Buyer Planner

Rittal, LLC designs and manufactures the world’s leading industrial and IT enclosures, racks, and accessories, including high-efficiency, high-density power management and climate control systems for industrial, data center, outdoor, and hybrid applications.

About the role

This position supports our manufacturing operations in Urbana, Ohio as a critical link between production, sourcing, suppliers, and inventory management. The Buyer Planner is responsible for planning, purchasing, and coordinating materials to ensure smooth, uninterrupted production in a fast-paced, high-mix manufacturing environment, balancing daily operational execution with longer-term planning decisions.

Responsibilities

• Create and maintain accurate material requirement plans using SAP/MRP based on forecasts, customer demand, production schedules, and inventory levels.
• Ensure materials are available to support production schedules while minimizing shortages and downtime.
• Work closely with production teams daily to prioritize materials and resolve supply constraints.
• Proactively identify potential material shortages and initiate mitigation actions.
• Execute the full procurement process including purchase order creation, confirmations, rescheduling, expediting, and closure.
• Maintain high accuracy in purchase orders, including pricing, quantities, delivery dates, and supplier information.
• Resolve PO, receipt, and invoice discrepancies in coordination with suppliers and internal teams.
• Manage past-due and exception purchase orders to support production commitments.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for assigned suppliers regarding delivery commitments and material availability.
• Monitor supplier delivery, responsiveness, and lead-time reliability.
• Communicate supply risks clearly and proactively to internal stakeholders.
• Partner with the Sourcing and Quality teams to address performance gaps and support corrective actions.
• Manage inventory levels to balance service levels, production needs, and working-capital objectives.
• Monitor excess, slow-moving, and obsolete inventory and support reduction initiatives.
• Perform routine safety stock and planning parameter reviews.
• Maintain accurate material master data in SAP, including lead times, lot sizes, and planning settings.
• Identify opportunities to improve planning, purchasing, and ERP utilization.
• Participate in cross-functional continuous improvement and process optimization initiatives.
• Ensure all purchasing and planning activities comply with company policies, audit requirements, and ethical standards.
• Adhere to all safety rules and procedures when working in production areas.

What Success Looks Like

• Production schedules are supported with minimal material-related disruption.
• Purchase orders are accurate, and suppliers deliver reliably.
• Inventory levels are optimized without compromising service.
• Clear, proactive communication across production, sourcing, and suppliers.

Requirements

• Experience in buying, material planning, or materials management within a manufacturing environment.
• Strong working knowledge of SAP PP & MM.
• Strong analytical skills with proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Effective communication skills with both internal teams and external suppliers.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Business, or a related field.
• Experience in high-mix or high-volume manufacturing.
• Exposure to continuous improvement or lean manufacturing concepts.

Work Environment & Physical Requirements

• On-site role with time split between office and manufacturing floor.
• Must be comfortable working in an active production environment.
• Ability to lift up to 25 lbs occasionally.
• Required use of safety-toed footwear, safety glasses, and hearing protection in designated areas.

Key Relationships

• Direct Liaison: PPC Manager, Sourcing Team, Raw Material Warehouse, and Production Supervisors.
• External: Cultivate professional, high-accountability relationships with internal and external vendors and customers.

Pay

$31.72 - $40.19 per hour.