Planner/Buyer II

Watts Water•Blauvelt, NY

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The Planner/Buyer II is responsible for proactively purchasing raw materials and components to meet Production and Customer requirements by managing the planning and procurement functions, monitoring inventory levels and lead times, developing and maintaining vendor relationships, and working cross-functionally within the Organization. This position has no supervisory responsibility. This position reports to the Purchasing Manager. This role is onsite and is based in Blauvelt, NY.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree, or a combination, in absence of degree, may consider relevant work experience.
4+ years of experience in Purchasing, Supply Chain, or Materials Management within a lean manufacturing environment.
Understanding of and adherence to applicable laws, codes, policies, regulations, and safety practices and procedures, as applicable.
Must successfully establish employment eligibility and satisfactorily complete background checks, including drug screen, and required pre-employment testing as a condition of employment.

Nice To Haves

CPM or APICS preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

Manages procurement activities for assigned materials, products, and services using a Kanban pull-based replenishment system to ensure uninterrupted material flow to production.
Demonstrates a working understanding of Kanban principles, including signal sizing, reorder points, lead-time considerations, and demand variability; actively participates in the setup, maintenance, and continuous improvement of Kanban items.
Owns day-to-day execution of Kanban replenishment by monitoring consumption, supplier performance, and inventory levels to prevent shortages, excess inventory, or production downtime.
Utilizes external planning and tracking tools (e.g., spreadsheets, reports, manual trackers) to supplement system limitations and ensure purchase orders are released accurately and on time.
Creates and maintains spreadsheets to track demand trends, Kanban signals, supplier on-time delivery, quality issues, and material constraints; uses data to proactively identify supply risks.
Prepares, issues, and maintains purchase orders for assigned commodities, ensuring pricing, quantities, and delivery dates are accurate and aligned with Kanban requirements.
Works closely with suppliers to support Kanban replenishment, including resolving missed signals, delivery issues, quantity variances, and packaging or flow concerns.
Assists production and materials teams with day-to-day part shortages or material flow disruptions to support on-time customer shipments.
Collaborates cross-functionally with Materials, Manufacturing, Quality, Engineering, and Accounting to resolve material, receipt, pricing, and invoicing discrepancies; tracks root causes and corrective actions.
Supports continuous improvement initiatives related to inventory accuracy, material flow, and supplier responsiveness, contributing ideas to improve Kanban effectiveness and overall supply chain performance.
Maintains accurate and current documentation related to Kanban parts, supplier parameters, and replenishment rules.
Builds and maintains effective working relationships with suppliers through regular verbal and written communication.
Maintains working knowledge of company products, processes, systems, and supply chain strategies to effectively support business needs.
Provides guidance and support to entry-level buyers or planners as needed, particularly in Kanban execution and issue resolution.
Performs additional duties and participates in projects as assigned by the Purchasing Manager.
Conducts all activities in alignment with company values, including Integrity, Accountability, Continuous Improvement, and Transparency.
Assume responsibility for other projects and duties as assigned by Purchasing Manager or Company management.
Responsibility directly tied to Watts Value (Integrity, Accountability, Continuous Improvement, Transparency)