Buyer Planner II

Abbott Laboratories; Portland (OR); Hybrid; USD 61,000 - 123,000; Full time

Job summary

Abbott is seeking a Buyer Planner II to manage material procurement and production planning to ensure uninterrupted supply and optimized inventory. The role splits 50% between buyer responsibilities and production planner duties, collaborating with Manufacturing, Quality, Engineering, Supply Chain, Logistics, and Suppliers to support cost control and customer satisfaction.

The position requires a Bachelor's degree in a related field, experience with ERP/MRP systems, and strong analytical skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required or equivalent.
• Experience with ERP/MRP systems (SAP/Oracle/JD Edwards).
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel (pivot tables, lookups).
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing setting.
• Excellent communication and collaboration across teams.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain production schedules based on demand, inventory goals, capacity, and priorities.
• Analyze forecasts and translate requirements into detailed production plans.
• Balance capacity, labor, equipment, and material availability to meet objectives.
• Review MRP recommendations to support manufacturing execution.
• Coordinate with Manufacturing, Operations, and Quality to ensure schedule adherence.

Skills

Analytical skills

Excel

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in supply chain management, business, operations management, engineering, or related field

Tools

SAP

Oracle

JD Edwards

Job description

Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 122,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.

Working at Abbott

At Abbott, you can do work that matters, grow, and learn, care for yourself and family, be your true self and live a full life. You’ll also have access to:

• Career development with an international company where you can grow the career you dream of.
• Employees can qualify for free medical coverage in our Health Investment Plan (HIP) PPO medical plan in the next calendar year.
• An excellent retirement savings plan with high employer contribution
• Tuition reimbursement, the Freedom 2 Save student debt program and FreeU education benefit - an affordable and convenient path to getting a bachelor’s degree.
• A company recognized as a great place to work in dozens of countries around the world and named one of the most admired companies in the world by Fortune.
• A company that is recognized as one of the best big companies to work for as well as a best place to work for diversity, working mothers, female executives, and scientists.

The Buyer Planner II is responsible for the integrated management of material procurement and production planning activities to ensure uninterrupted supply, inventory optimization, and achievement of service level objectives.

This role operates in a hybrid capacity, spending approximately 50% of time performing Buyer responsibilities and 50% of time performing Production Planner responsibilities.

The position collaborates closely with Manufacturing, Quality, Engineering, Supply Chain, Logistics, and Supplier partners to support operational excellence, cost control, and customer satisfaction.

What you'll work on

Production Planner Responsibilities (50%)

• Develop and maintain production schedules based on customer demand, inventory goals, manufacturing capacity, and business priorities.
• Analyze demand forecasts and translate requirements into detailed production plans.
• Balance production capacity, labor availability, equipment constraints, and material availability to achieve operational objectives.
• Review and manage MRP recommendations to support manufacturing execution.
• Coordinate with Manufacturing, Operations, and Quality teams to ensure schedule adherence and timely product releases.
• Monitor production performance and adjust schedules as necessary to address changing priorities or operational challenges.
• Identify risks to supply continuity and develop contingency plans to minimize disruptions.
• Lead or participate in daily, weekly, and monthly planning reviews.
• Support inventory reduction initiatives through effective production planning and order management.
• Provide reporting and analysis on key planning metrics includiThe Buyer Planner II analyzes demand requirements, plans production schedules, manages supplier relationships, places purchase orders, monitors inventory levels, and drives continuous improvement initiatives to support Abbott's manufacturing and supply chain objectives.

Buyer Responsibilities (50%)

• Procure raw materials, components, packaging materials, and indirect supplies to support manufacturing operations.
• Create, manage, and expedite purchase orders to meet production requirements and inventory targets.
• Monitor supplier performance, including on-time delivery, quality, responsiveness, and cost competitiveness.
• Collaborate with suppliers to resolve shortages, delivery issues, quality concerns, and capacity constraints.
• Review material requirements planning (MRP) outputs and convert requisitions into purchase orders.
• Maintain accurate planning parameters including lead times, safety stock, minimum order quantities, and supplier scheduling agreements.
• Analyze inventory levels and support inventory optimization initiatives while maintaining required service levels.
• Partner with Strategic Sourcing and Supplier Quality teams to support supplier development and risk mitigation activities.
• Track and communicate material shortages, potential supply disruptions, and recovery plans to internal stakeholders.
• Support new product introductions, engineering changes, and product lifecycle transitions by ensuring material availability.
• Ensure compliance with Abbott purchasing policies, quality standards, and regulatory requirements.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in supply chain management, Business, Operations Management, Engineering, or a related field.
• Experience working with ERP/MRP systems such as SAP, Oracle, JD Edwards, or similar platforms.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables, lookups, and data analysis.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Preferred

• APICS/ASCM CPIM, CSCP, or related supply chain certification.
• Experience in medical device, diagnostics, pharmaceutical, healthcare, or highly regulated manufacturing environments.

Learn more about our health and wellness benefits, which provide the security to help you and your family live full lives:

www.abbottbenefits.com

Follow your career aspirations to Abbott for diverse opportunities with a company that can help you build your future and live your best life. Abbott is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to employee diversity.

Connect with us at www.abbott.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Abbott and on Twitter @AbbottNews and @AbbottGlobal.

The base pay for this position is $61,300.00 – $122,700.00. In specific locations, the pay range may vary from the range posted.