Material Planner

The Material Planner will be responsible for managing raw material & packaging inventory and ensure material availability is consistent with factory production schedules/requirements. Further responsibilities include managing supplier relationships, using ERP systems to manage purchase orders and on-time delivery, participation in continuous improvement programs, coordinating with internal departments, and managing stakeholder relations. This individual will liaise with category buyers, master scheduler, factory operations/production teams. We are looking for individuals who thrive in fast-paced environments. The ideal candidate will be hard working, punctual, dependable, self‑motivated, self‑managed, organized, flexible, and looking for a long‑term commitment to grow within a growing company. What You’ll Do Manage and maintain purchase orders for direct sourced raw materials and packaging using MRP/SAP based systems or processes. Work with suppliers on a daily basis and manage Supplier Delivery Performance (On Time In Full) KPIs – need to be extremely proactive with a high sense of urgency on supplier follow ups for purchase order delivery dates and ordered quantities, this also involves tracking shipments via ASNs (Advanced Shipping Notices) for ground and ocean freight to ensure it is delivered and received on time at the right warehouse. Support factory operations and production team, buyers and purchasing activities, mitigate supply issues and inventory replenishment/replacement due to inventory adjustments or non-conforming material, establish root cause and corrective action. Manages dynamic forecasts and manages replenishment planning for materials to ensure specified customer service levels are met. Communicate daily issues, including specification changes, deviations, late deliveries, etc. with factory production team and category buyers. Manage Supplier Lead Times, MOQs and Transit times. Knowledge of relationship management techniques; ability to establish, develop and maintain healthy working relationships with suppliers, internal cross functional teams, and peers. Organizes the internal flow of materials within the manufacturing unit/factory and the transferring of materials to and from the inventory or warehouse. Expedite raw materials and packaging materials from approved suppliers as needed with consideration for cost and value. Escalate challenging supply issues to category buyers and related stakeholders in a timely manner after exhaustion of efforts. Participate and implement continuous improvement programs to reduce improve quality, lead-time, and reduce costs. Participate in continuous improvement programs and activities, develop and implement cost‑saving strategies without compromising quality or service. Extensive experience in Decision Making and Critical Thinking: Knowledge of the decision‑making process and associated tools and techniques; ability to accurately analyze situations and reach productive decisions based on informed judgment. Extensive experience in Problem Solving: Knowledge of approaches, tools, techniques for recognizing, anticipating, and resolving organizational, operational or process problems; ability to apply knowledge of problem solving appropriately to diverse situations, issues, and considerations for systematically managing distribution of inventory for multiple plants or warehouses; ability to apply related knowledge and experience in real practice. Other duties as assigned or necessary. What You’ll Need Bachelor’s degree in business related field or similar. Minimum 1-2 years’ experience in material planning or scheduling, inventory management and working with vendors/suppliers. Working knowledge of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems: Specifically using SAP/MRP systems or alternative system to manage inventory, knowledge of the process, must be able to comfortably navigate and execute in the commonly used screens or environments. Great communication and conflict management skills is a must as this is a very dynamic, fast paced supply chain environment that may occasionally be of high stress. Must be proficient at reading, math, written and verbal communication. Must have intermediate computer skills with a good working knowledge of spreadsheets, high proficiency in Excel preferred. Must be a team player with good work ethic and ability to work under pressure. Excellent attention to detail and ability to prioritize and multi‑task effectively. Extensive experience in Decision Making and Critical Thinking: Knowledge of the decision‑making process and associated tools and techniques; ability to accurately analyze situations and reach productive decisions based on informed judgment. Extensive experience in Problem Solving: Knowledge of approaches, tools, techniques for recognizing, anticipating, and resolving organizational, operational or process problems; ability to apply knowledge of problem solving appropriately to diverse situations. Competencies Problem Solving Conflict Management Customer Focus Standing Alone Integrity and Trust Dealing with Ambiguity Kevin's Natural Foods uses E-verify to confirm employment eligibility. #J-18808-Ljbffr