Direct Raw Material Buyer / Planner
Danville, 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 ISO 9001 certified, emphasizing quality, process discipline, and continuous improvement.
-
The role offers strategic impact—bridging procurement, manufacturing, and operations—and visibility into supply chain challenges in a technically sophisticated manufacturing environment.
-
You will have opportunities to lead supplier performance improvement efforts, explore new materials/suppliers, and influence cost, quality, and cash flow outcomes.
-
BGF values its employees, encourages learning, and fosters an inclusive, innovation-oriented culture
This position requires access to information or technology that is subject to U.S. export control laws, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Pursuant to these regulations, only U.S. Persons (U.S. Citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents/Green Card holders) are eligible for this role. Proof of U.S. Person status will be required prior to employment.
