Buyer Planner

Position Summary:

Responsible for assuring the continuous supply of assigned components to support customer service goals, minimize the total landed cost of material and optimize company’s cash flow.

Principle Duties (includes, but is not limited to):

• Evaluates and acts upon the MRP requirements and Kanban levels for assigned commodities. Generates and adjusts purchase orders and/or shop work orders to support production schedules. Effectively communicates areas of concern to appropriate departments, individuals and/or suppliers. Inputs, maintains, and adjusts records or transactions to ensure system validity.

• Effectively communicates forecasted requirements to external suppliers.

• Objectively measures and communicates supplier performance to support supply chain continuous improvement efforts. Interfaces with Suppliers, Quality, Strategic Sourcing, and Engineering to quickly resolve quality, delivery or cost issues. Maintains department Visual Boards and 5S.

• Drives increased inventory turns, reduced cycle times, and improved Customer OTD by developing, implementing and managing pull-based material replenishment processes, including, but not limited to Kanban cards, vendor managed inventory and supplier consignments.

• Work closely with the Value Stream, Commodity Management, Manufacturing, and Engineering teams to proactively identify, prioritize and complete resourcing and supplier development projects.

• Support resourcing and out-sourcing projects by proactively planning materials to ensure uninterrupted flow of product to customers as required.

• Provide effective support to new product introduction teams, proposal development and subcontracting opportunities as they develop.

• Ensures quick resolution of shipping discrepancies, receiving errors, and invoice errors, and authorizes all inventory adjustments. Coordinates adjustments to ship dates or quantities on open purchase orders as necessary.

• Works to eliminate excess and obsolete parts, and rationalize similar parts.

• Consistent with Crane’s Operational Excellence focus, participates in Value Stream Mapping and Kaizen events that will eliminate waste and result in significant benefits (Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, Growth) throughout the Supply Chain.
• Engenders a spirit of cooperation throughout the supply chain to insure responsiveness to the customer.

  Essential Qualifications / Experience:

• Excellent analytical, problem solving/decision making skills; ability to make timely, effective, fact based decisions. Includes a strong working knowledge of word processing, spreadsheet and scheduling software.
• Proficient in ERP systems and Microsoft office suite software (e.g. Word, Excel, Access, MS project, etc.).
• Prior experience implementing and managing a Kanban or pull system approach to component flow.
• Knowledge of supplier and component qualification processes.
• Knowledge of supplier performance management practices, including supplier scorecards and performance metrics.
• Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to perform and produce results in multifunctional teams in a dynamic work environment.
• Proven ability to develop collaborative relationships and influence up, down, and across organizational lines.
• BS/BA in business or technical field and 2 years of related experience preferred; or an MS/MBA in related field.
• Direct experience working with suppliers from low cost regions (India, China, Eastern Europe, Etc.).
• Direct experience implementing lean concepts (Value Stream Mapping, Kaizen Leadership, 5S, etc).
• CPIM, CSCP, Lean Manufacturing and Six-Sigma Green Belt certifications highly desirable.