Buyer/Planner

About This Role

This role is for a senior-level professional who will independently manage purchasing and planning activities, procure materials and services, and provide planning support for product assembly. This position solves complex problems and may lead specific projects or ongoing objectives within Supply Chain.

Responsibilities

• Analyze demand forecasts to predict material requirements and adjust purchasing strategies
• Refine Material Requirements Planning (MRP) system parameters for accurate production and procurement signals
• Develop and maintain capacity plans for internal manufacturing and external subcontractors
• Provide critical data on inventory health and supply trends during Sales and Operations Planning (SIOP) meetings
• Align supply strategies with product life cycles, from NPI to EOL, to prevent excess inventory
• Identify and qualify suppliers based on quality standards and total cost of ownership (TCO)
• Negotiate competitive pricing, favorable payment terms, and optimized lead times with key vendors
• Cultivate strategic partnerships to ensure supply reliability and priority status during market shortages
• Monitor supplier performance using scorecards and audits for Quality and On-Time Delivery (OTD) metrics
• Identify vulnerabilities and implement contingency plans, such as dual-sourcing or safety stock buffers
• Optimize inventory levels to balance customer service with increased inventory turns and reduced carrying costs
• Proactively identify slow-moving inventory and execute disposition strategies to maintain warehouse efficiency
• Prioritize and release production work orders based on material availability and shipping dates
• Reconcile procurement discrepancies with Finance and suppliers
• Lead Lean / OpEx initiatives to eliminate waste and improve procurement workflows
• Audit and update Item Masters, Bills of Materials (BOMs), and lead times within the ERP system (Infor XA)
• Proactively pull in or push out deliveries in response to real-time changes in production demand
• Monitor and report on KPIs such as Days of Inventory on Hand (DOH), stockout rates, and Purchase Price Variance (PPV)
• Serve as the primary bridge between Engineering, Quality, and Sales to ensure material alignment with technical specifications
• Provide stakeholders with early warnings regarding supply roadblocks and offer actionable solutions

Requirements

• 5+ years’ experience
• Ability creating and implementing purchasing strategies to support productivity and working capital objectives for assigned product category
• Knowledge of ERP and Quality Systems
• Lean Six Sigma or equivalent discipline

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in related field or equivalent level of experience
• 5+ years’ experience in purchasing/planning

Nice to Have

• 10+ years’ experience
• CSCP (Certified Supply Chain Professional) certification
• CSCMP (Certified Supply Chain Management Professional) certification
• CPIM (Certified Production and Inventory Management) certification
• XA/Paperless ERP systems experience
• EPDM experience
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suites

Skills

* Required skills

Certifications