Direct RM Buyer-Planner

BGF Industries; Altavista (VA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

BGF Industries is seeking a Direct Raw Material Buyer/Planner in Altavista, VA to plan, procure, and manage the flow of direct materials for manufacturing. You will interact with procurement, manufacturing, quality, and logistics to ensure on-time delivery and cost control.

The role requires a solid background in supply chain/planning, ERP experience (Infor M3, SAP) and strong collaboration with suppliers. This on-site position reports to the Procurement Manager and offers a competitive salary

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Industrial Engineering, Business, or a related field.
• 5–10 years of experience in procurement, material planning, or supply chain roles (direct materials preferred).
• Strong background in manufacturing or industrial environments (e.g. composites, textiles, advanced materials).
• Proficiency with ERP systems (Infor M3, SAP, or equivalent).
• Experience with planning and procurement tools (EDI, forecast engines, BI reporting tools).
• Certifications such as APICS CPIM, CPSM, or equivalent are a plus.

Responsibilities

• Plan, procure, and manage the flow of direct raw materials into manufacturing operations.
• Develop and implement optimized supply plans based on forecasts, orders, MPS, and S&OP outputs.
• Place and follow up on purchase orders and replenishment requests.
• Record and manage purchase order confirmations in ERP systems.

Skills

Planning & Process Orientation

Analytical & Problem Solving

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Leadership & Development

Customer/Service Focus

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Industrial Engineering, Business, or a related field

Tools

Infor M3

SAP

EDI

BI reporting tools

Job description

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Direct RM Buyer-Planner

Full Time Altavista, VA, US

10 days ago Requisition ID: 1035

Salary Range: $60,000.00 To $75,000.00 Annually

Direct Raw Material Buyer / Planner

Altavista, VA
Reports to Department Manager

BGF Industries is a leading U.S. manufacturer of innovative technical fiber materials used worldwide in aerospace, marine, automotive, filtration, insulation, electrical, and protective markets. Since 1941, BGF has built a reputation for engineering excellence, product integrity, and continuous innovation.

Headquartered in Danville, Virginia, with multiple manufacturing facilities across Virginia and South Carolina, BGF delivers advanced fiber-based solutions that meet demanding performance standards for strength, heat resistance, and durability.

Our mission is simple but powerful:

“Deliver excellence in every product, every process, every time.”

Role Mission / Purpose

To plan, procure, and manage the flow of direct raw materials into BGF’s manufacturing operations, aligning supply with demand signals (forecast, orders, S&OP) and optimizing supplier performance, logistics cost, inventory, and cash flow. You will act as the interface between procurement, manufacturing, quality, suppliers, and logistics to ensure smooth operations and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities / Major Duties

Supply Planning & Procurement Oversight

• Ensure procurement and timely delivery of all direct raw materials needed for production and subcontracted processes.
• Develop and implement optimized supply plans (for raw materials and subcontracting) based on demand forecasts, customer orders, MPS, and S&OP outputs.
• Place and follow up on purchase orders and replenishment requests, from issuance to delivery.
• Record and manage purchase order confirmations in the ERP system (e.g., M3).
• Ensure that planning data, material parameters, supplier setup, lead times, and item definitions are correctly configured in ERP systems to support accurate planning.

Inventory Management & Policy Setting

• Define, review, and maintain raw material inventory policies (safety stock, reorder points, lot sizes) for optimal balance of service and cost.
• Monitor inventory levels (raw materials, in-transit, consignment) to ensure availability without overstocking.
• Manage consignment stock relationships and consumption declarations.
• Proactively identify risks of stockouts, overstocks, obsolete inventory, and create mitigation plans.
• Implement alerting, reporting, and analytics tools (SAS BI, dashboards, exception reports) to support decision-making.
• Monitor and measure supplier delivery performance (OTIF, lead time compliance), analyze variances, and drive supplier improvement action plans.
• Collaborate closely with suppliers to expedite, anticipate delays, adjust schedules, or negotiate alternate supply sources when needed.
• Manage contract execution, compliance, and dispute resolution (e.g. invoices, quality issues) in liaison with Quality, Purchasing, and Controlling.
• Support sourcing and supplier development initiatives: evaluate new materials, suppliers, or processes to improve reliability, cost, quality, and continuity.

Cross-Functional Alignment & Risk Mitigation

• Communicate supply constraints, schedule changes, or material issues upstream to production, planning, scheduling, and customer service teams.
• Assess the impact of material delays on production/sales plans, propose alternate scenarios, and implement contingency actions.
• Participate and contribute to S&OP, demand review, and supply review processes.
• Work with manufacturing, scheduling, and procurement to resolve material-related bottlenecks or constraints.
• Generate and maintain key performance reports and dashboards: supplier OTIF, backlog, lead time compliance, inventory projections, deviations, inbound logistics cost, etc.
• Conduct root-cause analysis on performance variances and drive corrective/preventive actions.
• Lead or support continuous improvement initiatives in procurement, material planning, inventory optimization, supplier collaboration (e.g. VMI, Kanban, EDI).
• Mentor or manage junior planners, develop skill sets, and evaluate performance (if role includes direct reports).

Competency

Description / Behavior

Planning & Process Orientation

Structured, methodical, accurate in planning, ability to juggle multiple timelines and priorities

Analytical & Problem Solving

Comfortable working with data, trends, statistical tools, scenario modeling

Ability to influence, negotiate, manage supplier relationships and performance metrics

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Strong communicator who can bridge procurement, operations, quality, logistics, and sales

Adaptability & Initiative

Responds to change, drives improvement, takes ownership of challenges

Seeks process enhancements, automation, lean practices (VMI, Kanban, pull flow)

Leadership & Development

If supervising, ability to coach, mentor, and manage others

Customer/Service Focus

Understand internal and external customer needs, maintain service commitments

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Industrial Engineering, Business, or a related field (preferred)
• 5 to 10 years of experience in procurement, material planning, supply chain roles (direct materials preferred)
• Strong background in manufacturing or industrial environments (e.g. composites, textiles, advanced materials)
• Proficiency with ERP systems (Infor M3, SAP, or equivalent)
• Experience with planning and procurement tools (e.g. EDI, forecast engines, BI reporting tools)
• Familiarity with Lean, Kanban, pull flow, and inventory optimization techniques
• Certifications such as APICS CPIM, CPSM, or equivalent are a plus
• Experience handling supplier performance metrics, contract management, and cross-functional collaboration

Reporting & Relationships

• Reports to: Procurement Manager
• Interfaces with:
  • Manufacturing / Production Planning
  • Scheduling & Operations
  • Demand Planning / Sales
  • Quality / Inspection
  • Logistics / 3PL
  • Suppliers / Vendors

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) / Metrics of Success

• On-time delivery of raw material supply (supplier OTIF)
• Accuracy of material availability (material shortages, production interruptions)
• Inventory turns, raw materials turnover, days of supply
• Inbound logistics cost efficiency
• Backorder / shortfall impact on production
• Lead time compliance (requested vs confirmed)
• Number and impact of supplier deviations, corrective actions implemented
• Improvements in supplier performance over time
• Success in reducing obsolete or slow-moving raw material inventory
• Execution of continuous improvement initiatives and planning efficiency gains

Why Work at BGF / Value Proposition

• BGF is a leader in technical fiber and fabric materials, with over 35 patents and a broad global footprint.
• The company is ISO 9001 certified, emphasizing quality, process discipline, and continuous improvement.
• The role offers strategic impact—bridging procurement, manufacturing, and operations—and visibility into supply chain challenges in a technically sophisticated manufacturing environment.
• You will have opportunities to lead supplier performance improvement efforts, explore new materials/suppliers, and influence cost, quality, and cash flow outcomes.
• BGF values its employees, encourages learning, and fosters an inclusive, innovation-oriented culture

This position requires access to information or technology that is subject to U.S. export control laws, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Pursuant to these regulations, only U.S. Persons (U.S. Citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents/Green Card holders) are eligible for this role. Proof of U.S. Person status will be required prior to employment.