PlannerBuyer

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

This role does not have supervisory responsibilities.

SUMMARY:

The Planner/Buyer role will be responsible for developing coordinating and maintaining production schedules to meet customer demand optimize workflow and ensure efficient use of materials labor and equipment; while also effectively managing outside services supplies and consumables that enable production and other site functions to maintain ongoing continuity of their respective operations. This role works closely with operations materials management procurement engineering and quality teams to maintain accurate plans and adjust schedules as needed to support on-time delivery.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop and maintain detailed production schedules based on sales orders forecasts capacity and material availability.
• Convert demand into executable work orders and prioritize jobs to ensure on-time delivery.
• Coordinate scheduling across multiple production lines departments or work centers.
• Review and adjust plans daily based on equipment availability labor constraints and changing priorities.
• Validate material availability for scheduled production; identify shortages and escalate as needed.
• Collaborate with procurement and materials management to ensure timely replenishment.
• Maintain accurate BOMs and routing information in the ERP/MRP system.
• Analyze capacity requirements and balance workloads to maximize utilization.
• Identify bottlenecks and recommend adjustments such as overtime shift changes or outsourcing.
• Evaluate production progress and communicate constraints proactively.
• Maintain accurate production data schedule parameters and planning master data (lead times safety stock lot sizes).
• Monitor work order status and ensure timely closures in the ERP/MRP system.
• Prepare scheduling reports dashboards and metrics for leadership and cross-functional teams.
• Coordinate with operations engineering quality and logistics to resolve issues impacting the schedule.
• Provide timely updates to customer service or sales on delivery commitments.
• Identify opportunities to improve planning accuracy reduce lead times and enhance production flow.
• Support Lean initiatives such as Kanban value-stream mapping and waste reduction.
• Participate in cross-functional projects to improve inventory control forecasting and operational efficiency.
• Responsible for making appropriate purchasing decisions that ensure uninterrupted supply for continuity of operations while minimizing inventory carrying costs.
• Participates in quoting process to ensure that any OSS required is competitive in the market and profitable for the business
• Takes a leadership role in cross functional projects to improve site capabilities and performance on critical KPIs
• Regularly evaluate suppliers to ensure that inventories are maintained and that deliveries are timely.
• Locate vendors of material services or supplies to establish a timely and cost-effective supply chain.
• Coordinating supplier qualification process.
• Analyze market and delivery systems to assess present and future material availability.

SKILLS & COMPETENCIES:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Strong Planning and Negotiation skills.
• Ability to plan and effectively manage a budget
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills with high attention to detail.
• Must be able to anticipate and act on needs (not just respond to requests) and deal with ambiguity.
• Ability to multitask and manage competing priorities in a dynamic environment.
• Clear communication and collaboration skills for cross-functional teamwork.
• Proficiency in Excel and planning tools; experience with dashboards or reporting tools is a plus.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

Required

• High School Diploma or equivalent.

• Minimum two (2) years of experience in production planning scheduling or manufacturing operations.
• Experience with ERP/MRP systems.
• Familiarity with manufacturing processes BOMs routings and capacity planning.

Desired

• Associates or Bachelors degree in Supply Chain Operations Management Business Industrial Engineering or related field preferred.
• Experience in Visual is a strong plus.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job the employee is frequently required to stand and hear. The employee is frequently required to walk; reach with hands/arms; lift and/or lower; push and/or pull; and use hands to finger handle feel and/or finely manipulate objects. The employee must frequently lift/move and/or push/pull up to 20 lbs. and occasionally lift/move and/or push/pull up to 50 lbs. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision distance vision color vision peripheral vision depth perception and ability to adjust focus. Use of vision correction is acceptable if necessary; however any vision correction apparatus must meet all safety guidelines for the area of activity.