Buyer Planner

Rittal LLC•Urbana, OH

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Buyer Planner will support Rittal, LLC's manufacturing operations in Urbana, Ohio. This role is responsible for planning, purchasing, and coordinating materials to ensure smooth, uninterrupted production in a fast-paced, high-mix manufacturing environment. The Buyer Planner serves as a critical link between production, sourcing, suppliers, and inventory management, balancing daily operational execution with longer-term planning decisions. Success in this role requires strong analytical skills, hands-on ERP experience (SAP PP & MM), and the ability to operate confidently on both the shop floor and in an office setting.

Requirements

Experience in buying, Material planning, or materials management within a manufacturing environment
Strong working knowledge of SAP PP & MM
Strong analytical skills with proficiency in Microsoft Excel
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment
Effective communication skills with both internal teams and external suppliers

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, Engineering, Business, or a related field
Experience in high-mix or high-volume manufacturing
Exposure to continuous improvement or lean manufacturing concepts

Responsibilities

Create and maintain accurate material requirement plans using SAP/MRP based on forecasts, customer demand, production schedules, and inventory levels.
Ensure materials are available to support production schedules while minimizing shortages and downtime.
Work closely with production teams daily to prioritize materials and resolve supply constraints.
Proactively identify potential material shortages and initiate actions on mitigation.
Execute the full procurement process including purchase order creation, confirmations, rescheduling, expediting, and closure.
Maintain high accuracy in purchase orders, including pricing, quantities, delivery dates, and supplier information.
Resolve PO, receipt, and invoice discrepancies in coordination with suppliers and internal teams.
Manage past-due and exception purchase orders to support production commitments.
Serve as the primary point of contact for assigned suppliers regarding delivery commitments and material availability.
Monitor supplier delivery, responsiveness, and lead-time reliability.
Communicate supply risks clearly and proactively to internal stakeholders.
Partner with the Sourcing and Quality teams to address performance gaps and support corrective actions.
Manage inventory levels to balance service levels, production needs, and working-capital objectives.
Monitor excess, slow-moving, and obsolete inventory and support reduction initiatives.
Perform routine safety stock and safety stock and planning parameter reviews.
Maintain accurate material master data in SAP, including lead times, lot sizes, and planning settings.
Identify opportunities to improve planning, purchasing, and ERP utilization.
Participate in cross-functional continuous improvement and process optimization initiatives.
Ensure all purchasing and planning activities comply with company policies, audit requirements, and ethical standards.
Adhere to all safety rules and procedures when working in production areas.