Buyer/Planner II

Summary
This individual will be responsible for both buying and planning.  The role will handle purchasing, material requirements, planning, supplier relationship management and other responsibilities as needed.  

Essential Duties and Responsibilities 
Review blueprints/solid models and bills of materials and product specifications to accurately determine amount of materials needed. Keep material records up to date, including all codes such as lead times, days of supply, price, minimum, maximum and multiple quantities, safety stock, shrinkage, yield and order policy codes. 
Responsible for procuring and expediting component parts and raw materials and work with management on pricing discrepancies and sourcing new components. Manage release, expedites and cancels through MRP/VP. Monitor and manage capacities. 
Partner with customers, suppliers, and internal stakeholders to create a better production forecast process
Identify strategies for cost improvements
Manage and optimize the current supply chain network with full cycle supply chain understanding, using critical thinking to make decisions regarding the production network
At times review new projects and their impact on the total production plan serving as the lead person for new program launches including attending meetings for the launches themselves
Tracks purchases, monitors vendor quality, and maintains a current database of vendor information.  Charge back (debit) suppliers for rejected parts, rework, expedited freight costs, etc.
Root cause existing problems and take counter measures and utilize systems for reporting purposes to identify important information
Indirect contact with both MRP/VP and the internal and external suppliers. Material planning for the items under your control, communicate the resultant schedules to their assigned suppliers, do follow-up, resolve problems, and advise other planners and the master scheduler when purchased or manufactured items will not arrive on time to support the schedule. 
Monitor status of open purchase orders to ensure on-time delivery of all materials, including timely resolution, communication and mitigation of future potential problems and expedite or defer orders as required based on schedule/inventory changes 
Determine and establish optimal inventory levels based on forecast, demand variation and material lead times
Coordinate material flows throughout product/BOM changes, obsolescence, and the introduction of new suppliers and/or materials due to new product development 
Manage the inter-company flow or materials between warehouse locations, in addition to material and process scrap
Manage and resolve issues regarding PO to invoice discrepancies, returns and quality problems with suppliers 
Manage constraints on work centers by off-loading or working with external suppliers  
Other duties may be assigned at any time

Education and/or Experience 
4-6 years of buying and planning experience within a manufacturing environment
High School Diploma required, with an associate or bachelor’s degree preferred
Excellent communication skills are required, with the ability to communicate with internal team members and external partners via phone, email and in person
Strong computer skills with the ability to run reports and learn new software systems quickly
Strong production planning & analytical skills 

Other Qualifications
Detail oriented and able to analyze, validate and sort through a fast moving network
Data, process, and results driven with a customer focus
High level of integrity