Buyer/Planner

Springs Window Fashions and Affiliated Companies; Waukegan (IL); On-site; USD 59,000 - 89,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) retirement plan with up to 5%

Life insurance

Long-term disability insurance

Short-term disability insurance

Paid sick time

Paid vacation time

Paid holidays per year

Volunteer day off per year

Job summary

Springs Window Fashions and Affiliated Companies is seeking a Buyer/Planner to maximize service performance while minimizing inventory investment on select product groups. You will plan across forecasting, purchasing, and production, ensuring material availability and on-time delivery.

Responsibilities include monitoring shortages, maintaining accurate dates, and collaborating with Sales and Marketing to forecast demand. This role emphasizes continuous improvement and cross-functional mentoring.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent plus 2–4 years related experience.
• 2–4 years Production Control experience in P&IC concepts.
• Bachelor's degree preferred in Business Administration.
• APICS certification preferred.

Responsibilities

• Ensure materials available to support customer requirements while minimizing freight costs.
• Monitor material shortages and implement corrective actions.
• Keep material availability dates updated and accurate.
• Monitor capacity requirements short and long term.
• Develop accurate forecasts with Forecasting, Sales, and Marketing.
• Hold product line responsibility for service levels.
• Manage backlog by facility to meet service objectives.
• Reduce lead times and pricing in collaboration with Purchasing.
• Provide forecasts to major suppliers.
• Maintain plan bills integrity and accuracy.
• Introduce and exit programs with Product Management.
• Mentor and cross-train Planner/Buyers.

Skills

Analytical skills

Written communication

PC literacy

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Education

Business Admin degree

APICS certification

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Job description

Description

The Best Experience Company:

Our tagline is “The Best Experience Company.” More than just a set of words, itrepresentsthe essence of who we are at Springs Window Fashions. As North America’s premier window covering company,we’recommitted to creating the Best Experience for our associates, consumers and end users, business partners, and communities. We want you to join our team of passionate self-starters who believe the world is full of Best Experience opportunities. So, ifyou’reexcited about thethoughtof a Best Experience career with a team focused on creating Best Experiences for all, we want to hear from you!

Position Summary:

The buyer/planner will maximize service performance while minimizing inventory investment on select product groups and/or product lines. This is achieved through a combination of detailed planning in association with high-level, strategic planning.

Key Responsibilities:

Service

• Ensure materials are available to support customer requirements while minimizing freight costs
• Monitor material shortages, and identify and implement corrective actions
• Keep material availability dates updated and accurate
• Monitor capacity requirements, both short and long term
• Work with Forecasting, Sales, and Marketing to develop accurate forecasts
• Continuously look for service opportunities
• Hold overall product line responsibility for service levels
• Manage the backlog by facility to ensure service objectives are achieved

Inventory

• Work with Purchasing to reduce lead times, minimums, and price break quantities
• Provide forecasts to major suppliers
• Follow up on rejects to ensure they are expeditiously dispositioned
• Continuously look for inventory opportunities
• Monitor aged inventories to identify opportunities to reduce and prevent them
• Hold overall product line responsibility for inventory levels
• Ensure all obsolete inventory is dispositioned and ultimately consumed, sold, or scrapped

Maintenance

• Create work orders and purchase orders in accordance with service and inventory objectives
• Review all ECRs/ECNs and take appropriate action
• Monitor and ensure all lead times are accurate
• Maintain the integrity and accuracy of plan bills
• Work with Product Management to introduce and exit programs efficiently and effectively

People and Process

• Review procedures and practices to identify continuous improvement opportunities
• Help mentor and cross-train Planner/Buyers
• Provide a “Best Experience” to all contacts by consistently following our “Guiding Principles”
• Complete special projects as assigned

Work Environment:

• Primarily an office environment, with regular interaction with the production floor, warehouse, and supplier contacts
• May involve occasional exposure to noise, machinery, and other industrial conditions when on the production floor

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to sit and work at a computer for extended periods
• Ability to occasionally stand, walk, reach, bend, and stoop
• Ability to lift and carry up to 25 pounds (ask for assistance where necessary)
• Must wear required personal protective equipment (PPE) when on the production floor

The annual base wage for this position is reasonably expected to be $59,340 – 89,010 annually plus bonus. Factors which may affect starting pay may include geography/market, skills, education, experience, and other qualifications of the successful candidate.

Benefits: The Company offers the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements:

• medical insurance
• dental insurance
• vision insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan with up to 5% company match of eligible contributions
• life insurance
• long-term disability insurance
• short-term disability insurance
• paid sick time at an amount that meets or exceeds all local requirements
• paid vacation time (pro-rated for current year based on start date)
• paid holidays per year
• one paid volunteer day off per year

Requirements

Education and Experience:

• High school diploma or equivalent required, with two (2) to four (4) years of related experience
• Two (2) to four (4) years of successful Production Control experience required, with proven performance in all P&IC concepts and techniques
• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration preferred
• APICS certification preferred

Skills and Abilities:

• Strong analytical skills
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• PC literate, with working familiarity with Microsoft Excel and Word