Technical Buyer/Planner

Purpose of Role

?The Technical Buyer Planner is accountable for ensuring material and component availability to meet business and customer requirements while balancing cost, inventory, quality, delivery, and supply continuity. The role manages purchasing and inventory planning, supplier performance, component lifecycle risks, and procurement data while partnering cross-functionally to support new products and changes in demand.

Areas of Accountabilities

• Manage inventory levels, safety stock, replenishment, and MRP parameters to ensure material availability.

• Manage supplier performance and relationships, evaluation, qualification, issue resolution, cost improvement, and alternative sourcing.

• Maintain ERP planning accuracy and respond to changes in demand.

• Evaluate and qualify suppliers in service to Quality and Engineering, resolve supplier issues, identify cost-improvement opportunities, and develop alternative sources where appropriate.

• Mitigate component supply-continuity risks by managing end-of-life notices, last-time-buy requirements, successor components, technical substitutions, and secondary-source qualification.

• Monitor lifecycle risks and drive appropriate mitigation actions.

• Define sourcing and material-readiness requirements for new products and changes in demand in service to Engineering, Sales, Customer Service, Finance, and Supply Chain.

• Communicate and escalate material, pricing, and supply-continuity risks and their operational impacts.

• Execute purchasing activities, including purchase order issuance, supplier confirmations, expediting, and follow-up, to support timely and accurate material supply.

• Maintain accurate procurement master data, including lead times, pricing, minimum order quantities, and required documentation.

• Monitor procurement performance, including material availability, on-time delivery, and cost performance, and drive corrective and continuous-improvement actions.

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree preferred (Computer Science, Supply Chain, Operations, or similar).

• 3–7 years of experience in purchasing, component procurement, planning, or materials management.

• Experience with electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, or technology-based components is a plus.

• Strong analytical skills including interpreting technical specs, drawings, and supplier data.

• Proficiency in ERP/MRP systems and intermediate to advanced Excel.

• APICS/CPIM or related certifications a plus.

• Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.

• Strong analytical and open ended problem-solving skills.

• Ability to manage multiple priorities under tight deadlines.

• Willingness to travel up to ~15%.

The wage range for this role takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs. The disclosed range estimate has not been adjusted for the applicable geographic differential associated with the location at which the position may be filled. At Rehrig Pacific, compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is