Buyer / Planner

Job Description:

Brooks Instrument (www.brooksinstrument.com), an industry leader in flow and pressure instrumentation for critical applications, is seeking candidates for Buyer/Planner position that will be based at the company headquarters in Hatfield, Pennsylvania (suburban Philadelphia). The company has manufacturing locations in Pennsylvania, Hungary, Malaysia and Korea, and also maintains sales and service offices throughout the world. Our high-tech products are used in laboratory and process applications in end markets such as: oil & gas, petrochemical, medical devices, waste water, life sciences, and analytical instruments. 

Brooks is a division of ITW (Illinois Tool Works), a fortune 200 company. ITW is one of the world’s leading diversified manufacturers of specialized industrial equipment, consumables, and related service businesses. The company has operations in 56 countries and employs over 50,000 employees. These talented employees, many of whom have specialized engineering or scientific expertise, contribute to ITW’s global leadership in innovation. The company is proud of its broad portfolio of nearly 10,000 active patents, and is focused on fully leveraging its highly differentiated business model to deliver solid growth with consistent best-in-class margins and return on capital.

Basic Function

Buyer / Planner responsibilities are to review, and schedule work orders based on capacity and material availability to satisfy customer demands.  To execute Purchase Order releases for the demands associated with his or her assigned commodities. The Buyer / Planner is to utilize the ERP systems to plan, purchase, schedule and coordinate business requirements necessary for on-time production.  Function within policies and guidelines set forth by the Organization, establish production schedules and coordinate sources of supply for assigned material commodities with regard to total cost, quality, timely delivery and reliability. Buyer / Planner will have ownership of all the Inventory associated with the assigned commodities [item classes]. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Plan / Purchase and schedule production activities to achieve customer needs, marketing requirements, inventory and service level objectives while always ensuring a continuous production flow to manufacturing.

• Based on business activity level, provide sales and business teams lead times for products.

• Based on business activity level, manage the inventory to meet set goals for active, slow and obsolete inventory, while ensuring high levels of on-time delivery to customer requests.

• Review schedules in production meeting to report the status of the supply chain. Advises appropriate individuals and departments of any delivery deviations that effect scheduled manufacturing orders.

• Manage supply chain and production activity to ensure lead-times are maintained at a competitive level. Use macro level activity trending to recommend changes to resource levels.

• Facilitate and encourage use of toolbox i.e. MRD and/or Kanban (visual inventory management from shop-floor), in-lining and USA in production. Demonstrate use of these techniques in various aspects of the job.

• Release shop floor orders to production and strive to maximize on time delivery performance of assigned product line, use Auto Scheduling when possible.

• Understand and communicate component specifications to suppliers, including the ability to read drawings.

• Achieves metrics and objectives while working successfully in a team environment.

• Regular attendance and the ability to follow all safety procedures.

• Processes Engineering Change Notices (ECNs) in a timely manner and updates open Purchase Orders with suppliers to ensure correct revision levels are produced and delivered to Brooks.

• Supports and manages assigned commodities which are identified in MRB, processes returns and ensures timely replacement and/or credit is processed from supplier.  

• Supports and implements company continuous improvement initiatives to ensure departmental goals and metrics are met.

• Functioning within policies and guidelines set forth by the Brooks Instrument Division/ITW.

• Follows all Brooks attendance and safety procedures.

• Successfully performs other duties as assigned.

Education and Experience

Required

• 5 or more years professional experience in a manufacturing environment, which includes Planning, Buying and Inventory Control functions.

• Bachelor’s degree required.   

• A high level of interpersonal and communication skills to work across functional and organizational lines.

• Comfortable with the use of computers and other electronic media including an understanding of word processing and Excel spreadsheet software.  Effective written and verbal communication.

• Highly adaptable and flexible to accept new ideas, people, and procedures and adapt to a changing environment.  The ability to organize and prioritize work to meet deadlines.

Additional Preferred

• Professional Certification APICS/CPIM.

• Experience with AS400 / MAPICS ERP highly desirable

The opportunity to join a well established (80 years in business) yet dynamically changing organization that works together as a team to meet the challenges of satisfying customers’ needs and managing rapid growth to better compete in a global marketplace.

ITW is an equal opportunity employer. We value our colleagues’ unique perspectives, experiences and ideas and create workplaces where everyone can develop their careers and perform to their full potential. 

ITW is an equal opportunity employer. We value our colleagues’ unique perspectives, experiences and ideas and create workplaces where everyone can develop their careers and perform to their full potential. 

As an equal employment opportunity employer, ITW is committed to equal employment opportunity and fair treatment for employees, beginning with the hiring process and continuing through all aspects of the employment relationship. 

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected Veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.