Material Planner I

About Woodstream Corporation

Woodstream is North America's largest independent pest and animal control platform, presenting innovative brands known for leadership in efficacy and safety.

Core Organizational Values

• Customer Focus: We prioritize understanding and addressing our customers' needs.
• Innovation: We challenge norms and think creatively to drive progress.
• Execution Excellence: Delivering with accuracy, speed, and quality is fundamental to us.
• Collaborative Spirit: We foster trust, respect, and empowerment among team members.
• Competitive Drive: We pursue success with boldness and determination.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package including:
• 401(k) plan with company matching, available from day one.
• Health, dental, and vision insurance effective immediately upon hire.
• General bonus program provided by the company.
• Company-paid parental leave and adoption assistance.
• Paid basic life and disability insurance.
• Optional accident, critical illness, and hospital insurance plans.
• Company-sponsored identity theft protection.
• Legal assistance plan options.
• Paid vacation and holidays.
• Pet insurance.
• Stable and expanding work environment with over 150 years of history.
• Opportunity for career progression within the company.

Role Overview

The Material Planner I is responsible for ensuring product availability to meet customer requirements while effectively managing inventory. This role involves planning for hundreds of items and managing purchases exceeding $15 million annually. The position requires independent decision-making about what and when to purchase or schedule, balancing cost, lead time, supplier capacity, and inventory goals with significant financial implications.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain consistent attendance essential for job functions.
• Create purchase orders and production plans critical to meeting customer orders and managing inventory and shop floor operations.
• Assess plant and supplier capacities, exercising judgment to place appropriate purchase and production orders.
• Confirm purchase order acknowledgments to finalize binding agreements with suppliers.
• Keep purchase orders up to date with precise quantities and delivery schedules.
• Authorize and release purchase orders, securing binding financial commitments and confirmations from suppliers regarding quantity, delivery, and costs.
• Monitor production schedules on the shop floor to ensure they meet customer demands and are executed timely.
• Analyze MRP signals and decide on adjustments like expediting or delaying orders based on customer priorities, supplier performance, and inventory risks.
• Negotiate and manage supplier relationships, resolving issues to ensure on-time delivery and compliance with production requirements.
• Coordinate with the shop floor to ensure production aligns with schedules.
• Lead projects addressing product rework or repacking to handle quality concerns, slow-moving inventory, and customer returns.
• Collaborate with Customer Care to maintain awareness of product availability.
• Resolve inventory discrepancies both internally and with suppliers to maintain accuracy in inventory and costs.
• Utilize MRP systems to develop and adjust material and production plans, overriding system recommendations when necessary.
• Evaluate shifts in customer demand to determine urgency adjustments for orders.
• Support sourcing initiatives to foster supplier relationships.
• Maintain and report on Supplier Key Performance Indicators to enhance delivery and lead times.
• Adhere to Engineering Change Record approvals affecting planning activities.
• Lead regular meetings with factories and key suppliers within assigned supply chains.
• Update and distribute monthly forecast and open purchase order reports.
• Collaborate closely with departments including Quality, Transportation, Operations, Finance, Product Management, Customer Care, and Marketing.
• Review and manage daily KPIs and exception reports.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Management, or related field; certifications such as CPSM or APICS are advantageous.
• Between one to three years of experience in planning or purchasing roles.
• Familiarity with ERP/MRP systems in a manufacturing context; SAP experience highly preferred.
• Strong skills in data management and financial analysis with ability to interpret information and communicate actionable insights.
• Excellent problem-solving capabilities.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite particularly Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and OneNote; experience with Power BI is a plus.
• Effective verbal communication, interpersonal abilities, and organizational skills.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Woodstream is dedicated to providing equal opportunity in employment without discrimination based on race, color, religion, creed, age, gender, national origin, marital status, union affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, or any other protected status. Employment eligibility verification will be conducted for the selected candidate. Candidates must be authorized to work in the U.S.

Record Retention

Employment applications are retained for a minimum of two years for non-hires or for the duration of employment plus any legally required periods.