R&D Purchaser/Planner

Description

• The primary purpose of the Planner/Purchaser role is to manage and optimize the purchasing and planning functions within the R&D organization, ensuring that all activities support the effective execution of research and development projects.
• This role involves performing weekly and monthly demand analyses (DAV) for Canada and Research Park, facilitating future planning every 3-4 weeks to align with project needs. The Planner/Purchaser will review high-cost batches and collaborate with chemists to prioritize production, ensuring timely availability of necessary materials to avoid delays.
• The position requires regular review of vendor purchase orders and pending materials to ensure alignment with current demands, including the ability to cancel unnecessary orders and optimize inventory levels. The Planner/Purchaser will conduct monthly open batch reports, working closely with formulators to assess batch necessity and manage stock effectively.
• Daily responsibilities include material item and batch planning, where the Planner/Purchaser will allocate stock to meet demand, place new orders, and ensure quality lots are received. They will also review highly used raw materials and reallocate scheduled batches to prevent waste and support operational efficiency.
• Additionally, the Planner/Purchaser will assist in training team members on relevant systems and collaborate with various teams and brands to ensure that procurement needs are met. This role also encompasses conducting R&D material reviews to optimize stock utilization, working with the warehouse to facilitate shipping and enhance overall efficiency within the R&D operations. Furthermore, the Planner/Purchaser will provide support to the Manager of R&D Purchasing and Planning, contributing insights and data analysis to inform strategic decisions and improve processes, thus helping to achieve departmental objectives and fostering a collaborative environment.

30% Perform Demand Analysis and Future Planning: Conduct weekly demand analyses (DAV) for Canada and Research Park, along with monthly Mass DAV assessments. Engage in future planning every 3-4 weeks to ensure alignment with project needs and resource availability.

30% Batch Review and Coordination: Review high-cost batches exceeding $10K and collaborate with chemists to ensure their timely production. Assess short material shelf life and work with chemists to prioritize production of firm batches to avoid the need for replacement lots.

20% Cross-Department Collaboration, Training Support, and Managerial Assistance: Assist in training team members on relevant systems (such as RDS) to enhance operational efficiency. Collaborate with various teams and brands to meet procurement demands, while also providing support to the Manager of R&D Purchasing and Planning. This includes contributing insights and data analysis to inform strategic decisions, aiding in process improvements, and ensuring alignment with departmental objectives. Conduct R&D material reviews, ensuring that available stock is optimized across manufacturing plants.

10% Material Planning and Allocation: Execute daily material item and batch planning at both Canada and Research Park by allocating current stock to meet demand and placing new orders with plants and/or vendors. Ensure acceptance of quality lots and manage material reallocation as per chemist requests.

10% Vendor Order Management: Periodically review vendor purchase orders to confirm that materials are still necessary. This includes evaluating pending orders and canceling those that are no longer needed based on current demand, ensuring optimal inventory management.

Qualifications

• Minimum Education level: College/University degree or equivalent experience
• 10% Travel Time

Experience in Material Planning and Management - Proven ability to perform weekly and monthly demand analysis (DAV) for Canada and Research Park, ensuring accurate future planning every 3-4 weeks. This includes reviewing high-cost batches and collaborating effectively with chemists to prioritize production, ensuring timely availability of necessary materials and minimizing delays.

Expertise in Vendor Order Management - Demonstrates experience in reviewing and managing vendor purchase orders, including periodic assessments of pending orders to optimize inventory levels. The ability to effectively cancel unnecessary orders based on current demand is essential, while maintaining strong relationships with suppliers to ensure timely delivery of materials and services.  

Strong Analytical Skills for Batch and Material Allocation - Proficient in conducting monthly open batch reports and collaborating with formulators to assess the necessity of batches. This role requires expertise in reallocating materials based on shelf life and demand, ensuring efficient use of resources and minimizing waste. Daily material planning skills are crucial for allocating stock effectively and placing orders as needed. 

Effective Communication and Team Collaboration - Strong communication skills are necessary for engaging with cross-functional teams and brands to meet procurement needs. The candidate has experience training team members in relevant systems, such as RDS, to enhance operational efficiency. Collaboration with various departments is vital for ensuring that all demands and requirements are met from a procurement standpoint.

R&D Material Review and Optimization - Experience in conducting R&D material reviews is essential, including assessing available R&D stock with little to no demand and collaborating with the warehouse to facilitate shipping, in conjunction with planners’ approval, is critical for ensuring the efficient operation of R&D activities every six months.

Support for Management and Strategic Initiatives – should possess a strong ability to support management in strategic initiatives and operational improvements. This includes taking the lead on specific projects that align with organizational goals, providing insightful data analysis, and offering recommendations based on findings. The planner/purchaser will play a crucial role in enhancing team performance and driving efficiency, assisting you in achieving departmental objectives and fostering a collaborative work environment. Their proactive approach will contribute to a culture of continuous improvement, ensuring that procurement processes align with the overall strategic vision of the organization.