Buyer/Planner

FAREVA • Richmond, VA

5d • $65,000 - $75,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Fareva is a contract manufacturer of pharmaceutical and personal care products. The Buyer/Planner plans, prepares, and communicates production schedules to support work-in-process and finished-goods inventory goals, schedule adherence, and timely order release. The role is based at Fareva’s Richmond, Virginia facility, a climate-controlled manufacturing site employing 600 full-time employees.

The position prepares finite production schedules and reviews production capacity in SAP, maintains the two-week frozen schedule, and coordinates production and materials planning with Operations, Customer Service, Project Managers, BOM Specialists, suppliers, and other cross-functional partners. It also manages purchasing and material requirements, inventory and SAP data, supplier commitments, and material-shortage risks. The role ensures applicable process orders, inventory management, and non-routine production comply with cGMP and additional QA requirements, and supports customer service, project timelines, and operational KPI goals.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field, or 3–5 years of relevant planning or supply-chain experience.
• Minimum 7–10 years of purchasing experience in a fast-paced manufacturing environment, or an equivalent combination of related education and experience.
• In-depth understanding of the MRP planning process and how it works within an ERP system.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office software such as Word, Excel, and Outlook.
• Basic knowledge of inventory-management principles.
• Ability to understand SAP functionality and execute transactions to manage inventory.
• Ability to understand business needs and prioritize daily tasks to support operational efficiency.
• Ability to understand and retain procedures to perform the job effectively.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Ability to use PC software such as Word and Excel; database software knowledge is a plus.
• Respectful conduct toward others.
• Strong organizational skills for processing and maintaining manual material requirements.
• Strong analytical skills, including data collection and research, timely problem-solving, and developing alternative solutions.
• Familiarity with ERP systems.
• Ability to read and interpret documents such as engineering drawings, work orders, bills of material, and ISO 9001 procedures.
• Ability to work well in a team environment, maintain a positive attitude, and influence team members to exceed expectations.
• Familiarity with raw-material and chemical commodities.

Nice To Haves

• SAP experience.
• APICS certification.
• Database software knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Prepare finite production schedules within SAP.
• Review capacity within SAP and understand the capacity of each scheduled line.
• Manage available capacity with Operations to support long-term customer needs.
• Communicate the production schedule by close of business every Thursday for the following two weeks.
• Maintain the two-week frozen schedule, ensuring all orders have required raw materials and components onsite.
• Release orders in the two-week frozen schedule by close of business every Thursday for the following two weeks.
• Track and ensure finished-goods release to meet the 97% OTIF target and support customer orders.
• Plan production to maintain appropriate work-in-process levels.
• Update sales orders daily with assigned batches.
• Coordinate production phasing of new materials with Customer Service and Project Managers.
• Manage BOM priorities with BOM Specialists, including attending priority meetings.
• Communicate remnant inventory to Customer Service.
• Maintain SAP parameter information, including capacity and minimum order quantity.
• Keep item master and purchase order system information accurate and up to date.
• Review MRP purchase requisitions and exception reports, determine material requirements, and act accordingly.
• Support inventory targets while minimizing exposure.
• Manage supplier purchase-order reschedules as requirements change, and communicate or confirm delivery commitments to appropriate personnel.
• Develop material-of-concern information and support risk-mitigation actions.
• Contact suppliers about material shortages and engage management early enough to prevent customer impact.
• Ensure process orders, inventory management, and non-routine production comply with cGMPs and additional QA requirements.
• Participate in cross-functional teams to resolve supply issues.
• Schedule and accommodate project work and collaborate with Customer Service and Project Managers to meet timelines.
• Maintain FERT/HALB SKU information in SAP to support data integrity and communication.
• Undertake special projects and other duties as assigned.
• Partner with Customer Service to support operations and customer relations.
• Provide notes from meetings hosted or ensure that note-taking is delegated.
• Collaborate toward KPI goals, including OTIF, WOC, EBIT, and OEE.
• Process and maintain manual material requirements.
• Collect and research data, identify and resolve problems in a timely manner, and develop alternative solutions.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time