Planner-Buyer

Position: Planner-Buyer

Department: Operations

Reports to: Logistics Manager

Location(s): Utopia Office

The Role

Why Does Your Role Matter?

Lectric eBikes is seeking a highly organized and proactive Planner-Buyer to manage the procurement, planning, and inventory control processes that are essential to our operations. In this role, you will be responsible for sourcing materials, components, equipment, supplies, and services that meet our quality standards while ensuring timely deliveries within budgeted costs. You will collaborate closely with internal teams and external vendors to optimize supply chain efficiency, improve procurement strategies, and support our company's growth and customer satisfaction goals.

Essential Functions for this Role:

• Procurement & Sourcing: Manage the procurement of materials, components, equipment, supplies, and services required for day-to-day operations, ensuring alignment with company quality standards and specifications.
• Inventory Management & Data Management: Monitor and review current and projected inventory levels, adjusting orders to align with demand forecasts and supply availability. Proactively anticipate material requirements to prevent shortages. Develop and maintain accurate inventory databases, ensuring up-to-date tracking of materials and supplies used in production. Set up and maintain material, supplier, and planning system data in the MRP/ERP system.
• Vendor Relations & Negotiation: Lead negotiations with suppliers to secure the best possible pricing, lead times, and quality standards, ensuring that all contractual terms are met. Build and maintain strong relationships with key suppliers.
• Master Schedule Coordination: Integrate sales orders with the master production schedule to ensure the availability of materials needed for timely deliveries. Update and maintain the master distribution schedule, communicating any changes or delays to relevant stakeholders.
• Cross-Department Collaboration: Partner with Sales, Marketing, Customer Service, and Operations teams to ensure seamless coordination and alignment of inventory needs with production schedules.
• Forecasting & Planning: Participate in forecasting and planning meetings with internal teams to predict material needs and adjust procurement strategies accordingly. Lead additional planning meetings as needed.
• Purchase Order Management: Review and approve purchase orders and contracts for compliance with internal policies and standards, ensuring accuracy in pricing, delivery terms, and quantity.
• Issue Resolution: Work with suppliers, receiving, and finance teams to resolve any discrepancies related to delivery, quality, invoicing, or inventory conditions.
• Continuous Improvement: Support the development, implementation, and maintenance of procurement policies and best practices to optimize inventory control, reduce costs, and enhance operational efficiency.
• Process Implementation: Utilize JIT, Kanban, Blanket Purchase Orders, and other inventory management techniques to ensure production and order fulfillment requirements are met in a timely and cost-effective manner.
• Sourcing & Supplier Management: Assist in the identification, evaluation, and selection of new suppliers, ensuring they meet quality, cost, and delivery standards.

Required Qualifications Include:

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, or a related field is required.
• Experience: Minimum of 2-3 years of experience in procurement, planning, or purchasing, with a proven track record of managing supply chains and vendor relationships.
• Systems Expertise: Strong experience working with ERP systems (preferably in manufacturing or eCommerce environments), Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), and inventory control software.
• Analytical Skills: Strong analytical abilities to forecast demand, evaluate vendor performance, and identify areas for process improvements.
• Communication & Negotiation: Excellent communication, interpersonal, and negotiation skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across teams and manage supplier relationships.
• Organizational Skills: Exceptional attention to detail and strong organizational abilities to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Problem Solving: Ability to troubleshoot and resolve issues related to supply chain disruptions, quality concerns, or invoicing discrepancies.
• Physical Requirements: Ability to sit at a desk and work on a computer for extended periods; ability to lift up to 15 pounds occasionally.
• eCommerce Experience: Previous experience in eCommerce or direct-to-consumer (DTC) retail environments is highly preferred.

Additional Preferred Qualifications:

• Professional certifications such as PMAC, APICS, or other related procurement or supply chain management credentials are a plus.
• Experience with high-growth companies or startups in the consumer goods industry.
• Familiarity with inventory management techniques such as JIT, Kanban, and Blanket Purchase Orders.
• Strong understanding of forecasting, planning, and logistics processes.
• Ability to drive process improvements and optimize supply chain operations for better performance and cost savings.

Physical Demands:

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers and filing cabinets. The team member frequently communicates with internal team members, investors and vendors. Must be able to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time. Constantly operates a computer and other office productivity machinery such as a copy machine and printer. Occasionally moves items up to 50 lbs. for various projects.

Compensation:

• Base salary negotiable (depending on experience)
• An annual bonus percentage that varies based on level of experience.

Benefits:

• Accrual of PTO per PTO policy
• Company paid holidays
• Health benefits: medical + dental (Blue Cross Blue Shield of AZ), vision (Unum)
• Company paid Life Insurance and Short-Term Disability (Unum) for employee only
• Voluntary Life Insurance available for dependents
• 401k participation (eligibility per plan summary) with company match
• Parental Leave
• Other company perks such as Bike to Work stipend, team lunches, etc...

EEO Statement

Lectric eBikes is an equal opportunity employer. Lectric eBikes expressly prohibits any form of unlawful employment discrimination, unlawful employment harassment, and unlawful employment retaliation. Lectric eBikes is committed to a policy of providing equal employment opportunities ("EEO") to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, disability, pregnancy status, veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. The terms of this EEO policy apply to all areas of employment, including but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, discipline, termination, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, benefits, training, layoff, and rehire. Lectric eBikes will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities unless doing so would result in an undue hardship. To request reasonable accommodation, contact the Human Resources department at hr@lectricebikes.com.

Any employees with questions or concerns about discrimination, harassment, or retaliation should immediately discuss the questions or concerns with the Director of HR or a member of the Executive Team. Lectric eBikes does not retaliate against employees who report in good faith unlawful discrimination, harassment, or retaliation.

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform other job-related duties requested by their manager/supervisor.

Requirements are representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills and/or abilities. To perform this job successfully, the employee must possess the abilities or aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an "at-will" employment relationship.