Buyer/Planner II

Job DetailsJob Location: ARLINGTON, TX 76011Job Category: Purchasing - ProcurementAt Forte Opening Solutions, we don't just manufacture doors; we create pathways to possibilities. We empower our employees to shape the future of our industry. Join a team where craftsmanship meets cutting-edge technology, and where your ideas can open new doors. Together, we build not just products, but a culture of excellence and collaboration.

The Buyer/Planner II is a senior-level supply chain professional responsible for leading integrated purchasing, materials and inventory management, production planning, and logistics coordination across one or more company locations. This role ensures timely material availability, optimal inventory levels and turns, effective production capacity utilization, reliable outbound logistics, and the lowest practical total cost while maintaining required quality and customer-service expectations.

The Buyer/Planner II collaborates closely with Customer Service, Inside Sales, Quality, Finance, and external suppliers and carriers. This role will use advanced supply-chain experience, ERP/MRP expertise, detailed analytics, and sound judgment to anticipate risks, resolve complex supply interruptions, improve processes, and align material, capacity, inventory, and transportation plans with short- and long-term business needs.

This position reports directly to the Purchasing & Planning Manager, with a dashed-line relationship to the Plant Manager at the assigned location(s).

Key Accountabilities:

 

Purchase Order Processing and Management (35%)

· Procure goods and materials based on production specifications from customer service or production.

· Ensure lowest cost solution on all goods, materials, and services procured without sacrificing quality.

· File and communication supplier lead times and sales acknowledgements with production, scheduling, and sales.

· Complete regular, proactive vendor follow-up on purchase orders scheduled for arrival in the future.

· Sustain positive relations with existing suppliers with quick escalation of issues.

· Ensure alternative suppliers and supply plans exist as risk mitigation for supply chain disruptions.

· Ensure adherence to spend-level thresholds and seek the appropriate approval to align with company policy.

· Send and administer Request for Proposal (RFP) and Request for Quote (RFQ) processes to seek competitive bids when needed or directed.

· Ensure alignment to strategic inventory programs such as Vendor-Managed Inventory (VMI), consignment, or long-term agreements (LTA) for key commodities or services.

· Provide value engineering solutions for purchased goods or components when available.

· Initiate corrective action for supplier performance or warranty claims for purchased goods.

· Offer backup support for other Buyers within company guidelines and procedures.

· Initiate and manage supplier corrective actions, warranty claims, performance-improvement efforts, and issue-resolution plans for purchased goods and services.

· Procure goods and materials based on production specifications from customer service or production.

· Ensure lowest cost solution on all goods, materials, and services procured without sacrificing quality.

· File and communication supplier lead times and sales acknowledgements with production, scheduling, and sales.

· Complete regular, proactive vendor follow-up on purchase orders scheduled for arrival in the future.

· Sustain positive relations with existing suppliers with quick escalation of issues.

· Ensure alternative suppliers and supply plans exist as risk mitigation for supply chain disruptions.

· Ensure adherence to spend-level thresholds and seek the appropriate approval to align with company policy.

· Send and administer Request for Proposal (RFP) and Request for Quote (RFQ) processes to seek competitive bids when needed or directed.

· Ensure alignment to strategic inventory programs such as Vendor-Managed Inventory (VMI), consignment, or long-term agreements (LTA) for key commodities or services.

· Provide value engineering solutions for purchased goods or components when available.

· Initiate corrective action for supplier performance or warranty claims for purchased goods.

· Offer backup support for other Buyers within company guidelines and procedures.

 

Production Planning and Capacity Management (30%)

· Establish, maintain, and improve standardized capacity-planning models connected to or maintained within ERP systems for assigned division locations.

· Analyze production capacity, labor and machine availability, customer demand, sales bookings, quote volumes, lead times, inventory, and material constraints to support production planning decisions.

· Produce and communicate capacity, lead-time, material-availability, and production-planning reports for internal customers and leaders.

· Participate in SIOP