Buyer Planner

Buyer Planner

Location: Kalamazoo, Mi

About the Company: IPS Corporation is a global, market-leading provider of Water and Flow Management Solutions and Specialty Adhesives Solutions for applications where failure is not an option. Founded in 1954 in Los Angeles, CA, IPS began by producing clear cements for laminating acrylic sheet for aircraft canopies. We were first to produce reliable cement for use with PVC, CPVC, and ABS pipe and fittings, and first to introduce plastic recessed washing machine and ice maker outlet boxes. Since then, we have expanded our offering to more than 10,000+ products and solutions across multiple fast-growth industries such as residential and commercial construction, irrigation, pool & spa, marine or industrial manufacturing. Today our industry leading products are proudly manufactured at facilities throughout the world and available through a nationwide network of customer-focused distributors. We offer premium brands, world-class customer service, seamless processes, and a global supply chain. IPS, through its three operating companies, operates 13 manufacturing plants in the US, Europe and China supporting sales to over 85 countries. IPS Corporation is a portfolio company that is part of Centerbridge Partners. Centerbridge Partners, L.P. is a private investment management firm employing a flexible approach across investment disciplines — private equity, private credit and real estate — in an effort to develop the most attractive opportunities for its investors. The Firm was founded in 2005 and has approximately $36 billion in capital under management with offices in New York and London. Centerbridge is dedicated to partnering with world-class management teams across targeted industry sectors and geographies.

About the Role

The Buyer Planner will plan production schedules in accordance with IPS business systems and customer demand to ensure a controlled flow of work and materials through manufacturing to effectively balance supply and demand. This position will procure a variety of domestic and imported raw materials and components. The Buyer Planner's responsibility is to issue, process and maintain work orders and purchase orders in a timely manner ensuring the best quality, service, delivery, and total cost of ownership in accordance with organizational objectives and sourcing strategies. This position must support IPS business goals to ensure service level and inventory turns by carefully controlling production and purchasing activities.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Review daily demand for assigned products and generates work orders to satisfy demand while balancing targeted inventory levels.
• Identify material and resource constraints, and coordinates and expedites their resolution with responsible parties.
• Reschedule work orders as necessary to present the correct requirements to manufacturing and procurement.
• Ensure on time delivery of customer orders by monitoring schedule adherence, identifying key root causes for deviation and takes improvement action to update work order schedules for validity and accuracy.
• Develop a working knowledge of the company's products and processes to ensure optimal master schedule stability, order creation, rescheduling, and level loading.
• Inform management when demand cannot be met and recommend alternatives on how the requested demand could be satisfied.
• Minimizes inventory write-offs of finished goods inventory, intermediates and raw materials.
• Review critical master data and work with Master Data Analyst to correct errors.
• Monitor Item Master, bills of material (BOM) / routers for accuracy and updates.
• Assist management with timely and accurate monthly, quarterly, ad-hoc reporting.
• Issue and maintain auditable purchase orders.
• Validate purchase requisitions, focusing on price, supplier performance, and risk.
• Coordinate purchasing activities by working with Strategic Procurement Manager, Director of Supply Chain, and Buyer Planner group to maintain inventory at planned levels.
• Expedite or delay orders as may be needed to ensure proper inventory levels.
• Resolve any errors that arise with suppliers during the purchasing process including incorrect invoices, shipping errors, cancellation of orders, non-conformance materials, and engineering changes.
• Understand general budgeting/standard costing management strategies in order to adequately plan and carry out procurement functions.
• Review open order reports weekly.
• Provide feedback to suppliers with regard to quality and production complaints and monitor performance of suppliers, reporting all evaluations to the Strategic Procurement Manager.
• Assist inventory managers in minimizing excess inventory and eliminating obsolete materials.
• Travel up to 10%.

Education and Experience Requirements

• Undergraduate degree in Supply Chain, Business, or a related field preferred; or a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience.
• Master's degree in Business or related field is a plus.
• 3+ years' experience in similar or related role.
• ASCM (Association for Supply Chain Management) CPIM or CSCP is a plus.
• Certification in Six Sigma (at least green belt) is a plus.
• Preferred Manufacturing Scheduling / Planning / Buying experience.
• Working knowledge of JD Edwards (Oracle), Basic Lean Principles.
• Strong organizational and managerial skills are required.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and Outlook).
• Must be ready and willing to work in a fast-paced environment and display the ability to handle multiple priorities and demonstrate strong problem-solving skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills (English is required), and proven people and organizational skills are required.
• Must have exceptional listening skills.
• Ability to internalize performance metrics and exceed expectations is required.
• Must have proficient analytical skills and be eager to continuously develop these skills.
• Effective interpersonal skills.
• Ability to travel to suppliers of high spend items.