Buyer Planner I

Crane Company•Los Angeles, CA

7d•$60,000 - $70,000

About The Position

The Buyer Planner I develops and maintains production schedules to meet customer orders and deadlines, coordinates availability of materials, labor, work orders, and equipment, and aligns production plans with sales, capacity, and customer priorities. The role works across planning, procurement, operations, product management, materials management, quality, customer service, suppliers, and other stakeholders to address constraints, manage order status, and maintain delivery commitments. The position plans daily, weekly, and monthly schedules for assigned production cells using capacity models, customer orders, and forecasts. It monitors material availability and production progress, adjusts plans when delays arise, identifies recovery and pull-in opportunities, and maintains scheduling and item-master information. The role also tracks production and inventory metrics, supports continuous improvement, and helps ensure products meet quality standards and that ETDR processes are incorporated with backflushing.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business, Supply Chain, or a technical field.
Minimum of 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 software, such as Word, Excel, Access, and MS Project.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities, including the capacity to make 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 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

QAD experience.
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 in coordination with leads and supervisors.
Participate in and prepare WD3 planning, including materials, risks, and pull-in opportunities.
Work with Product Managers and use sales data and demand trends discussed in DRS meetings to support 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, customer orders, and forecasts; print, distribute, and revise schedules as needed.
Provide recovery dates and escalate demand spikes or undercapacity constraints.
Monitor material availability and coordinate with procurement to prevent delays; align buying, production, and front-end operations with sales, capacity, and customer priorities.
Track production progress, adjust schedules for unexpected delays, and serve as a key cross-functional contact.
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 such as planned versus fulfilled orders, root causes, and corrective actions.
Collaborate with quality control teams on product standards, including quality holds, SM Holds, and customer samples.
Plan cells efficiently to minimize changeovers by grouping parts according to 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 as aligned in WD3.
Communicate timelines and changes to suppliers, managers, customer service, and other stakeholders.
Ensure ETDR processes are incorporated with backflushing.