Buyer Planner

Aston Carter; Allentown (Lehigh County); On-site; USD 40,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental & vision

401(k) Retirement Plan

Life Insurance (Voluntary)

Short and long-term disability

Health Spending Account (HSA)

Transportation benefits

Employee Assistance Program

PTO / Vacation

Job summary

Aston Carter is seeking a Buyer Planner for an onsite role in Allentown, PA. You will manage material planning, purchasing, and inventory accuracy to support production and cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities include creating and closing POs in Epicor, coordinating with Engineering and Quality, and maintaining KPI visibility in a contract-to-hire capacity.

Qualifications

• 2+ years buying, planning, or buyer/planner experience in manufacturing.
• Experience purchasing materials for production operations.
• Hands-on experience with inventory management and materials planning.

Responsibilities

• Purchase and plan materials, parts, and supplies for production operations.
• Create, process, and close purchase orders in ERP with accurate data entry.
• Plan and schedule production jobs to meet manufacturing needs and customer demand.
• Communicate shortages or delays to relevant stakeholders.
• Support supplier quality issues and invoice discrepancies.

Skills

ERP system (Epicor (ERP))

Inventory management

Purchasing

Production planning

Excel

Cross-functional collaboration

Vendor management

Tools

Epicor ERP

Job description

Job Description

The Buyer Planner plays a key role in ensuring that all materials, parts, and supplies required for production are available on time and accurately managed. This position oversees purchasing activities, supports production planning, and maintains inventory accuracy through effective use of ERP systems and collaboration with cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Purchase and plan materials, parts, and supplies needed to support production operations.
• Order and manage office supplies to ensure adequate stock and availability.
• Support Engineering and Quality teams by coordinating and fulfilling their purchasing needs.
• Create, process, and close purchase orders in the ERP system with accurate data entry and documentation.
• Create and close production jobs in the ERP system to align with manufacturing schedules and requirements.
• Review daily transactions in the ERP system and correct any errors or discrepancies.
• Maintain accurate purchase order due dates and records to support reliable production planning.
• Research and resolve inventory discrepancies to maintain accurate stock levels and system records.
• Update department KPIs and reporting metrics to provide visibility into purchasing and planning performance.
• Plan and schedule production jobs to meet manufacturing needs and customer demand.
• Monitor material availability and work with suppliers to expedite orders when necessary to avoid production delays.
• Communicate potential material shortages or delays that could impact production to relevant stakeholders.
• Assist with supplier quality issues, non-conformances, returns, and invoice discrepancies.
• Support physical inventory counts and inventory reconciliation activities.
• Perform cycle counts and investigate inventory variances to improve inventory accuracy.
• Build and maintain positive relationships with suppliers and internal teams, including Operations, Engineering, and Quality.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes and increase efficiency within purchasing, planning, and inventory management.
• Complete special projects and other duties as assigned to support departmental and organizational goals.
• Follow all company safety policies and procedures while performing daily tasks.

Essential Skills

• 2+ years of buying, planning, or buyer/planner experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Experience purchasing materials for production operations.
• Hands-on experience with inventory management and materials planning activities.
• Experience using an ERP system, with Epicor strongly preferred.
• Ability to expedite materials and manage production priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong attention to detail and excellent organizational skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and familiarity with Microsoft Office applications.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to work effectively across multiple departments and with suppliers.
• Experience handling non-conformance reports (NCRs), returns, and material-related issues.
• Demonstrated patience and professionalism when coordinating with internal teams and stakeholders.
• Buying, purchasing, or planning experience specifically within a manufacturing environment.
• Experience working cross-functionally with Operations, Engineering, Quality, and Suppliers.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Epicor ERP experience.
• Experience in both purchasing and production planning functions.
• Buyer/Planner experience within a manufacturing environment.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to manage competing priorities.
• Ability to identify and implement process improvements to enhance efficiency.
• Comfort working in a well-established company in a specialized technical industry with opportunities for long-term growth.

Work Environment

This role is based in an office environment within a manufacturing setting. The Buyer Planner works closely with a team of other buyers and collaborates regularly with Operations, Engineering, Quality, and other departments. The position is fully onsite, Monday through Friday, with standard hours of either 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. or 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The dress code is business casual. The environment supports professional growth, cross-functional interaction, and exposure to production and supply chain activities in a technically advanced industry.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Allentown, PA.

Pay And Benefits

The pay range for this position is $29.00 - $35.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave) Workplace Type This is a fully onsite position in Allentown,PA. Application Deadline This position is anticipated to close on Sep 21, 2026.

About Aston Carter

Aston Carter provides world-class corporate talent solutions to thousands of clients across the globe. Specialized in accounting, finance, human resources, talent acquisition, procurement, supply chain and select administrative professions, we extend the capabilities of industry-leading companies. We draw on our deep recruiting expertise and expansive network to meet the evolving needs of our clients and talent community with agility and excellence. With offices across the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific and Europe, Aston Carter serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® Platinum Award winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.