Buyer/Planner - Materials

Company Description:

Crown Equipment Corporation is a leading innovator in world-class forklift and material handling equipment and technology. As one of the world’s largest lift truck manufacturers, we are committed to providing the customer with the safest, most efficient and ergonomic lift truck possible to lower their total cost of ownership.

Job Responsibilities:

• Purchase Raw Materials and Finished Parts - Place purchase orders with suppliers to support production, service, and project requirements while complying with Purchasing International Standard Organization (ISO) procedures. Ensure correct pricing is used when issuing orders, including sizing orders to obtain optimum price breaks and minimal set up costs while maintaining acceptable inventory levels and minimizing obsolescence risk. Gain approval from appropriate management for special orders and major purchases.  Work closely with suppliers monitor their ability to meet delivery dates, reschedule purchase orders and resolve any supply issues with support from the Sourcing Specialist.  Provide forecasts and other relevant information required by suppliers to support company’s requirements.  Monitor past due orders and work with suppliers, receiving and accounting to resolve issues.
• Shortage Management - Monitor overdue parts and potential supply issues, and act with a high sense of urgency to resolve, working closely with the supplier, Sourcing Specialist, service, and production personnel.  Be able to raise critical issues to Sr Buyer Planner and/or management in an effort to obtain additional help expediting and to alert management to potential business interruptions.  Investigate root cause of supply issues and work with appropriate company or supplier personnel to implement preventative action.  Communicate timely updates on estimated delivery due dates to production planners and service planning teams. 
• Planning Analysis / Inventory Management - Monitor and adjust planning parameters to minimize inventory while providing high levels of service given lead time and reliability of supplier.  Analyze actual demand, trends, and forecasts, and adjust inventory plans accordingly.  Identify forecast and demand plan issues and work closely with the Master Schedulers and Demand Planners to resolve.  Investigate causes of slow-moving inventory, implement preventative action, and dispose of obsolete inventory in a cost-effective manner.  

• Service Parts Forecasting - Create the proper component demand plan for service requirements using customer inputs and past history.  This includes demand for international components.  Maintain the demand plan that includes statistical buffers to support increases and decreases in demand.  Resolve problems with demand plan inventory shortages. 

• Support New Product and New Part Implementation - Work closely with Engineering and AME’s to help support implementation of new parts at the international subsidiaries.  Process EO’s for special or new parts.  Set up new parts in Crown 360 with appropriate cost and planning parameters.  Use current planning methods and procedures to implement new products.  Communicate with the impacted subsidiary on implementation schedules and all pertinent information in setting up the supply chain. 

• Miscellaneous - Attend department, staff, supplier, production support, and product team meetings. Initiate and lead meetings to discuss scheduling and product status.  Prepare periodic reports to inform managers of supply and inventory issues.   Collaborate with Suppliers, Purchasing and Operations.  Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Less than 2 years related experience
• Associate degree (Supply Chain or Business)
• A firm understanding of Materials Requirement Planning (MRP), with SAP experience.  Good computer experience, including excellent spreadsheet skills. 
• Effective oral and written communication skills. 

Work Authorization:

Crown will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States. This is not a position for which sponsorship will be provided. Individuals with temporary visas or who need sponsorship for work authorization now or in the future, are not eligible for hire.

No agency calls please.

Compensation and Benefits:

Crown offers an excellent wage and benefits package for full-time employees including Health/Dental/Vision/Prescription Drug Plan, Flexible Benefits Plan, 401K Retirement Savings Plan, Life and Disability Benefits, Paid Parental Leave, Paid Holidays, Paid Vacation, Tuition Reimbursement, and much more.

EO/AA Employer Minorities/Females/Protected Veterans/Disabled