Purchasing, Planning & Scheduling Specialist

Our client, a precision plastics manufacturer, has an immediate need for an experienced Purchasing, Planning & Scheduling Specialist, to join their winning team in Odenton.   Our candidate of choice will be responsible for managing the full supply chain cycle – including procurement of materials, production planning, and scheduling—to ensure timely, cost-effective, and efficient operations. You’ll coordinate with suppliers, internal departments, and production teams to maintain inventory accuracy, prevent shortages, and support on-time shipment of products.   KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: Source, evaluate, and select suppliers based on quality, cost, and delivery performance. Issue purchase orders, negotiate pricing, and maintain vendor relationships. Track and expedite orders to ensure material availability. Monitor supplier performance and resolve issues related to quality, delivery, or cost. Maintain accurate purchasing records and documentation. Develop and maintain the material requirements plan (MRP) based on sales forecasts, demand, and production capacity. Analyze inventory levels and adjust plans to minimize stockouts and excess inventory. Coordinate closely with Sales, Production, and Engineering to ensure alignment of demand and capacity. Support new product introductions by planning materials and timelines. Create detailed production schedules to meet customer delivery requirements and optimize workflow. Adjust schedules as needed to accommodate equipment downtime, material shortages, or priority changes. Communicate schedule updates to customers, production teams and management. Monitor work-in-progress (WIP) to ensure adherence to schedules.   KEY REQUIREMENTS: Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Operations Management, or related field (or equivalent experience). 2–5 years of experience in purchasing, planning, scheduling, or supply chain roles. Strong understanding of MRP/ERP systems (e.g., Global Shop, SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, Epicor). Excellent negotiation, communication, and problem-solving skills. Ability to analyze data, prioritize tasks, and work in a fast-paced environment. Knowledge of lean manufacturing principles is a plus. Demonstrate proficiency by quickly adapting to new technology and readily acquiring new technical skills. Proficient in all Microsoft suite applications including Outlook/Teams, Word, Excel, as well as OneDrive and network locations