of raw materials, components, and other necessary supplies.
• Collaborating with internal stakeholders, including Micro/Analytical, Manufacturing, and Quality Assurance, to provide purchasing support and ensure alignment on vendor selection and performance.
• Utilizing supply management software and tools to develop and implement long-term and short-term supply chain strategies.
• Identifying opportunities for process improvement within supply chain, implementing best practices and lean methodologies to enhance efficiency and reduce costs.
• Negotiating, or renegotiating, and managing contractual arrangements with suppliers, vendors, and other representatives to incorporate best pricing.
• Collaborating with cross-functional teams, including Manufacturing, Quality Assurance, and Project Management, to create accurate demand forecasts and production plans. Monitoring delivery dates to ensure that goods arrive on time. In the event of problems, tracing shipments and following up on undelivered goods.
• Conferring with staff, users, and vendors to discuss defective or unacceptable goods or services and determine corrective action.
• Managing material flow, inventory control, and accuracy through monitoring and management of daily warehouse activities, cycle counts, expiration dating, production orders, and audits.
• Managing product storage and distribution department.
• In collaboration with Quality Assurance, contributing to vendor qualification and maintaining vendor status and qualify all incoming materials.
• Researching and evaluating suppliers based on price, quality, selection, service, support, availability, reliability, production and distribution capabilities, and the supplier's reputation and history.
• Analyzing sales records and inventory levels of current stock to develop strategic purchasing programs that facilitate employee access to supplies.
• Interviewing vendors to examine and learn about products, services, and prices.
• Formulating policy and developing and implementing new strategies and procedures for procurement.
• Managing and optimizing supply chain and related manufacturing processes to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and ensure product quality including change management processes (Change controls. Deviations, CAPAs).
• Contributing to fostering a culture of accountability, safety, and continuous improvement.
• Developing and evaluating short- and long-range procurement plans as applicable.
• Performing other related duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications and experience include:

• 5+ years' experience in Supply Chain/Manufacturing or related support functions or any combination of those within the field of Life Sciences
• Experience in aseptic Manufacturing preferred
• Bachelor's degree in supply chain, logistics, engineering, or life sciences
• Knowledge of MS Office Suite, ERP and MRP Systems
• Proven track record of planning/procurement and vendor management working at a CDMO