Associate Seed Purchasing Planner
BALL HORTICULTURAL COMPANYDescription:
As the Associate Seed Purchasing Planner, you coordinate seed purchasing from forecast-driven purchase orders through supplier confirmation, quality issue resolution, and delivery updates. You maintain accurate purchasing and material records in SAP, work with suppliers and internal customer-facing teams, and manage non-standard seed orders so requested seed is available when custome
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rs need it and teams can make informed decisions about supply.
Planning Support
• Assist planner(s) with production and packaging work orders to support timely processing and help ensure seed is ready when needed.
• Monitor inventory movements and production status to identify potential delays or discrepancies early and support timely planning adjustments.
• Support seed enhancement scheduling and related activities to help align processing with production needs and product availability requirements.
• Help maintain accurate planning and inventory data within SAP so teams can make informed decisions using reliable information.
Operational Support
• Support production planning and work order creation to help translate departmental priorities into actionable work and keep production on schedule.
• Assist with purchasing, and planning activities to help align incoming supply with inventory needs and production requirements.
• Assist with purchase order management and order tracking to maintain visibility into incoming supply and identify delivery issues before they disrupt operations.
• Monitor workflow queues and help balance departmental workload during peak periods to reduce backlogs and support timely completion of essential tasks.
• Cross-train in key functional areas to maintain business continuity, provide dependable backup coverage, and reduce reliance on any single team member.
Administrative Support
• Assist with supplier communications and follow-up activities to clarify order requirements, obtain timely updates, and help resolve outstanding supply issues.
• Manage special projects assigned by the Seed Supply Manager to deliver agreed-upon outcomes and support departmental priorities.
• Source products from alternate suppliers when required to address supply gaps and help maintain product availability.
• Obtain pricing and availability from vendors to support informed purchasing decisions that balance cost, timing, and supply needs.
Cross-Functional Coordination
• Facilitate communication between purchasing, planning, production, and customer-facing teams to align priorities, coordinate handoffs, and keep teams informed of supply and production changes.
• Assist with issue resolution involving inventory, supply shortages, and customer requests to minimize operational disruptions and support timely responses to customer needs.
Requirements:
• Associate's or Bachelor's degree preferred. High School Diploma/GED required.
• Experience in supply chain, purchasing, planning, customer service, or operations preferred.
• SAP or ERP experience preferred.
• Strong proficiency with Excel and Microsoft Office.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• High degree of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Learning in the Work - pays attention to what works, what does not, and what can be applied going forward.
• Organizes Work Around Priorities - Turns priorities and objectives into realistic plans with clear steps, milestones, resources, and contingencies.
• Makes Sense of Complex Work - Sorts through multiple, connected, or conflicting inputs to identify what matters, understand causes and relationships, and clarify the problem before acting.
Pay Range: $22-24/hour
Physical Requirements
• Work involves sitting, standing, and walking throughout the workday.
• Regular use of hands and fingers for keyboarding, document handling, and operation of office equipment.
• Ability to exchange and interpret information effectively through verbal, written, and electron