Buyer/Planner I

Goodway Technologiesorporated • Stamford, CT

17d • Onsite

About The Position

Goodway Technologies is seeking a motivated and resourceful Buyer/Planner I to join their Purchasing team in Stamford, CT. This is a hands-on role for someone who wants to develop a broad understanding of purchasing, material planning, inventory management, logistics, and supplier relationships. The role involves working closely with suppliers and virtually every major function within the company—including Sales, Customer Service, Engineering, Production, Quality, Logistics, and Finance—to keep materials flowing and help the business meet its goals. The Buyer/Planner I will ensure the right materials are available in the right quantities, at the right time, and at the right cost. This position involves managing day-to-day purchasing and planning activities, monitoring supplier performance, responding to changing customer demand, and identifying opportunities to improve inventory, cost, delivery, and overall supply chain performance. It is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys ownership, problem-solving, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Requirements

• 3-5 years of experience in purchasing, material planning, inventory control, or a related function within a manufacturing environment.
• A solid understanding of purchasing principles and supplier management.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to make data-driven decisions.
• Knowledge of inventory planning, MRP, and material requirements management.
• Experience working with an ERP system; Epicor experience is a plus.
• Strong communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
• Excellent organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• A sense of urgency and the ability to perform effectively in a fast-paced, metrics-driven environment.
• Basic accounting knowledge and an understanding of purchasing/invoice processes.
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.
• A professional and collaborative approach when working with suppliers, customers, and internal teams.
• A positive, team-oriented attitude and a willingness to learn.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with an international supply chain and international shipping requirements is preferred.
• ASCM/APICS or similar certification is a plus, but not required.

Responsibilities

• Identify material requirements and issue purchase orders for production materials.
• Obtain supplier acknowledgements and proactively expedite or de-expedite orders as business needs change.
• Maintain accurate expected delivery dates and purchasing information in the Epicor ERP system.
• Develop strong, productive relationships with suppliers through regular communication and sharing of forecasts and business requirements.
• Identify and recommend potential new suppliers when opportunities arise.
• Support cost-reduction initiatives by negotiating volume discounts, family pricing, and other commercial agreements.
• Partner with Quality to quickly resolve supplier corrective actions, non-conformances, and quality-related issues.
• Coordinate with suppliers, carriers, freight forwarders, and internal stakeholders to ensure timely and cost-effective delivery of materials.
• Support international shipments and ensure appropriate HTS classification of parts being shipped internationally.
• Work with suppliers and warehouse teams to align purchasing quantities with available storage capacity and operational requirements.
• Monitor inbound shipments and proactively address potential delays or supply disruptions.
• Use MRP requirements, production plans, and forecasts to ensure material availability.
• Monitor customer demand and collaborate with Sales to incorporate changing forecasts into purchasing decisions.
• Maintain accurate ERP/MRP system data to generate effective purchase orders and manufacturing jobs.
• Work with Production to ensure appropriate lead times and capacity considerations are incorporated into production schedules.
• Maintain inventory planning parameters, stocking levels, and ordering inputs within the ERP system.
• Help identify and mitigate excess inventory, obsolete inventory, and out-of-stock risks.
• Collaborate with Suppliers to ensure purchase orders are confirmed, fulfilled, and delivered on time.
• Collaborate with Sales to manage changing demand and minimize out-of-stock and over-stock situations.
• Collaborate with Customer Service to support customer needs and enable sales growth.
• Collaborate with Accounts Payable to resolve invoice discrepancies and support timely supplier payments.
• Collaborate with Purchasing to share best practices and continuously improve purchasing processes.
• Collaborate with Engineering to address supplier obsolescence and identify opportunities for material consolidation and complexity reduction.
• Collaborate with Production to establish and maintain finished-goods and raw-material stocking strategies, including Kanban levels.

Benefits

• Opportunity to develop a broad supply chain skill set.
• Work with experienced professionals across purchasing, planning, manufacturing, engineering, logistics, sales, and quality.
• Encouraged to ask questions, solve problems, identify opportunities, and make an impact.
• Significant opportunity to expand responsibilities and develop your career as the company grows.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level