Buyer/Planner

About Hawkins

Hawkins, Inc. is a formulator, manufacturer, blender, distributer, and sales agent for thousands of industrial chemicals and reagent grade laboratory chemicals sold to municipalities and businesses throughout the Central United States. Thousands across a variety of industries have depended on Hawkins for the chemical products they need since 1938.

Learn more about us at https://www.hawkinsinc.com/careers/

ABOUT THE JOB

This position is responsible for planning, procuring equipment, and supplies from vendors. The Buyer/Planner position collaborates closely with partners to source, purchase and maintain raw material inventory while ensuring production, customer, and quality requirements are achieved. This position manages the operational flow of goods for purchased items including new product setup, raw material acquisition, inventory management, and margin management.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Supplier Relationship Management

• Execute supplier performance initiatives to improve vendor accountability.
• Provide market and vendor analysis in preparation, participation or leading in supplier negotiations with leadership.
• Leverage supplier relationship to maximize cashflow for payment terms/profitability
• Responsible for collecting and gathering data on potential new suppliers or carriers.
• Minimize demurrage expense and monitor movement of product to receipt.
• Resolve customer service or product quality issues and complaints by identifying root cause and ensuring appropriate actions are taken with suppliers as needed.

Planning Parameters Maintenance

• Maintain system planning parameters per established processes, including recommending process improvements to improve efficiencies.
• Communicate supplier cost information to sales, production, and other departments timely.
• Utilize MRP to plan the procurement of materials to ensure the best possible material availability for production and service requirements while monitoring and controlling inventory levels.
• Communicate and coordinate any schedule changes with appropriate partners
• Collaboratively adjust inventory levels where appropriate; accounting for storage space at the plants, inventory dollars, strength of demand, risk of obsolescence, turn rate, and optimal freight expense
• Support product costing and analysis as needed

Product Analysis and Process Improvement Opportunities

• Optimize material costs through vendor analysis and identify and implement cost savings initiatives including product cost, order quantity, transportation, and freight terms
• Analyze safety stocks and re-order points, manage raw material inventory, support demand planning, and provide backup coverage for other purchasing functions
• Minimize demurrage expense and monitor movement of product to receipt if applicable
• Identifies and supports execution of strategic purchasing initiatives
• Resolve customer service or product quality issues and complaints by identifying root cause and ensuring appropriate actions are taken

Inventory Management

• Submit purchase orders for raw materials, monitor the movement of product to receipt, establish priorities to meet customer orders, and resolve shipping or billing issues
• Proactively identify product and material availability issues and provide supply status and shipment tracking to internal partners

ABOUT YOU:

• Bachelor's Degree in supply chain, distribution, logistics, materials management, a related field or equivalent experience required
• Minimum of 3 years directly related experience in production planning/scheduling, purchasing, or inventory management, preferably in a specialty chemical, food, or pharmaceutical manufacturing environment
• APICS certification (CSCP or CPIM), CPP or CPM certification preferred
• Familiar with procure-to-pay cycle and knowledge of contract law
• Experience and proficiency within MRP/ERP systems and MS-Office applications, J.D. Edwards experience preferred
• Ability to organize and prioritize tasks, work collaboratively in a cross-functional environment, and ensure timely completion of responsibilities.
• Previous negotiating experience
• Ability to organize and prioritize tasks, work collaboratively in a cross-functional environment, and ensure timely completion of responsibilities
• Strong attention to detail and problem-solving skills
• Proficient written and verbal communication, team building, and interpersonal skills

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

TRAVEL

Travel up to 10%

Expected Compensation: $67,000-$87,000/ year. + 5% bonus eligibility

Hawkins offers eligible employees and their dependents comprehensive benefits, which includes medical, dental, vision, life insurance, LTD/STD and more.Other benefits for eligible employees include 401(k) match, Employee Stock Purchase program (ESPP), paid time off, and paid holidays.

For more information on Hawkins benefits, visit: https://www.hawkinsinc.com/careers/benefits/

Ref. 2026-021

All applications must be received online. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristics protected by law. Hawkins is a Drug Free workplace.