Sr. Materials Planner

Samsung Biologics•Rockville, MD

About The Position

The Senior Buyer is responsible for executing procurement activities that support GMP biopharmaceutical manufacturing operations. The role ensures timely and cost-effective purchasing of raw materials, consumables, production supplies, laboratory materials, and indirect goods needed to meet manufacturing schedules and business objectives. It works closely with Supply Chain Planning, Manufacturing, Warehouse, Quality, Finance, and external suppliers to manage purchase orders, monitor deliveries, mitigate supply risks, resolve procurement issues, and maintain accurate purchasing records in compliance with company policies and GMP requirements. The position manages purchase orders and supplier communications, supports inventory availability and replenishment planning, addresses supply disruptions and backorders, and maintains procurement documentation and ERP data. It also supports audits and regulatory inspections, follows procurement and quality procedures, and collaborates with cross-functional teams to ensure materials are ready for production campaigns.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Operations Management, or a related field.
At least 5 years of purchasing, procurement, or supply chain experience in a GMP-regulated pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or life sciences environment.
Experience using ERP systems such as SAP, Oracle, JDE, or similar for procurement and inventory management.
Strong understanding of GMP requirements and supply chain processes supporting manufacturing operations.
Excellent communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

Create, process, and manage purchase orders for direct materials, indirect materials, and Kanban inventory.
Monitor open purchase orders and follow up with suppliers to ensure on-time delivery.
Verify order acknowledgments, delivery schedules, and shipment status.
Expedite critical materials to support production requirements and manufacturing schedules.
Coordinate purchasing activities with internal stakeholders to align with material demand and business needs.
Maintain accurate procurement and supplier data in the ERP system.
Resolve purchasing issues involving order quantities, delivery dates, shipping discrepancies, and invoice discrepancies.
Manage the procure-to-pay process and resolve invoicing and payment issues in a timely manner.
Partner with Supply Chain Planning and Warehouse teams to maintain material availability and inventory continuity.
Monitor inventory levels and identify potential shortages, excess inventory, and supply risks.
Support inventory management through demand review and replenishment planning.
Manage backorders and allocation situations to minimize operational impact.
Communicate material constraints, supply risks, and delivery delays to stakeholders in a timely manner.
Serve as the primary point of contact for day-to-day supplier communications about purchase orders, deliveries, and material availability.
Monitor supplier performance against delivery commitments and service expectations.
Coordinate resolution of supply disruptions, shipment discrepancies, and other procurement-related issues.
Maintain accurate supplier records and procurement documentation.
Ensure procurement records are complete and accurate and maintained in accordance with GMP requirements and company procedures.
Support internal audits, external audits, and regulatory inspections by providing procurement documentation.
Follow established procurement, quality, compliance, and data integrity procedures.
Participate in change control, material qualification, and supplier management activities as applicable.
Partner with Manufacturing, Supply Chain Planning, Warehouse, Quality Assurance, Quality Control, and Finance teams to support operational objectives.
Ensure material readiness for production campaigns and manufacturing schedules.
Provide regular updates on material status, delivery timelines, supply risks, and mitigation plans.