Job Details: Job Location: PHD, Inc. Fort Wayne Manufacturing - Fort Wayne, IN, Position Type: Full Time, Salary Range: Undisclosed, Job Shift: 1st Shift, Job Category: Purchasing - Procurement, Position Purpose Summary The Buyer/Planner ensures materials and supplier capacity are available to meet PHD, Inc. production and customer requirements while balancing inventory, quality, lead times, and cost. The position uses ERP/MRP information and business data to anticipate supply issues and coordinate timely solutions.   Nature and Scope Essential Responsibilities Purchasing and planning. Review MRP requirements, demand changes, forecasts, inventory, and supplier capacity to determine purchasing priorities. Create and maintain purchase orders, supplier schedules, acknowledgments, and delivery commitments. Supply continuity. Resolve ERP/MRP exceptions, shortages, and late orders; expedite or adjust deliveries as needed to protect production schedules and customer commitments. Escalate risks requiring additional support or authority. Supplier relationships and performance. Communicate requirements and priorities to suppliers. Monitor delivery, quality, lead times, responsiveness, and capacity; coordinate corrective actions with suppliers and Quality and support supplier development. Supplier risk. Identify delivery, capacity, quality, and other supply risks early. Work with Purchasing/Procurement and internal partners on recovery plans and approved alternatives. Inventory optimization. Balance material availability and working capital through appropriate order quantities, timing, and planning parameters. Recommend actions for excess, obsolete, slow-moving, and at-risk inventory. Cost and commercial terms. Monitor pricing, purchase price variance (PPV), freight, and order minimums. Identify cost improvements and negotiate pricing, lead times, and terms within assigned authority. Cross functional coordination. Partner with Operations, Planning, Engineering, Quality, Customer Service, and Finance on new products, engineering changes, custom and large-order requirements, and supplier issues. Assess bills of material, inventory, lead times, and open orders; communicate constraints and recommended actions. System accuracy and analysis. Maintain accurate purchasing, supplier, cost, lead-time, and planning information in ERP/MRP systems. Use Excel and reporting tools to analyze trends, root causes, and improvement opportunities. Continuous improvement and technology. Improve processes to reduce shortages, inventory, lead times, cost, and manual work. Use approved emerging technologies, including appropriate AI tools, to support productivity and analysis; validate outputs and follow company data-handling requirements. Related assignments. Complete other related duties and projects as assigned. Qualifications: Qualifications Associate or bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Operations, or a related field preferred; equivalent relevant experience considered. Three or more years of purchasing, material planning, supply chain, or inventory experience in a manufacturing environment preferred. Working knowledge of manufacturing ERP/MRP systems, purchasing processes, inventory control, and supplier performance management. Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and business reporting tools; ability to interpret operational and cost data and learn new technology. Sound judgment, attention to detail, and effective problem-solving, prioritization, negotiation, and written and verbal communication skills.