This role is critical to strengthening collaboration between procurement, sales, and finance to ensure purchasing strategies align with customer contract terms, cash flow objectives, and operational requirements.
Position Overview
The Buyer/Planner will be responsible for managing procurement and planning activities while developing a deeper understanding of customer contract terms, payment structures, delivery schedules, and their financial impact on the business. This individual will play a key role in aligning purchasing decisions with sales agreements and financial strategy.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Procurement & Contract Alignment
- Review and understand customer contract terms, including payment terms (e.g., Net 30 or negotiated alternatives).
- Partner with Sales and Finance to ensure procurement strategies align with agreed customer terms.
- Evaluate whether purchase orders reflect full order quantities or staggered deliveries.
- Assess blanket POs vs. phased inventory receipts to optimize working capital.
- Consider cash flow impact when planning vendor payment terms and order quantities.
Purchasing & Supplier Management
- Process purchase orders and freight transactions.
- Negotiate pricing, lead times, and payment terms with vendors.
- Identify, research, and qualify new suppliers.
- Manage supplier performance, delivery metrics, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Expedite suppliers as needed to meet production schedules.
Planning & Inventory Control
- Run and validate MRP.
- Manage and adjust planning parameters, including safety stock and reorder points.
- Evaluate demand schedules with staggered deliveries (e.g., multi-month delivery commitments).
- Ensure procurement aligns with production schedules and customer ship dates.
- Optimize inventory levels while maintaining service performance.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Collaborate closely with Sales to understand the nature of each sale.
- Work with Finance to assess cash flow implications of purchasing decisions.
- Participate in discussions regarding large or complex orders requiring strategic planning.
- Provide visibility into procurement risk and opportunities.
Technology & Continuous Improvement
- Leverage ERP tools effectively.
- Demonstrate openness to AI-driven tools and automation to enhance forecasting, supplier analysis, and decision-making.
- Drive process improvements in procurement and planning workflows.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Operations, Business, or related field (or equivalent experience).
- 5+ years of experience in purchasing, planning, or supply chain within a manufacturing environment.
- Experience in metals machining, motion control, motors, or electronics manufacturing preferred.
- Strong understanding of MRP systems and ERP platforms.
- Experience negotiating supplier contracts and payment terms.
- Financial acumen with understanding of working capital and cash flow impacts.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration abilities.
Ideal Candidate Profile
- Strategic thinker who understands the broader business impact of procurement decisions.
- Comfortable challenging assumptions and asking questions about contract terms and order structure.
- Detail-oriented yet capable of big-picture financial thinking.
- Proactive, collaborative, and solutions-driven.
- Adaptable and interested in leveraging emerging technologies including AI tools.
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Behm Consulting LLC
$70,000-$80,000
Apr 02, 2026