Buyer / Planner - Supply Chain - Urgent Need

Employment Type: Full-Time | Direct Hire

Hybrid After Training | Onsite During Initial Training

Hybrid Schedule: 2–3 Days Onsite Per Week After Training

Compensation: $27.00–$31.25 per hour

This position is responsible for purchasing, demand planning, inventory management, and supplier performance, with approximately 70% of the role focused on purchasing and 20% on planning .

The Buyer/Planner will manage the procurement lifecycle for assigned product categories, from forecasting and purchase order creation through delivery, inventory management, and returns. This individual will work closely with suppliers, Sales, distribution centers, and internal stakeholders to maintain product availability while controlling inventory levels, lead times, and costs.

The ideal candidate brings at least three years of direct purchasing experience, strong ERP/MRP knowledge, advanced Excel skills, and experience managing multiple suppliers and product categories in a fast-paced distribution, manufacturing, wholesale, or similar environment.

Purchasing & Procurement

Manage the full procurement lifecycle for assigned products and categories.

Review demand requirements and forecasts to determine appropriate purchasing needs.

Monitor open purchase orders and expedite orders as necessary to meet business and customer requirements.

Track supplier deliveries and proactively address potential delays or shortages.

Coordinate product returns and resolve purchasing-related discrepancies.

Maintain a consistent flow of materials while minimizing shortages, excess inventory, and unnecessary costs.

Support internal stakeholders with purchasing, sourcing, and product requirements.

Investigate and resolve billing, pricing, purchasing, and delivery discrepancies.

Demand Planning & Inventory Management

Plan product and parts requirements for distribution centers and multiple company locations.

Utilize forecasting, ERP, and MRP systems to support purchasing, planning, and inventory decisions.

Monitor forecasted demand against actual usage and adjust purchase orders and purchasing strategies as necessary.

Analyze inventory levels for assigned product categories and manage inventory according to established business goals.

Balance product availability with inventory targets to minimize both shortages and excess inventory.

Partner with Sales to confirm customer delivery commitments and support on-time delivery performance.

Identify opportunities to improve forecast accuracy, product availability, inventory turns, and overall inventory performance.

Develop ad hoc reports to evaluate forecast accuracy, inventory levels, purchasing activity, and related performance metrics.

Recommend improvements to forecasting and supply chain processes.

Manage a supplier portfolio of approximately 50 vendors, including approximately 10–15 suppliers with weekly purchasing activity.

Lead supplier meetings focused on performance, open action items, service levels, and continuous improvement.

Monitor and communicate supplier performance related to delivery, quality, cost, lead times, nonconformance, and other established metrics.

Partner with suppliers and internal company locations to resolve delivery, quality, pricing, and data-related issues.

Maintain accurate supplier records, including contact information, pricing, lead times, and other relevant data.

Take appropriate corrective action when supplier quality, delivery, service, or cost concerns arise.

Identify opportunities to improve supplier performance, reduce costs, and shorten lead times.

Supply Chain & Process Improvement

Identify opportunities to reduce purchasing costs and improve overall supply chain efficiency.

Analyze purchasing and inventory data to support informed business decisions.

Recommend process improvements related to purchasing, forecasting, inventory management, and supplier performance.

Support strategic purchasing, sourcing, and supply chain initiatives as assigned.

Collaborate cross-functionally with Sales, operations, distribution, suppliers, and other internal stakeholders.

Maintain accurate purchasing, planning, supplier, and inventory data within applicable systems.

3–5 years of experience in purchasing, procurement, supply chain, demand planning, materials planning, inventory management, or a related function.

Minimum of 3 years of direct purchasing experience.

Strong understanding of purchasing, procurement, inventory management, demand planning, forecasting, and supplier performance.

Strong Microsoft Excel skills, including experience with pivot tables, formulas, and XLOOKUP.

Experience using computerized planning, purchasing, inventory, or spend-management systems.

Ability to analyze data and apply sound business judgment to purchasing and inventory decisions.

Experience with Avercast or AS400 .

Experience within industrial distribution, wholesale, manufacturing, retail, consumer packaged goods, sporting goods, food distribution, or a similar B2B environment.

APICS certification or related supply chain certification.

Experience developing supplier scorecards or tracking supplier performance metrics.

Experience with demand forecasting, inventory optimization, and supply chain reporting.

Wheeler Staffing Partners connects talented professionals with career opportunities where their skills and experience can make an immediate impact. This Buyer/Planner opportunity offers the chance to take ownership of a diverse supplier portfolio, contribute to purchasing and inventory strategy, and work cross-functionally to improve supplier performance, forecasting, product availability, and overall supply chain efficiency.

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