Purchasing & Planning Specialist

Graham Personnel Services; Danville (VA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Graham Personnel Services seeks a Planning & Purchasing Specialist in Virginia to coordinate material requirements planning and supplier coordination across manufacturing. You will optimize MRP, manage orders, and work with suppliers to ensure timely, cost-effective material delivery for new product launches and ongoing production.

The role emphasizes cross-functional collaboration, data-driven inventory management, and continuous process improvements to support production continuity and cost

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Economics, Supply Chain, Business, Operations, or a related field.
• At least 2 years of experience in material planning, production planning, purchasing, procurement, or a related supply chain function.
• Working knowledge of MRP principles and material requirements planning.
• Working knowledge of SAP or another ERP system.
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills, particularly Microsoft Excel.
• Strong analytical, organizational, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Ability to collaborate with suppliers and cross-functional internal teams.
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Ability to adapt quickly to changing production, supply, and operational requirements.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and execute short-, mid-, and long-term material requirements planning.
• Continuously identify opportunities to improve inventory, supplier performance, purchasing processes, and overall supply chain efficiency.
• Manage and optimize short-, mid-, and long-term MRP processes.
• Monitor material availability and inventory levels to ensure uninterrupted production.
• Create and manage purchase orders based on material requirements and production needs.
• Maintain accurate SAP material master data and ensure planning information remains current.
• Partner with suppliers to resolve delivery issues, material defects, and invoice discrepancies.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives throughout planning and purchasing functions.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Collaborative

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Economics, Supply Chain, Business, Operations, or related field

Tools

SAP

Excel

ERP system

Job description

Are you a planning and purchasing professional who enjoys balancing data, supplier relationships, inventory, and production demands? Do you have experience with MRP, SAP, purchasing, material planning, and inventory optimization?

We are seeking a Planning & Purchasing Specialist to play a critical role in ensuring the right materials are available at the right time, in the right quantities, and at the right cost. This position offers the opportunity to work across planning, procurement, manufacturing, suppliers, engineering, and other factory functions while directly impacting production continuity, inventory performance, cost control, and new product launches.

This is an ideal opportunity for someone who wants more than a transactional purchasing role and is looking to build a broader career in supply chain, materials planning, and manufacturing operations.

What You’ll Do

As the Planning & Purchasing Specialist, you will coordinate and execute short-, mid-, and long-term material requirements planning while continuously identifying opportunities to improve inventory, supplier performance, purchasing processes, and overall supply chain efficiency.

Material Planning & MRP

• Execute material requirements planning for materials/components based on market requirements, product specifications, new product development plans, inventory targets, sourcing strategies, and supplier lead times.
• Manage and continuously optimize short-, mid-, and long-term MRP processes.
• Evaluate optimum lot sizes, transportation unit loads, shelf life, lead times, and inventory requirements.
• Monitor material availability and inventory levels to ensure uninterrupted production.
• Analyze inventory turnover and identify opportunities to reduce excess inventory, material obsolescence, and write-offs.
• Support factory teams in achieving inventory targets and improving overall working capital performance.
• Create and manage purchase orders based on material requirements and production needs.
• Monitor supplier order confirmations and proactively expedite purchase orders and deliveries when necessary.
• Partner with suppliers to resolve delivery issues, material defects, invoice discrepancies, and goods-receipt issues.
• Maintain accurate purchasing and material information within SAP.
• Work closely with suppliers and internal teams to maintain uninterrupted procurement and payment processes.
• Monitor transportation requirements and identify opportunities to control freight and logistics costs.
• Ensure shipping documentation meets applicable customs and compliance requirements.
• Build productive supplier relationships and collaborate with vendors to improve service, quality, inventory, and delivery performance.

New Product Development & Factory Projects

• Support new product launches, machinery run-ability, and material readiness activities.
• Process PLM-related activities and coordinate materials required for new launches and factory trials.
• Analyze material specifications and identify opportunities for cost optimization and process improvement.
• Support global and local material projects, tests, and implementations within the factory.
• Work cross-functionally with engineering, manufacturing, quality, sourcing, and other factory teams to ensure materials are available and production requirements are met.
• Identify opportunities to reduce inventory while maintaining production reliability and service levels.
• Work with suppliers to evaluate innovative inventory-management approaches, including Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI), Kanban, and other replenishment strategies.
• Continuously evaluate planning and purchasing processes to improve efficiency, accuracy, cost, and material availability.
• Maintain accurate SAP material master data and ensure planning information remains current.
• Participate in the monthly Integrated Business Planning (IBP) cycle and complete required planning activities.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives throughout the planning and purchasing function.

Quality & Supplier Corrective Actions

• Ensure defective raw materials are communicated to suppliers and addressed promptly.
• Coordinate supplier corrective and preventive actions related to material quality issues.
• Organize supplier technical visits when necessary to support production and resolve material-related challenges.
• Ensure defective material procedures are accurately recorded and completed in a timely manner.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree, preferably in Economics, Supply Chain, Business, Operations, or a related field.
• At least 2 years of experience in material planning, production planning, purchasing, procurement, or a related supply chain function.
• Working knowledge of MRP principles and material requirements planning.
• Working knowledge of SAP or another ERP system.
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills, particularly Microsoft Excel.
• Strong analytical, organizational, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Ability to effectively collaborate with suppliers and cross-functional internal teams.
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Ability to adapt quickly to changing production, supply, and operational requirements.