Buyer Planner

Taco, Inc.; Fall River (MA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

Taco, Inc. in Fall River, MA is seeking a Buyer/Planner to plan material requirements, coordinate purchases, and ensure on-time delivery to support the production plan. This full-time, on-site role requires collaboration across purchasing, production, and quality teams.

With at least 5 years of experience in a similar role, candidates should be adept at MRP/JIT, Kanban with foreign suppliers, and Excel-based analysis. Travel up to 10% within the US is expected.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Logistics & Materials, Supply Chain or Operations & Supply Management.
• APICS Certification highly desirable.
• 5 years of experience as a Buyer/Planner coordinating purchases and deliveries with vendors.
• Proven ability to maintain Kanban systems with foreign suppliers.
• Experience with freight forwarder, import broker, customs compliance.
• Strong communication across the global supply chain.
• Experience with MRP and JIT; Lean practices preferred.
• Microsoft Office proficiency, especially Excel; strong project management and organization.
• Ability to travel 5–10% within the US.

Responsibilities

• Plans material requirements for a product line and purchases to meet schedules.
• Ensures timely delivery to support production plans and maintains vendor relationships.
• Develops and monitors purchase orders based on MRP requirements and terms.
• Resolves inventory discrepancies and reviews on-order materials to prevent shortages.
• Collaborates with sales, engineering, and procurement to optimize costs.

Skills

APICS Certification

Buyer/Planner experience

Kanban

Global supply chain communication

MS Office/Excel

Project management

Organizational skills

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Logistics & Materials, Supply Chain or Operations & Supply Management

Job description

As a family-owned and operated company, we feel a special obligation to the employees who comprise our Taco family. We are committed to offering employees access to the tools necessary to live long and productive lives. We strive to instill in all of our employees:

• A positive mental attitude that helps us to be a leader in the industry
• A commitment to building strong relationships, both inside and outside the organization
• A desire to learn, grow, and contribute to moving our strategy forward
• A need to create and to innovate

Employment Type: Regular Full-Time

Shift: 1st Shift

Work Status: On-site

Position Summary

Responsible for planning all material requirements for a specific product line and for the purchase of products in accordance with established company policies and procedures. Responsible for the timely delivery of product as required to support the production plan and establishing and maintaining good company/vendor relationships. Manage levels of finished, work-in-process and raw inventory in accordance with company and department goals and objectives.

Measures of success:

• Materials arrive prior to release of jobs, so on time shipment targets can be obtained.
• Long lead list items are ordered with 48 hours’ notice from Engineering.
• Raw material inventory levels are maintained at budgeted values for each product line.
• ECO’s are processed within 36 hours of receipt.

Responsibilities

Responsibilitiesinclude but are not limited to:

• Plans all material requirements for a specific product line, including manufactured and purchased items predicated on sales and RP forecasts, customer orders and predetermined acceptable finished goods inventory levels. Resolves inventory discrepancies and monitors cycle count activity within their product lines.
• Purchases products in accordance with established company policies and procedures including seeking bids, screening potential vendors, submitting specifications to ensure lowest possible price and highest quality..
• Ensures the timely delivery of product as required to support the current production plan. Arranges delivery and mode of transportation in accordance with schedule requirements. Develops and monitors purchase orders with vendors based on MRP requirements and negotiated terms.
• Works with Customs broker and company legal assistant on international imports to ensure proper classification of materials and with vendors to ensure proper markings.
• Develops and implements corrective action required to address late shipments, short shipments, etc.
• Assists in the resolution of rejected material, in-house and vendor supplied, as well as clearing receipts through incoming inspection.
• Advises management of all price increases and reductions. Assists management with all vendor price negotiations as required.
• Maintains professional working relationship with suppliers. Establishes and maintains good company/vendor/subcontractor relationships and encourages new methods of production to foster cost reductions. Ensures that buyer/vendor relationship creates a no conflict-of-interest situation.
• Issues manufacturing orders to Production Departments to support forecast and actual schedule requirements. Includes the development of job and production schedule paperwork as well as material pick lists and floor stock replenishment reports.
• Responsible for continual review/follow-up of on order materials and in-process orders to ensure adherence to schedule and prevent shortages.
• Responsible for continual review/follow-up of in process manufacturing work orders to ensure adherence to established schedules. Expedites operations that delay schedules and alters schedules to meet unforeseen conditions. Advises department supervisors of changing priorities.
• Advises Sales Department of any extensions of estimated completion dates.
• Manages levels of finished, work-in-process and raw inventory in accordance with established company and departmental goals and objectives.
• Maintains the MRP database relative to lead times, minimum, maximum and multiple order quantities, price break quantities, analysts, and product line codes, etc., for each assigned product line.
• Perform other duties as requested.

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Logistics & Materials, Supply Chain or Operations & Supply Management
• APICS Certification highly desirable.
• 5 years of experience as a Buyer/Planner required in, coordinating purchases and deliveries with local and foreign vendors, establishing alternate supply sources, negotiating price, quality and delivery terms, determining production requirements and applications, planning material requirements and managing levels of inventory.
• Proven ability maintain Kanban systems with foreign suppliers and managing dual sourced items in multiple countries.
• Experience working directly with freight forwarder, import broker, customs compliance officers, and foreign suppliers to import varying material while complying with US Customs regulations.
• Strong track record of ability to communicate along all levels of the global supply chain.
• Must have experience with MRP, JIT. Lean manufacturing practices experience is strongly preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially Excel. Exceptional Project Management and Organizational Skills.
• Ability to travel 5-10% of time within the US as needed.

This position works primarily in an office environment using computers and technology. Verbal and auditory capability are required. This position requires numerous visits to the production floor daily, where large equipment and noise are prevalent. Safety gear is required in these areas.

This position reports into the site every day.

Management

This position has no direct reports.

Full compensation packages are based on candidate experience and certifications.

Salary range: $60,258 USD - $78,336 USD

With nearly 1,000 people working at Taco worldwide, each with their own story, you will discover a sense of community and diverse, intelligent colleagues who help us innovate, create and explore.

Taco employees benefit from a company that:

• Provides competitive salaries and benefits
• Offers tuition reimbursement, career development, and on-site training programs in our learning center
• Believes in sharing profits with its employees
• Is mindful about family, health and well-being
• Fosters conditions that allow people and communities to reach their full potential