Buyer Planner

Job Description

Position Summary:

You will own the day‑to‑day planning, purchasing, and material flow for assigned product lines, ensuring the right material is in the right place at the right time to meet customer commitments. You’ll sit at the intersection of production, suppliers, and the shop floor—balancing capacity, inventory health, and supplier performance to keep manufacturing running smoothly and customers satisfied. The role blends tactical execution with continuous improvement, using data, ERP systems, and Lean principles to drive delivery, reduce waste, and strengthen supplier partnerships.

• Efficiently plan, purchase, and manage the assigned supply points and/or product lines and their respective suppliers to deliver finished products to the customer while maintaining a high level of customer service.
• Review open customer orders/shop orders, shop and/or equipment capacity, and historical data to prepare a daily production plan, working closely with shop floor supervisors to ensure all customer commitment dates are met.
• Release purchase orders for production material, floor stock items, and all purchases to support the manufacturing needs for assigned product lines.
• Gain specialized knowledge of specialty component options such as roll from plate or pipe, shear from plate or flat bar, and alternate and unique material grades.
• Use available inventory replenishment methods and practices to keep on‑hand minimums, minimize dead or slow‑moving and scrap inventory, and maximize availability of inventory for active items.
• Resolve problems and discrepancies with quality, delivery dates, quantity, and invoicing of purchased commodities.
• Develop and manage the various databases to ensure systems run smoothly.
  • Profound
  • MRP
  • BPCS/CIC/BPA
  • Mendix
  • Qliksense
• Work with manager and operations management team to establish safety stock positions, best stocking locations, and to resize Kanbans, rack locations, and sizing.
• Learn lean manufacturing principles, develop plans for streamlining processes and procedures, and attend FEM cost‑reduction and inventory‑reduction meetings.
• Work well in a team environment with warehouse, manufacturing, customer service, maintenance, and shipping teams so customer requirement goals are met.
• Adapt quickly and use several problem‑solving techniques.
• Be proficient in expediting suppliers and logistics and familiarize with impact order management. Escalate when necessary.
• Manage tactical duties with suppliers and report on supplier performance.
• Appraise vendors’ performance based on metrics such as on‑time delivery, accuracy, and quality of material and own the tactical day‑to‑day supplier relationship.
• Participate in and use the Quality Improvement Process to resolve problems in the work environment.

• Minimum associate’s degree (2 years).
• AS400/Profound preferred.
• Minimum 1–2 years of experience in purchasing, material control, or manufacturing planning.
• Strong analytical problem‑solving ability.
• Customer‑service driven.
• Good oral and written communication skills.
• Experience with Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office Suite required.
• Goal and detail oriented, reliable, self‑motivated, and able to multi‑task effectively.
• Thorough understanding of steel and rubber specifications and tolerances.
• Good organizational and analytical problem‑solving skills required.
• Knowledge of Country of Origin and/or domestic or AIS requirements.

This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

EEO Statement:
Victaulic is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EOE/M/F/Vets/Disabled) employer and welcomes all qualified applicants. Applicants will receive fair and impartial consideration without regard to race, gender, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic data, or other legally protected status.