Buying​/Planning Specialist

Date: Oct 19, 2026

Location: Maple Grove, MN, US

Incumbents apply in-depth knowledge in a specific area of specialization. Work is performed within established professional standards and practices. Works on problems of moderate scope where analysis of situations or data requires a review of identifiable factors and a considerable degree of judgement. Erroneous decisions or failure to achieve results may have a negative impact on the divisions/departments operations, schedules, and/or performance goals.

Works under minimum Supervision. Seeks approval from others on matters outside of job/role scope. Receives instruction on specific assignment objectives and possible solutions. Unusual problems are solved jointly with manager. Work is reviewed for application of sound technical judgment. May lead a work group or project team consisting of technical and support staff. Builds internal and external relationships, with emphasis on those that facilitate the achievement of job/role accountabilities, such as relationships with key suppliers, customers and internal service.

• Validate supplier quotes against customer Purchase Orders (PO) upon arrival to ensure pricing accuracy and compliance. Resolve discrepancies in supplier invoices and receipts in a timely manner.
• Maintain responsibility for the integrity of the Item Master file, ensuring all material data is accurate and updated on a quarterly basis.
• Analyze Bills of Material (BOM) for cost competitiveness and collaborate closely with Engineering, Program Management, and Commodity Management to validate costed BOMs for accuracy and alignment with market trends.
• Consolidate, tabulate, and analyze commitment and performance metrics to report on supplier effectiveness and procurement status.
• Plans for and procures materials necessary to meet manufacturing build requirements for one or several product lines.
• Plans and schedules timely material required for customer forecasts.
• Determines material requirements from engineering and production schedules and coordinate the efficient movement of materials throughout the production cycle.
• Reviews requisitions, contacts vendors, examines bids and initiates contracts.
• Initiates purchases driven through MRP process.
• Assesses when to execute and what order to place based on other factors.
• Pushes or cancels orders per production plans.
• Reviews forecasted requirements and purchases materials in accordance with that forecast.
• Ensures materials are available to meet manufacturing build requirements.
• Matches material infeed and inventory turnover so as not to hold too high a percentage of inventory at any time.
• Helps establish new supplier accounts with finance department. Investigates and resolves issues with invoices or suppliers.

Acts as a customer liaison with new product introduction. Introduces the new product through manufacturing to shipping per customer requirements

• Ability to consolidate, manipulate, and analyze large quantities of data with a high degree of accuracy.
• Strong knowledge of basic computer applications, with the ability to quickly learn and utilize multiple department-specific applications, including ERP systems and office suites with excellent knowledge of EXCEL:pivot tables, Vlookups, Ifs, sumifs, countifs, sum product, nested formulas, and power queries.
• Extensive knowledge of procurement processes, inventory management and supplier management.
• Knowledge of an electronic manufacturing environment, the types of materials being purchased by the department and the engineering change process.
• Good negotiation and problem resolution skills.
• Ability to plan strategically for the coordinated delivery of a variety of materials.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks while maintaining attention to detail and accuracy and working under tight time deadlines.
• Ability to evaluate, prioritize and problem solve a variety of tasks to ensure their timely and accurate completion.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with a wide variety of internal and external customers.

• Duties of this position are performed in a normal office environment.
• Duties may require extended periods of sitting and sustained visual concentration on a computer monitor or on numbers and other detailed data.
• Repetitive manual movements (e.g., data entry, using a computer mouse, using a calculator, etc.) are frequently required.

The range described in this posting is an estimate by the Company, and…