Purchasing & Inventory Planner

Company Summary

For over 20 years, InOvate Technologies, Inc. has focused on improving exhaust performance for residential clothes dryers. Originating with the Dryerbox®, a transition duct receptacle that saves space and protects against crushed hoses, the South Florida-based company has a track record of patenting and licensing unique solutions that solve common dryer venting problems. InOvate’s success has been rooted in the company’s ability to market directly to builders, architects, engineers, and contractors and pull those sales through over 2,500 HVAC supply houses nationwide. Other avenues of channel sales include big box retail, roofing/building suppliers, and a network of home service professionals.

Since 2019, InOvate is managed through the Riverbend Industries (RBI) portfolio. RBI is a private family-owned portfolio holding company headquartered in Chicago, IL. The portfolio is primarily comprised of several small, independently operated, previously family-run businesses in the light manufacturing and distribution sectors. The portfolio is a long-term holder of its investments/assets and plans to grow both organically and through acquisitions into the foreseeable future.

Summary

The Purchasing & Inventory Planner is the primary contact for vendor day-to-day operations and communication with a focus on purchasing, inventory planning, freight scheduling and returns. This position must be able to understand contract manufacturing production schedules and coordinate shipment schedules with warehouse staff. The Purchasing & Inventory Planner must have extensive knowledge of the freight and logistics industry, with an emphasis on monitoring cost and consolidating when applicable. This person will communicate regularly with 3PL warehouse staff to track inventory processes such as item receipts, stock levels and reallocate items as needed.

Primary Responsibilities

· Create POs based on assigned product lines and vendors.

· Update/confirm cost and line-item receipt dates for all open POs based on vendor acknowledgments or weekly communication.

· Facilitate vendor return authorizations and ensure credits are issued. May require review of customer return authorizations.

· Submit RFQs to current and prospective vendors.

· Manage relationship with 3PL warehouse, conduct end of month fulfillment reports and request any billing adjustments.

· Regularly review and adjust inventory levels based on semi-annual physical counts and cycle count requests.

· Reconcile monthly inventory from damaged and QC rejected products. Request credit from suppliers when applicable. Communicate adjustments to accounting department.

· Schedule transfers of inventory between location sites.

· Submit work order requests for added assembly builds/unbuilds.

· Update item records in ERP as stock levels and lead times adjust.

· Coordinate inbound freight to warehouse/s (create BOL, schedule pickups, and mark inbound in system).

· Communicate with drop ship vendors and coordinate/schedule customer outbound freight based on available production.

· Maintain product and contact information databases in Transportation Management System.

· Correspond regularly with freight/transportation partners to obtain quotes, file damage claims and resolve carrier disputes.

· Collaborate with the Sales & Operations Administrator on the execution of the day-to-day operational tasks (order entry/approval, returns, EDI, customer service, warehouse fulfillment). Serve as backup as needed.

· Document and/or update operational functions in Policies and Procedures manual.

· Conduct training and cross training of knowledge within areas of responsibility across multiple departments.

Education, Experience, and Qualifications

· Minimum

o Bachelor’s Degree and 6+ years of relevant work experience.

o At least 3+ years of ERP experience.

· Preferred

o Bachelor’s Degree in Supply Chain, Business or related field a plus.

o Experience with NetSuite ERP system.

o Experience in the Distribution, Manufacturing and/or Construction Industry.

o Experience with domestic retailer fulfillment requirements.

Skills & Characteristics

· Have a proactive mindset.

· Strong analytical skills for researching inventory needs and sales order trends.

· Enthusiasm for learning the business, the people, and the strategy in order to deliver the most value to the customer and our organization.

· Willingness to collaborate with internal and external partners to achieve desired outcomes.

· Demonstrate effective skills in time management, organization, and attention to detail.

· Ability to grow, flex, and adapt successfully within an evolving organization.

· Comfort building relationships at all levels and demonstrating professional compassion.

· Ability to identify, understand, and mitigate risks to employees or the organization.

· Strong comfort with digital tools like CRMs, ERPs (NetSuite), and HR systems (Paylocity)

· Advanced user in Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams)

Physical Requirements

· Ability to travel up to 5% of the time.

· Ability to remain seated for extended periods of time.

· Ability to stand, walk, kneel, squat, climb, and navigate throughout jobsites and manufacturing plants.

· Ability to safely lift and move objects up to fifty (50) lbs over short distances.

Outcomes:

· Maintain or improve freight spend per the company’s annual budgeted plan.

· Keep inventory turnover and days on hand within company’s annual goals.

· Deliver inbound shipment data population on 99% of open PO line items.

Replenish inventory levels for core retail customers to avoid potential stock outs.