Buyer Planner I

Crane Company•Los Angeles, CA

About The Position

The Buyer Planner I develops and maintains production schedules to meet customer orders and deadlines, aligning materials, labor, work orders, equipment, procurement, production, and front-end operations with sales, capacity, and customer priorities. The role plans daily, weekly, and monthly schedules for assigned cells using capacity models, monitors production and material availability, updates schedules when delays occur, and communicates order status and recovery dates to internal and external stakeholders. The position also supports demand and capacity planning, inventory management, pull-in opportunities, production meetings, KPI tracking, item master data maintenance, and continuous improvement. It coordinates with product managers, materials managers, buyers, manufacturing engineers, quality teams, suppliers, customer service, and operations to support timely fulfillment and product quality.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business, Supply Chain, or a technical field.
Minimum 2 years of experience in production planning or a related role.
Strong knowledge of ERP/MRP systems; QAD is preferred.
Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
Effective communication and cross-functional collaboration abilities.
Experience with capacity planning, scheduling, and KPI tracking.
Familiarity with lean manufacturing principles and continuous improvement methodologies.
Proficiency in ERP systems and Microsoft Office suite software, such as Word, Excel, Access, and MS Project.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities, including making timely, effective, fact-based decisions.
Advanced proficiency in word processing, spreadsheet, and scheduling software for production planning and reporting.
Knowledge of lean manufacturing methodologies, including Value Stream Mapping, Kaizen Leadership, and 5S, with practical experience driving process improvements.
Knowledge of Kanban and pull system strategies for efficient component flow and inventory control.
Knowledge of supplier performance management tools, such as scorecards, metrics, and corrective action plans.
Knowledge of global sourcing and supplier collaboration, particularly with vendors in low-cost regions such as Asia and Eastern Europe.
Ability to coordinate across planning, procurement, and operations to align production with business objectives.

Nice To Haves

Certifications such as CPIM, CSCP, or Six Sigma Green Belt.

Responsibilities

Develop and maintain production schedules to meet customer orders and deadlines.
Ensure raw materials, labor, work orders, and equipment are available when needed, working with leads and supervisors.
Participate in and prepare WD3 planning, including material planning, risk assessment, and pull-in opportunities.
Work with product managers and use sales data and demand trends in DRS meetings for capacity planning.
Work with the Materials Manager to balance stock levels and avoid shortages or overproduction.
Identify bottlenecks and propose process improvements.
Plan daily, weekly, and monthly schedules for assigned cells using capacity models based on customer orders and forecasts.
Print, distribute, and revise production schedules by cell as needed.
Provide recovery dates and escalate demand spikes or undercapacity constraints.
Monitor material availability and coordinate with procurement to avoid delays.
Align buying, production, and front-end operations with sales, capacity, and customer priorities.
Track production progress, adjust schedules when unexpected delays occur, and serve as a key point of contact for cross-functional teams.
Update recovery or reschedule dates in QAD or the Customer Care system, publish production schedules to external teams, and communicate order status, including fall-outs, late orders, and pull-ins.
Maintain accurate records of production activities, KPIs/TTIs, inventory, and resource usage.
Update KPI metrics, including planned versus fulfilled orders, root causes, and corrective actions.
Collaborate with quality control teams to ensure products meet standards, including coordinating quality holds, SM Holds, and customer samples.
Plan cells efficiently to minimize changeovers by grouping parts by part quantity process routes (PQPR).
Maintain item master data, including lead times and work centers, and coordinate routing with Manufacturing Engineers.
Distinguish between due date and required date orders for accurate fulfillment.
Lead daily or bi-weekly production meetings to assess capacity and material availability.
Identify pull-in opportunities by reviewing shortage reports and collaborating with buyers to meet the Monthly Department Plan aligned in WD3.
Communicate timelines and changes to suppliers, managers, and customer service.
Ensure ETDR processes are incorporated with backflushing.