Supply Chain Buyer Planner

Purchasing & Supplier Management

• Create and manage purchase orders for electrical and mechanical components, including bus bars, circuit breakers, contactors, transformers, enclosures, cable assemblies, and switchgear components.


• Identify, evaluate, and support qualification of suppliers based on technical requirements, cost, quality, and delivery performance.


• Negotiate pricing, lead times, payment terms, and supplier agreements.


• Monitor supplier performance using metrics such as on-time delivery, quality performance, and lead time accuracy.


• Manage standard purchases, custom materials, blanket orders, and urgent sourcing needs.


• Identify supply risks, including long-lead items, sole-source components, and potential production impacts.

Material Planning & Inventory Control

• Use ERP/MRP systems to review demand, generate purchase requirements, and support production schedules.


• Maintain accurate planning data, including lead times, reorder points, safety stock, and minimum order quantities.


• Monitor inventory levels to support production needs while minimizing excess inventory.


• Resolve shortages, expedite critical materials, and communicate supply risks.


• Partner with production scheduling teams to align material availability with manufacturing requirements.


• Perform cycle counts, inventory reviews, and discrepancy resolution.

Cross-Functional Support

• Collaborate with Engineering on new product introductions (NPI), engineering change orders (ECOs), and bill of materials (BOM) accuracy.


• Work with Quality teams on supplier corrective actions (SCARs), non-conforming material (NCM) issues, and first-article inspections (FAIs).


• Coordinate with receiving and logistics teams to support inbound shipments and material flow.


• Provide supply updates and risk assessments to support customer delivery commitments.


• Participate in Sales, Inventory & Operations Planning (SIOP) meetings and production readiness reviews.

Reporting & Process Improvement

• Track supply chain metrics, including purchase price variance (PPV), supplier delivery performance, inventory turns, and shortage trends.


• Support cost reduction efforts through supplier improvement, sourcing initiatives, and total cost analysis.


• Improve procurement and planning processes through ERP optimization and data accuracy.


• Participate in Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement activities.

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Operations Management, Engineering, or related field; equivalent experience considered.


• 3–5+ years of experience in purchasing, material planning, or supply chain within a manufacturing environment.


• Experience sourcing electrical, electronic, or electromechanical components.


• Experience with ERP/MRP systems such as SAP, Oracle, Epicor, Infor, or similar.


• Understanding of MRP processes, demand planning, and manufacturing supply chain practices.


• Strong negotiation skills and experience improving supplier performance.


• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, BOMs, and technical specifications.


• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables, VLOOKUP, and supply/demand analysis.


• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.

• Experience in power distribution, electrical equipment, switchgear, UPS, or critical power industries.


• Familiarity with:
  
  
  
  • Power Distribution Cabinets (PDCs)
  
  
  • Static Transfer Switches (STS)
  
  
  • Remote Power Panels (RPPs)
  
  
  • Panelboards
  
  
  • Medium/Low Voltage Switchgear
  
  
  
  


• APICS CPIM, CSCP, or ISM C.P.M./CPSM certification.


• Lean Six Sigma or continuous improvement experience.


• Knowledge of UL, ANSI, IEC, NEMA, and NEC standards related to electrical equipment.


• Experience with international suppliers, sourcing, customs, or import compliance.