Buyer/Planner

Plans, purchases and expedites materials, goods and services to include operating supplies, required for the completion of customer requirements.  Maintains critical data in various sub-systems of the MRP system and plans and schedules components through the manufacturing process.  Implements programs to reduce supplier lead-time and minimize inventory exposure.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Reviews requisitions and appropriation requests. 
• Confers with suppliers to obtain product or service information such as price, availability, delivery schedule, etc., on tooling, supplies, outside services and any items requested; negotiates and forwards recommendations.
• Reviews MRP reports for purchased inventory items and places replenishment orders as needed – assign buyer code to various cells.
• Execute the Material Requirements Plan for designated “buyer” codes.
• With approved suppliers, generates purchase orders on the computer system.
• Communicates with the cell and with appropriate departments regarding delivery dates and quantities of required items.
• Monitors past due purchase orders based on supplier promise date and expedites order as needed.
• Monitors receipt and evaluates supplier order acknowledgements.
• Prepares shortage reports and participates in production meetings.
• Take corrective action with defective or unacceptable goods or services by discussing with other departments, users and suppliers in association with RB Royal quality policies to determine source of trouble and comes to resolution.
• Maintains procurement records such as items or services purchased, costs, quoted delivery, product quality or performances.
• Maintains current supplier prices, account status, etc., in the computer system.
• Works with Customer Service in preparing NAFTA, REACH, DODD/FRANK CONFLICTING MINERALS, and ROHS compliance forms as directed by the Purchasing Manager.
• Keeps track/processes of the ECRs; enters into dispatch; manages in a way to minimize the generation of obsolete materials.
• Participates in daily Material Review Board meetings.
• Participates in contract review meetings for new product.
• Provides inventory management services.

Knowledge / Skills / Abilities

• Investigation/information gathering skills including the ability to source suppliers for product or services that may not have been purchased before or to find new suppliers of existing needs and be able to formulate a recommendation.
• Negotiating skills to be able to reach a long term satisfactory resolution to assure the supply of product or services when needed and to ensure the best possible cost is achieved.
• Written and verbal communication that is clear and accurate to convey information needed to ensure supply.
• Planning and organization skills to be able to schedule the work into the manufacturing facility to assure neither over capacity or under capacity situations.
• Knowledge of supply chain management which will allow the individual to develop beneficial relationships that benefit RB Royal as well as the supplier.
• Working knowledge and experience with implementing Kanban, VMI and other relevant experience to reduce supplier lead-time and Companies’ inventory exposure.
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Purchasing Manager.

Qualifications

• EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:  Associate degree in business/ related area or relevant work experience. Excellent communication skills in both written and verbal form.  Three years of experience in materials function position.  CPM (from NAPM) certification preferred with CPIM (from APICS) certification acceptable. 
• LANGUAGE SKILLS:  Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions and procedure manuals.  Ability to write routine correspondence.  Ability to speak effectively before groups of suppliers or employees of the Company.
• COMPUTER EXPERIENCE:  Versatile in Excel, Micro soft work, Outlook and Power Point.
• REASONING ABILITY:  Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.  Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram or schedule form.
• MATHEMATICAL SKILLS:  Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference and volume.  Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.