Associate Buyer/Planner

Overview:

As our Associate Planner/Buyer, you’ll be an integral part of the team managing and leading our forecasting needs for pipes, valves and fittings (PVF). This position will be primarily focused on replenishment for the municipal waterworks segment of the business. You'll be able to flex your expertise and analysis focusing on cost management, inventory parameter development and maintenance, replenishment transactions and inventory performance. Your collaboration and communication skills will be needed as you work cross-functionally with Sales, Operations, Purchasing and with Vendor partners to manage demand changes, new product transitions, promotional activity, vendor opportunity identification, and developing market trend analysis on product and customer forecasts for 60-100 suppliers. Key metrics will include product availability, inventory turns and budget performance, supplier on-time delivery, and supplier cost.

Responsibilities:

Execute purchase and transfer activities in accordance with inventory and availability strategy

Maintain item attributes and configuration to drive replenishment (PO & Transfer) activities in accordance with inventory and availability strategy

Identify and execute returns to supplier

Build supplier relationship and performance management across defined supplier group

Supplier cost management

Optimize total costs including freight, inventory and purchase price

Perform annual review of supplier lines

Actively communicate and collaborate with cross-functional colleagues and supplier partners

Timely resolution of discrepancies associated with responsible supplier transactions

Develop product knowledge of assigned product lines

Grow competencies in negotiation, supplier evaluation, forecasting, and inventory planning

Other duties/responsibilities as assigned by the Corporate PVF Channel Manager

Qualifications:

One year of experience in a supply chain environment preferred

Fluency in Microsoft Excel required

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations, Logistics, Mathematics, Economics or related field preferred

CPM/CSCP preferred

ERP/MRP experience preferred

Satisfactory score on the Wonderlic Personnel Test and/or Caliper Assessment

Ability to read, speak, understand and write English

Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide all units of measure

Attendance on a regular and consistent basis

First Supply, family-owned and operated for over 125 years, offers its employees a great benefits package including; medical, dental, vision, 401(k) with company match, PTO, company paid holidays, on demand pay, education assistance, adoption assistance, and more!

About First Supply

First Supply® is a leading main channel wholesale distributor providing industrial customers and building contractors with an extensive line of products and services. First Supply features manufacturer product lines in the plumbing, heating, air conditioning, builder, waterworks, pump/well & septic, industrial and municipal markets. Headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, First Supply has more than 700 employees in 29 operating facilities serving Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois and Michigan UP. The company has over $100 million in inventory and over $400 million in annual sales.

First Supply also owns and operates 18 Kitchen & Bath Stores in 5 midwestern states under the Gerhard's Kitchen & Bath and Kohler Signature Store brands. Gerhard's is the largest, most versatile kitchen & bath store in the upper Midwest. We offer a huge variety of kitchen and bath choices from contemporary to traditional styles, along with service you won't find anywhere else. The Kohler Signature Stores are a kitchen and bath showroom that provides a distinguished Kohler experience where designers and homeowners can get hands on with hundreds of products, exclusively from the Kohler brands!

First Supply LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

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