Material Planner

Description

Company Overview

Who is Costa Farms? We’re one of the world’s largest horticultural growers—but without an ego to match our acreage. Our headquarters are in Miami, Florida, where we were founded in 1961. Costa Farms started on just 30 acres, and over the last 60 years, we’ve grown to more than 5,000 acres around the world. We have farms in North and South Carolina, Central and South Florida, and the Dominican Republic, plus an office in China. Costa Farms now employs nearly 6,000 people: engineers, marketers, accountants/analysts, human resources professionals, and of course, growers and plant scientists!   

Here at Costa Farms, we live by the values of H3: being Humble, staying Hungry, and always Hustling. The team rallies to the mission of being a lean, green, growing machine dedicated to enriching the world by bringing plants into everyone’s life.  

True to that mission, we grow more than 1,500 plant varieties. Driven by the spirit of innovation, the team is always testing new plants and developing new solutions to make it easier for retailers and plant parents to enjoy plants. We’re also continuously testing different ways of growing our plants to increase quality and improve their ecological footprint as one aspect of our many sustainability efforts.  

We cultivate plants, as well as a winning culture. Join the team, and you’ll find opportunities to learn and grow. You’ll collaborate with other driven, determined people who together keep Costa Farms an industry leader. You’ll support and be supported by a team that cares about each other, our customers, our consumers, and our community.   

You’ll also find right away that Costa Farms is committed to providing a diverse environment. We’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetic information, disability, age, military status, marital status or veteran status, or any other group status protected by federal, state, or local law.  

DESCRIPTION:

The Material Planner manages and optimizes inventory levels to ensure product availability while minimizing costs. This role involves supply forecasting, inventory analysis, and collaboration with supply chain, purchasing, commercial & operations teams to balance supply and demand effectively. The Material Planner is highly analytical and is responsible for inventory accuracy and adherence to the supply plan and inventory targets. 

Requirements

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Supply Forecasting – analyze inventory position and demand/production plans to plan procurement execution 
• Review Material Resource Planning (MRP) and monitor inventory levels.
• Monitor demand forecasts and adjust procurement plans accordingly to ensure on time in full (OTIF) delivery and MOS goals.
• Monitor consumption vs demand by looking at the take rate by period depending on the Category.
• Review monthly spend budget, analyze, and report causes of variances. 
• Resolve availability issues by looking for substitutions and approvals from Commercial Team or Operations teams.
• Assist in identifying/depleting materials considered obsolete and manage excess inventory risk.  
• Prepare and submit reporting package to management and various stakeholders.
• Responsible for reporting of inventory levels, purchase orders, and supplier performance (OTIF).
• Additional duties as required.

SECONDARY DUTIES

• Process improvement – identify inefficiencies in inventory management and implement best practices to enhance accuracy and reduce costs.
• System update and maintenance – Utilize ERP & inventory management systems to update stock orders, EOQ and ROL where needed. 

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain or related field preferred.
• 2+ years of experience working in a Supply Chain role as Inventory or materials planning, demand planning or supply chain management.
• Certified Purchasing Agent is a plus.
• Ability to proactively problem solve and collaborate with internal stakeholders.
• Working knowledge of MRP/ERP Systems.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite with working knowledge of Excel at an intermediate level.
• Familiarity with data visualization tools (i.e., Power BI or Tableau).  
• Strong analytical, planning and problem-solving skills.
• Results orientated and organized with the ability to plan and deliver against deadlines.

WORK CONDITIONS AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Full time – flexibility to work extra time if needed.
• Work in a fast paced and diverse environment.
• Works in an office environment.
• Minimal travel may be required – 5%.

SKILLS

• Must have excellent verbal and written communication skills. 
• Excellent organization and time management skills. 

COMPETENCIES

• Collaborates
• Financial Acumen
• Optimizes Work Processes
• Drives Results
• Communicates Effectively

All applicants must be work-authorized.

Costa Farms will not sponsor any visa for this position.

After applying, follow us on LinkedIn to stay up to date on what’s happening around Costa Farms and to start becoming part of our family. Come Grow with Us™!

Costa Farms offers competitive wages and benefits, including:

• 401(k) Plan  
• Company 401(k) Matching Contributions  
• Health Savings Account, Flexible Spending Account, and Dependent Care
• Telemedicine/ Mental Health Services  
• Health Insurance  
• Dental Insurance  
• Vision Insurance  
• Pet Insurance
• Supplemental Insurance (Aflac)  
• Growth Opportunities  
• Challenging and exciting work environment  
• Costa Farms Scholarship  
• Employee discounts on plants  

Costa Farms headquarters also has:

• On-site gym with showers  
• Subsidized on-site cafeteria, a quiet room, and indoor games  
• Love Where You Work activities throughout the year