Buyer/Planner

Dessert Holdings; Aurora (CO); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Dessert Holdings in Aurora, Colorado is seeking a Buyer/Planner to manage day-to-day procurement, PO creation, and material flow to production. You will partner with suppliers, production planning, quality, and operations to balance inventory, lead times, shelf-life, and budget while ensuring on-time materials for customer service.

The role requires 2+ years in purchasing/planning, ERP experience (Dynamics 365 preferred), and strong Excel skills in a fast-paced food manufacturing environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in supply chain, business, operations, or related field preferred.
• 2+ years in purchasing, planning, inventory control, or procurement operations.
• Food manufacturing or packaging experience preferred.
• ERP experience required; Dynamics 365 a plus.
• Strong Excel use for reports and demand signals.

Responsibilities

• Manage full PO lifecycle for raw materials, ingredients, packaging and supplies.
• Monitor open POs and ensure on-time delivery to support production.
• Coordinate with suppliers on delivery dates, quantities, pricing, changes.
• Identify and escalate supply risks to prevent disruptions.
• Collaborate with Planning, Operations, Quality and Procurement teams.
• Balance inventory, working capital, shelf-life, and obsolescence risks.
• Analyze inventory and demand signals to support replenishment planning.
• Maintain accurate supplier, inventory and delivery data in ERP.
• Support procurement and inventory metrics like on-time delivery and aging stock.
• Resolve invoice, pricing, receipt, and supplier compliance issues.
• Ensure materials meet food safety and quality standards with QA andProcurement.

Skills

Procurement management

ERP systems

Excel proficiency

Supplier coordination

Analytical skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in supply chain management / related field

Equivalent experience considered

Tools

Microsoft Dynamics 365

Job description

Dessert Holdings is the leading premium dessert company in the world. We craft artisanal, scratch-made desserts at scale, combining culinary innovation with the finest real ingredients. With a rich heritage spanning seven distinctive brands, we bring unmatched expertise and tailored solutions to our Retail and Foodservice partners.

Dessert Holdings is looking for a Buyer/Planner in Aurora, Colorado to execute day-to-day procurement operations, including creating and managing purchase orders for raw materials, ingredients, packaging, and other production-critical items. This role ensures materials arrive on time to support production and customer service needs while balancing inventory investment, warehouse space constraints, supplier lead times, and shelf-life requirements in a highly dynamic operating environment. The Buyer/Planner partners closely with suppliers, production planning, R&D, operations, warehousing, quality, commercialization and procurement leadership to maintain reliable material flow and proactively resolve supply risks.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the full purchase order lifecycle, including creation, issuance, confirmations, updates, and maintenance for raw materials, ingredients, packaging, and related supplies.
• Monitor and track open purchase orders daily to ensure materials are delivered on time and production schedules remain uninterrupted.
• Coordinate closely with suppliers to verify delivery dates, quantities, pricing accuracy, and resolve order changes or discrepancies.
• Proactively identify, communicate, and elevate supply risks such as delays, shortages, quality issues, transportation disruptions, and allocation constraints.
• Partner with Production Planning, Operations, Warehouse, Quality, and Procurement teams to align material availability with production requirements.
• Balance inventory and service levels while managing working capital, storage limitations, minimum order quantities, shelf-life requirements, and obsolescence risks.
• Analyze inventory levels, demand fluctuations, supplier lead times, and consumption trends to support effective replenishment planning.
• Maintain accurate supplier, inventory, purchasing, and delivery data within ERP and related business systems.
• Support key procurement and inventory performance metrics, including on-time delivery, material availability, inventory turns, PO accuracy, and aging inventory.
• Resolve operational issues related to invoices, pricing discrepancies, receiving errors, documentation gaps, and supplier compliance requirements.
• Ensure materials meet approved supplier, food safety, quality, and regulatory standards through collaboration with Quality Assurance and Procurement.
• Contribute to supplier performance improvement, contingency planning, process optimization, cost reduction, waste reduction, and overall operational efficiency initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in supply chain management, business administration, operations, or a related field preferred; equivalent experience considered.
• 2+ years of experience in purchasing, planning, inventory control, materials management, supply chain, or procurement operations.
• Food manufacturing, CPG, packaging, ingredients, or regulated manufacturing experience strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding of purchase order management, supplier follow-up, lead times, inventory planning, and production support.
• Experience with ERP systems required; Microsoft Dynamics 365 experience a plus.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and ability to use reports, open PO data, inventory data, and demand signals to make sound replenishment decisions.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, high-change manufacturing environment with shifting priorities and tight timelines.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem‑solving skills with attention to detail and data accuracy.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with suppliers and cross‑functional partners at the plant and corporate level.
• Hands‑on, service‑oriented approach with a strong sense of ownership, urgency, and accountability.

About Dessert Holdings

Dessert Holdings is a collection of premium dessert companies and brands: The Original Cakerie, Lawler's Desserts, Atlanta Cheesecake Company, Steven Charles, Dianne's Fine Desserts, Kenny's Great Pies, and Willamette Valley Pie Company. Dessert Holdings is owned by Bain Capital, is headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, employs more than 3,500 people across ten manufacturing facilities, and is continuing its journey of rapid growth.

EEO Statement

Dessert Holdings and its related entities provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or any other characteristics protected by law.