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BGF Industries
Direct RM Buyer-Planner
Career Insights for Materials Planner
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Based on Virginia data
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What they do
A Materials Planner plans and manages the flow of materials used in production by a company. Plans and manages procurement of raw materials or parts, tracks shipments, monitors inventories and monitors materials used in production processes
$85,883 / year median in Virginia
+6% projected growth
Job Description
Direct Raw Material Buyer / Planner Altavista, VA Reports to Department Manager www.bgf.com About BGF Industries BGF Industries is a leading U.S. manufacturer of innovative technical fiber materials used worldwide in aerospace, marine, automotive, filtration, insulation, electrical, and protective markets. Since 1941, BGF has built a reputation for engineering excellence, product integrity, and continuous innovation. Headquartered in Danville, Virginia, with multiple manufacturing facilities across Virginia and South Carolina, BGF delivers advanced fiber-based solutions that meet demanding performance standards for strength, heat resistance, and durability. Our mission is simple but powerful: "Deliver excellence in every product, every process, every time." Role Mission / Purpose To plan, procure, and manage the flow of direct raw materials into BGF's manufacturing operations, aligning supply with demand signals (forecast, orders, S&OP) and optimizing supplier performance, logistics cost, inventory, and cash flow. You will act as the interface between procurement, manufacturing, quality, suppliers, and logistics to ensure smooth operations and continuous improvement. Key Responsibilities / Major Duties Supply Planning & Procurement Oversight Ensure procurement and timely delivery of all direct raw materials needed for production and subcontracted processes. Develop and implement optimized supply plans (for raw materials and subcontracting) based on demand forecasts, customer orders, MPS, and S&OP outputs. Place and follow up on purchase orders and replenishment requests, from issuance to delivery. Record and manage purchase order confirmations in the ERP system (e.g., M3). Ensure that planning data, material parameters, supplier setup, lead times, and item definitions are correctly configured in ERP systems to support accurate planning. Inventory Management & Policy Setting Define, review, and maintain raw material inventory policies (safety stock, reorder points, lot sizes) for optimal balance of service and cost. Monitor inventory levels (raw materials, in-transit, consignment) to ensure availability without overstocking. Manage consignment stock relationships and consumption declarations. Proactively identify risks of stockouts, overstocks, obsolete inventory, and create mitigation plans. Implement alerting, reporting, and analytics tools (SAS BI, dashboards, exception reports) to support decision-making. Supplier & Performance Management Monitor and measure supplier delivery performance (OTIF, lead time compliance), analyze variances, and drive supplier improvement action plans. Collaborate closely with suppliers to expedite, anticipate delays, adjust schedules, or negotiate alternate supply sources when needed. Manage contract execution, compliance, and dispute resolution (e.g. invoices, quality issues) in liaison with Quality, Purchasing, and Controlling. Support sourcing and supplier development initiatives: evaluate new materials, suppliers, or processes to improve reliability, cost, quality, and continuity. Cross-Functional Alignment & Risk Mitigation Communicate supply constraints, schedule changes, or material issues upstream to production, planning, scheduling, and customer service teams. Assess the impact of material delays on production/sales plans, propose alternate scenarios, and implement contingency actions. Participate and contribute to S&OP, demand review, and supply review processes. Work with manufacturing, scheduling, and procurement to resolve material-related bottlenecks or constraints. Reporting, Analytics & Continuous Improvement Generate and maintain key performance reports and dashboards: supplier OTIF, backlog, lead time compliance, inventory projections, deviations, inbound logistics cost, etc. Conduct root-cause analysis on performance variances and drive corrective/preventive actions. Lead or support continuous improvement initiatives in procurement, material planning, inventory optimization, supplier collaboration (e.g. VMI, Kanban, EDI). Mentor or manage junior planners, develop skill sets, and evaluate performance (if role includes direct reports). Required Competencies & Skills Competency Description / Behavior Planning & Process Orientation Structured, methodical, accurate in planning, ability to juggle multiple timelines and priorities Analytical & Problem Solving Comfortable working with data, trends, statistical tools, scenario modeling Supplier Relationship & Negotiation Ability to influence, negotiate, manage supplier relationships and performance metrics Cross-Functional Collaboration Strong communicator who can bridge procurement, operations, quality, logistics, and sales Adaptability & Initiative Responds to change, drives improvement, takes ownership of challenges Continuous Improvement Mindset Seeks process enhancements, automation, lean practices (VMI, Kanban, pull flow) Leadership & Development If supervising, ability to coach, mentor, and manage others Customer/Service Focus Understand internal and external customer needs, maintain service commitments Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Industrial Engineering, Business, or a related field (preferred) 5 to 10 years of experience in procurement, material planning, supply chain roles (direct materials preferred) Strong background in manufacturing or industrial environments (e.g. composites, textiles, advanced materials) Proficiency with ERP systems (Infor M3, SAP, or equivalent) Experience with planning and procurement tools (e.g. EDI, forecast engines, BI reporting tools) Familiarity with Lean, Kanban, pull flow, and inventory optimization techniques Certifications such as APICS CPIM, CPSM, or equivalent are a plus Experience handling supplier performance metrics, contract management, and cross-functional collaboration Reporting & Relationships Reports to: Procurement Manager Interfaces with: Manufacturing / Production Planning Scheduling & Operations Demand Planning / Sales Quality / Inspection Logistics / 3PL Suppliers / Vendors Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) / Metrics of Success On-time delivery of raw material supply (supplier OTIF) Accuracy of material availability (material shortages, production interruptions) Inventory turns, raw materials turnover, days of supply Inbound logistics cost efficiency Backorder / shortfall impact on production Lead time compliance (requested vs confirmed) Number and impact of supplier deviations, corrective actions implemented Improvements in supplier performance over time Success in reducing obsolete or slow-moving raw material inventory Execution of continuous improvement initiatives and planning efficiency gains Why Work at BGF / Value Proposition BGF is a leader in technical fiber and fabric materials, with over 35 patents and a broad global footprint. The company is