Materials Planner

Join the Our Talent Network•Lancaster, NY

7h•Onsite

About The Position

The Buyer Planner/Material Scheduler manages procurement and inventory planning to support UNC Dairy’s manufacturing operations. The position ensures material availability while minimizing inventory carrying costs through demand planning, supplier coordination, and alignment with production schedules. It requires analytical ability, ERP proficiency, and collaboration across procurement, production, quality, and other functions. The role executes MRP processes in SAP, plans material requirements across manufacturing facilities, monitors inventory and safety stocks, and manages expediting and shortage communications. It also issues and manages purchase orders, coordinates with suppliers, tracks supplier performance, and supports vendor onboarding and accurate SAP vendor data. The position contributes to new product launches and sourcing qualifications, participates in S&OP/IBP, maintains supplier KPI dashboards, and supports continuous improvement, inventory optimization, and compliance with food safety and dairy industry standards. The work is primarily in an office, with occasional visits to manufacturing facilities and potentially supplier locations. Standard business hours apply, with flexibility during peak production periods. The salary range is $65,000–$85,000 per year. The total rewards package may include group health and/or dental insurance, a retirement plan, wellness program, paid time away from work, and paid holidays.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, or a related field.
Minimum 3–5 years of experience in material planning, procurement, or production scheduling roles.
Proven experience working with MRP/ERP systems in a manufacturing environment.
SAP proficiency; MM module experience is strongly preferred.
Strong understanding of MRP logic, lot sizing, lead-time management, and inventory optimization.
Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including pivot tables, VLOOKUP, and data analysis.
Ability to analyze complex data sets and translate them into actionable insights.
Understanding of procurement best practices, including RFQ/RFP processes, contract management, and supplier negotiations.
Knowledge of production scheduling principles and capacity planning.
Familiarity with demand planning and forecasting methodologies.
Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced environment.
Strong written and verbal communication skills and ability to influence across organizational levels.
Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams and external suppliers.
High accuracy in planning parameters, purchase order management, and documentation.
Ability to manage changing priorities and respond effectively to operational demands.
Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
Ability to wear appropriate PPE when visiting production areas.
Flexibility during peak production periods.

Nice To Haves

APICS certification, such as CPIM, CSCP, or CLTD.
Dairy or food manufacturing industry experience.
Experience with SAP IBP, APO, or other advanced planning systems.
Knowledge of dairy cooperative operations and seasonal demand patterns.
Understanding of food safety regulations, including SQF, HACCP, and GMP.
Experience implementing process improvements or system enhancements.
A continuous-improvement mindset and interest in enhancing processes and efficiencies.

Responsibilities

Execute MRP processes in SAP to generate purchase requisitions and maintain optimal inventory levels.
Analyze demand forecasts and production schedules to determine material requirements across manufacturing facilities.
Coordinate material flow with plant Raw Material Inventory Planners and maintain outside-warehouse safety stock levels.
Monitor inventory and safety stock parameters and adjust planning parameters based on demand variability and lead times.
Manage expediting activities and proactively communicate material shortages to stakeholders.
Participate in new product launches to ramp up new-part volume and qualify secondary sources of supply.
Monitor part-code changeovers and ensure disposition of inventory in outside warehouses.
Issue purchase orders and manage supplier relationships for assigned commodity categories.
Negotiate supplier pricing, terms, and delivery schedules to achieve cost and service objectives.
Track supplier performance, including on-time delivery, quality, and responsiveness.
Collaborate with Quality Assurance on incoming material inspections and resolution of non-conformances.
Support vendor onboarding and maintain accurate vendor master data in SAP.
Partner with Production, Quality, Raw Material Inventory Planners, and R&D to align material planning with operational needs.
Participate in S&OP/IBP processes to incorporate demand signals into material planning.
Coordinate material sourcing and qualifications for new product introductions.
Provide input on make-versus-buy decisions and alternative sourcing strategies.
Identify opportunities to streamline procurement and planning processes.
Maintain supplier-performance KPI dashboards.
Support continuous improvement initiatives related to inventory optimization and cost reduction.
Ensure compliance with food safety regulations and dairy industry standards.