Associate Seed Purchasing Planner

Ball Horticultural Company; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 30,000 - 33,000; Full time

Job summary

Ball Horticultural Company seeks an Associate Seed Purchasing Planner to coordinate seed procurement from forecast-driven orders to supplier confirmation and delivery updates. You will maintain SAP records, work with suppliers and internal teams, and manage non-standard seed orders to ensure on-time availability for customers.

Reporting to Seed Supply and collaborating with planning, production and customer-facing groups, you will monitor inventory movements, support scheduling, and help

Qualifications

• Associate's or Bachelor's degree preferred; high school diploma/GED accepted.
• Experience in supply chain, purchasing, planning, customer service, or operations preferred.
• SAP or ERP experience preferred.
• Strong proficiency with Excel and Microsoft Office.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• High degree of accuracy and attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate seed purchasing from forecast-driven orders through supplier confirmation and delivery updates.
• Assist planners with production and packaging work orders to support timely processing.
• Monitor inventory movements and production status to identify delays and adjust plans.
• Maintain planning and inventory data within SAP for reliable decisions.
• Support supplier communications and follow-up to clarify requirements.
• Source products from alternate suppliers to address supply gaps and availability.
• Facilitate cross-functional communication between purchasing, planning, production and customer teams.

Skills

Organizational skills

Communication

Multitasking

Attention to detail

Education

Associate's or Bachelor's degree preferred

Tools

SAP/ERP

Excel

Microsoft Office

Job description

All Jobs > Associate Seed Purchasing Planner

As the Associate Seed Purchasing Planner, you coordinate seed purchasing from forecast-driven purchase orders through supplier confirmation, quality issue resolution, and delivery updates. You maintain accurate purchasing and material records in SAP, work with suppliers and internal customer-facing teams, and manage non-standard seed orders so requested seed is available when customers need it and teams can make informed decisions about supply.

Planning Support

• Assist planner(s) with production and packaging work orders to support timely processing and help ensure seed is ready when needed.
• Monitor inventory movements and production status to identify potential delays or discrepancies early and support timely planning adjustments.
• Support seed enhancement scheduling and related activities to help align processing with production needs and product availability requirements.
• Help maintain accurate planning and inventory data within SAP so teams can make informed decisions using reliable information.

Operational Support

• Support production planning and work order creation to help translate departmental priorities into actionable work and keep production on schedule.
• Assist with purchasing, and planning activities to help align incoming supply with inventory needs and production requirements.
• Assist with purchase order management and order tracking to maintain visibility into incoming supply and identify delivery issues before they disrupt operations.
• Monitor workflow queues and help balance departmental workload during peak periods to reduce backlogs and support timely completion of essential tasks.
• Cross-train in key functional areas to maintain business continuity, provide dependable backup coverage, and reduce reliance on any single team member.

Administrative Support

• Assist with supplier communications and follow-up activities to clarify order requirements, obtain timely updates, and help resolve outstanding supply issues.
• Manage special projects assigned by the Seed Supply Manager to deliver agreed-upon outcomes and support departmental priorities.
• Source products from alternate suppliers when required to address supply gaps and help maintain product availability.
• Obtain pricing and availability from vendors to support informed purchasing decisions that balance cost, timing, and supply needs.

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Facilitate communication between purchasing, planning, production, and customer-facing teams to align priorities, coordinate handoffs, and keep teams informed of supply and production changes.
• Assist with issue resolution involving inventory, supply shortages, and customer requests to minimize operational disruptions and support timely responses to customer needs.

Requirements

• Associate's or Bachelor's degree preferred. High School Diploma/GED required.
• Experience in supply chain, purchasing, planning, customer service, or operations preferred.
• SAP or ERP experience preferred.
• Strong proficiency with Excel and Microsoft Office.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• High degree of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Learning in the Work - pays attention to what works, what does not, and what can be applied going forward.
• Organizes Work Around Priorities - Turns priorities and objectives into realistic plans with clear steps, milestones, resources, and contingencies.
• Makes Sense of Complex Work - Sorts through multiple, connected, or conflicting inputs to identify what matters, understand causes and relationships, and clarify the problem before acting.

Pay Range: $22-24/hour

Physical Requirements

• Work involves sitting, standing, and walking throughout the workday.
• Regular use of hands and fingers for keyboarding, document handling, and operation of office equipment.
• Ability to exchange and interpret information effectively through verbal, written, and electronic communication.
• Ability to review information presented on computer screens, documents, and other work-related materials.

We create excitement in the world of flowers and are the first choice for service. We deliver all the best and nothing else! To you, we deliver a work environment and a culture where building long-lasting relationships internally and externally is important. We believe that good communication, sharing ideas and collaborating on projects will set us up for success. We keep both our feet on the ground and are approachable.

In addition to this we provide a comprehensive Total Rewards package that includes:

• Medical, dental, life and long-term disability insurance
• 401k/Profit Sharing Retirement Plan
• Paid time off benefits including vacation and holidays
• Tuition assistance
• An onsite subsidized café overlooking 30 acres of renowned gardens and restored natural areas
• Employee Assistance Program and Positive Health programs