Purchasing Planner

We are seeking a Purchasing Planner. In this role, you will be responsible for looking at market outlooks and determining when and what to buy when contracting with vendors, ordering supplies, or making a big investment in a product, technology, etc. You will also be responsible for developing and implementing short‑and‑long‑term strategies to purchase commodities.

• Sourcing suppliers and maintaining long‑lasting relationships with them as well as existing suppliers.
• Lead negotiations on pricing, order quantities, and delivery timelines to optimize value.
• Work with legal counsel to ensure that all contracts relating to product procurement contain all details of the negotiation.
• Assess quotes and compile a detailed assessment of cost breakdowns.
• Generate quote comparisons and contribute to internal supplier selection based on the quotes.
• Manage the end‑to‑end purchase requisition‑to‑order process, including price negotiations and documentation.
• Serve as the primary liaison for vendors, track order status, resolve delivery discrepancies, and manage returns (RMA).
• Coordinate cross‑functionally with warehouse operations to ensure procurement plans support current and projected demand requirements.
• Analyze spending patterns to recommend and implement cost‑saving opportunities.
• Drive process enhancements through data‑driven analysis and best practice implementation.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Required:
  
  Bachelor’s degree preferably in Supply Chain or business‑related.
• Nice‑to‑have:
  Master’s degree preferably in Supply Chain or business‑related.
• 1–3 years of working experience as a Buyer.
• Proficiency in SAP, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Thorough understanding of end‑to‑end Procurement lifecycle management.
• Demonstrated success in achieving year‑over‑year cost savings through vendor negotiations.
• Sound time‑management and organizational skills.
• Team player in a multi‑culture environment.
• Bilingual in Mandarin Chinese is strongly preferred.
• Not required but will be a plus:
  Six Sigma/Lean Sigma certification, Certified Purchasing Professional (CPP), Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP).

This position will be on‑site based in Sugar Land, Texas.

In addition to a competitive salary, AOI offers:

• Flexible and competitive health (medical, dental, vision) plans that offer employees the right options to meet individual and family needs.
• Employer matching on 401(k) deferrals.
• Generous PTO policy, with unused PTO payout at the end of the year.