Available Position (Company name withheld)

We are only accepting internal applications at this time, No other applications will be reviewed by the team.


BUYER PLANNER 
 

SUMMARY
As an integral part of the purchasing team, the Procurement Buyer Planner will be responsible for managing the procurement needs for Nature’s Way products. This includes managing the day-to-day material needs for the production of goods sold by the company. The Procurement Buyer Planner will be responsible for managing our supplier relationships to ensure the best service, price and delivery times while also maintaining minimal inventory levels and maximizing inventory turns. Additionally, the Procurement Buyer Planner will ensure that all materials meet Nature’s Way’s high-quality standards. The Procurement Buyer Planner will report to the Procurement Manager and together they will work to achieve Nature’s Way’s purchasing and planning goals. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Responsible for all day-to-day tactical functions within the purchasing team:
  • Manage the issuance of purchase orders for materials (raw materials, packaging, printed packaging) and service (contract manufacturing) to support manufacturing (internal/external) of finished goods and end-item deliveries required by forecast and the production schedule in SAP or as requested by management.
  • Establish and manage optimal inventory levels by evaluating forecasts, demand fluctuations, and material lead times, while ensuring efficient use of company funds and maintaining sufficient stock to prevent product outages and achieve customer fill‑rate targets.
  • Coordinate material flows throughout product/BOM changes, obsolescence, and the introduction of new suppliers and/or materials due to new product development.
  • Monitor open purchase orders and purchase order acknowledgements for all orders to ensure on-time deliveries.
  • Ownership of a strong working relationship and communication with manufacturing, co-manufactured, contract manufactures and key suppliers to confirm production/shipping schedule. Proactively report product and material availability issues.
  • Collaborate with internal cross functional customers, in particular Planning, Inventory and Strategic Sourcing Teams to provide a high level of customer service, including recommending solutions, resources and alternative supply options.
  • Act as the primary interface with suppliers and internal teams to resolve issues related to pricing, quality, delivery, and purchasing processes. Collaborate with Finance to reconcile invoice discrepancies and gather supplier information on pricing, availability, and delivery schedules.
  • Distribute forecasts and open‑order reports to suppliers and conduct scheduled reviews while communicating material needs and shipment requirements with domestic and international suppliers.
  • Review planning system to ensure continuity of supply and expediting or deferring purchase orders to meet company requirements.
  • Work with custom brokers to assist in clearing international imports as needed.
  • Work with distribution and warehouse receiving to resolve shipment issues and expedite needs.
  • Partner with Transportation to manage timely pickups from manufacturing and ensure accurate, on‑schedule deliveries to suppliers, distribution centers, or fulfillment sites.
  • Review the TMS for inbound shipments as needed.
  • Discuss defective or unacceptable goods or services with inspection or quality control personnel, users, suppliers, and others to determine source of non-compliance and take corrective action.
  • Assist with evaluating supplier performances for supplier risk mitigation.
  • Assist strategic sourcing with opportunities to drive cost savings initiatives and reduce Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).
  • Maintain procurement records such as items purchased, costs, delivery, product quality or performance, and inventories.
  • Own SAP MRP of lead times to ensure they are reflected accurately.
  • Monitor and report key performance metrics, including purchase price variance (PPV), inventories, shortages and supplier performance. 
  • Handle incoming phone calls and inquiries, and meet with suppliers when necessary.
  • Adhere to any safety, health and environmental policies and procedures to ensure the safety and wellbeing of self, staff and visitors.

• Bachelor's degree from a four-year college or university in business, operations management, supply chain, or a minimum of three years of supply chain or related experience.
• Knowledge or work experience with cGMPs and FDA regulations is preferred.
• Strong knowledge of ERP concept, with preferred skills in SAP.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, specifically Excel.

LANGUAGE SKILLS
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations.  Ability to write reports and business correspondence. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from internal and external stakeholders.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS
Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.

REASONING ABILITY
Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with complex problems involving several variables as situations dictate.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATION 
ISM certification and/or APICS certification preferred, not required.