Buyer Planner

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BUYER/PLANNER
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CAREER PACK
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1 APICS BUYER/PLANNER CAREER PACK

APICS BUYER/PLANNER CAREER PACK
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INTRODUCTION
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Buyer/planners play an important role in ensuring the resiliency of
the supply chains of the companies they work for. It is the role of the
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buyer/planner to help reduce costs and guarantee that materials are
where they need to be to fulfill customer orders by finding the best
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suppliers to meet an organization’s needs. Ultimately, APICS aims to
help professionals and the companies they work for to be successful in
today’s global procurement environment.
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The APICS Buyer/Planner Career Pack provides industry professionals
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and practitioners, hiring managers, human resource professionals, and
job seekers with the information they need, including:
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̥̥ The skills, knowledge, and experience buyer/planners must possess
̥̥ Typical career paths for buyer/planners
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̥̥ Responsibilities and tasks required of buyer/planners
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APICS BUYER/PLANNER
CAREER PACK
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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How to Use the APICS Buyer/Planner Career Pack 4
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Buyer/Planner Career Paths 6
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Buyer/Planner Job Description 8
Buyer/Planner Overview 8
Keywords for Buyer/Planners 10
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Building a Buyer/Planner Job Description 17
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Buyer/Planner Job Description Example 20
Job Seekers: Reviewing Job Descriptions ig 23
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APICS Buyer/Planner Competency Model 27
APPENDIX: Understanding Job Descriptions 47

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HOW TO USE THE APICS BUYER/PLANNER
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CAREER PACK
Find the information you need if you are a buyer/planner, hiring manager,
human resources professional or job seeker:
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I’M A BUYER/PLANNER
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̥̥ Compare your skills, knowledge and qualifications to the APICS Buyer/
Planner Competency Model to identify the core responsibilities and skills
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associated with your position.
̥̥ Map your milestones and career development with the Buyer/Planner Career
Paths — find out where you are in your professional development and what
your next professional step will be.
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̥̥ Refer to the Buyer/Planner Job Description to find responsibilities and skills
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that can be used to revise your résumé or create job descriptions of your role.
I’M A HIRING MANAGER ig

̥̥ Use the Buyer/Planner Job Description to identify which of the master
scheduling manager responsibilities you are seeking in a new hire and the
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qualifications candidates must possess.
̥̥ Review Keywords for Buyer/Planner to select the keywords that will maximize
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the number of qualified candidates who will find your job posting.
̥̥ Use the Building a Buyer/Planner Job Description and the Buyer/Planner Job
Description Example to help write your job posting or share the information
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with your organization’s human resources staff.

̥̥ For additional job description information, refer to the Appendix: Understanding
Job Descriptions.
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I’M A HUMAN RESOURCES PROFESSIONAL

̥̥ Understand the specific responsibilities and skills that your hiring manager
is seeking in a buyer/planner by referring to the APICS Buyer/Planner
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Competency Model.
̥̥ Encourage the hiring manager to review the Buyer/Planner Job Description
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and the APICS Buyer/Planner Competency Model to identify the key

technical, academic, leadership and management competencies, and
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knowledge areas to include in the job posting.

̥̥ Refer to the Buyer/Planner Job Description to build successful and specific
job posts that will attract leading industry professionals.
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I’M A JOB SEEKER
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̥̥ If you are seeking a buyer/planner position, use the Buyer/Planner Job
Description to identify the responsibilities and skills you need to qualify for
your desired position.
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̥̥ Refer to the APICS Buyer/Planner Competency Model to understand the
specific requirements and skill competencies you need to develop.
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̥̥ Map your career development with the Buyer/Planner Career Paths.
̥̥ Use Keywords for Buyer/Planner to aid in your search for the right job
posting match.
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̥̥ Look through Job Seekers: Reviewing Job Descriptions to find ways you can
use the job description information to your advantage.
̥̥ Find job seekers tips in the Appendix: Understanding Job Descriptions.
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APICS would like to acknowledge the work of Gary Capone, President of Palladian
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International, LLC, in developing the APICS Buyer/Planner Career Pack. APICS also
would like to thank the buyer/planners who responded to surveys that resulted in the
APICS Buyer/Planner Competency Model. ig
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BUYER/PLANNER
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CAREER PATHS
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In 2011 and 2010, APICS invited members and customers to complete a survey
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about their operations and supply chain management careers. Over half of the
respondents identified “developing personal career goals” as one of the most
valuable career steps.
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Developing career plans or goals was the most valuable to respondents less
than 15 years into their operations and supply chain management careers.
Among respondents with more experience — training, certification and
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networking gained more value. Specifically, respondents with more than
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35 years of experience in operations management identified training and
certification, networking and professional mentors as the most valued.
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The dataset revealed that there are no set career paths for operations and
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supply chain management professionals. Factors such as organization size,
opportunity to cross-train in multiple roles, and formal education complicate
the identification of the starting and advancement positions of operations and
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supply chain management careers.

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WHEN PLANNING YOUR CAREER, CONSIDER COMPLETING THE

FOLLOWING TASKS
̥̥ Draw your career path to date. What accomplishments have supported your path?
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̥̥ Reflect on your motivations. What aspects of your job do you like and dislike
and what do you need and want from a job?
̥̥ Identify your transferable skills. What competencies do you posses that are
applicable in other roles?
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̥̥ Determine the additional training or education required. What knowledge do

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you need for your next promotion or to take the next step?
̥̥ Set goals and milestones.
̥̥ Plan your career regularly. Set time aside to reassess your career path
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(annual, biannually or on another schedule)

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The job title specific results below reflect trends found in the survey and serve
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as jumping-off points as you develop your career path.
PROMOTIONS OR CHANGE OF EMPLOYER
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Buyer/planners reported promotions every one to two years between their
first and second job and between their second and third job. As their careers
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progressed, promotions occurred every three to five years.
Top five skills, traits and accomplishments responsible for promotion
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̥̥ General level of experience
̥̥ Track record of performance or accomplishments
̥̥ Demonstrated proficiency in a specific area
̥̥ Maintaining high professional standards in all work areas
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̥̥ Commitment to the organization and the customer
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Most valuable career tools, steps, or resources
̥̥ Training and certification
̥̥ Professional mentors
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̥̥ Developing personal career goals
Advice from buyer/planners

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̥̥ Be detail oriented and organized

̥̥ Be open to learning new job responsibilities
̥̥ Learn about the departments you support to improve your performance in the role
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̥̥ Learn your product and customer

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BUYER/PLANNER
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JOB DESCRIPTION
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BUYER/PLANNER OVERVIEW
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To develop the buyer/planner job description profile, a wide range of job
descriptions were studied. One thing became clear — the role of a buyer/
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planner varies greatly from organization to organization. Some companies have
specialized professionals dealing with a small aspect of buying or planning, while
others give broad responsibilities touching on almost every aspect of supply
chain management. This makes it impossible to develop a perfect buyer/planner
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job description. Fortunately, there are several categories of responsibilities that
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make it easier to organize and structure a job description. The buyer/planner job
postings studied contained five core categories of responsibilities:
̥̥ New supplier development

̥̥ Supplier certifications
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̥̥ Purchasing
̥̥ Planning
̥̥ Logistics
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These categories do not cover every single task a buyer/planner might do.
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Compiling such a list would take an entire book. The categories are meant
to provide a structure for presenting the job description and to help select
the responsibilities that are applicable to a position. Each of the categories
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contains a wide range of responsibilities. Typically, a more junior buyer/

planner will start with just a selection of these responsibilities and increase
in scope over time. In addition, because the roles vary from company to
company, the specific responsibilities will vary. For example, one company
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may have a sophisticated and structured supplier certification program, while

another company may not have a formal supplier certification program. The
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responsibilities will vary greatly between these two companies, and the job
postings will reflect this.
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Below are some of the specific responsibilities under each category:
New supplier development

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̥̥ Identify new suppliers

̥̥ Recommend new suppliers
̥̥ Investigate or evaluate new suppliers
̥̥ Conduct new supplier site

Supplier certifications
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̥̥ Develop or improve supplier certification processes
̥̥ Lead supplier certification audits
̥̥ Participate in supplier certification audits
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̥̥ Assess supplier production capacity
̥̥ Develops bidders list
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Purchasing
̥̥ Identify needs for new products, materials, and services
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̥̥ Develop specifications
̥̥ Prepare a request for proposal (RFP) or request for quotation (RFQ)
̥̥ Solicit bids
̥̥ Evaluate bids
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̥̥ Negotiate contracts
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̥̥ Negotiate blanket purchasing agreements
̥̥ Monitor and managed purchase orders
̥̥ Expedite, change, or cancel purchase orders ig
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Planning
̥̥ Forecast demand
̥̥ Develop production schedules
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̥̥ Release orders to manufacturing

̥̥ Monitor order status
̥̥ Expedite production
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̥̥ Prepare MRP reports on key metrics

̥̥ Manage engineering change orders
̥̥ Manage inventory levels
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Logistics
̥̥ Arrange for transportation
̥̥ Estimate freight costs and lead times
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KEYWORDS FOR BUYER/PLANNERS
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To better understand the differences in buyer/planner roles, several job title
and keyword variations were examined. The survey looked at five common job
titles related to the buyer/planner field:
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̥̥ Buyer
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̥̥ Buyer/planner
̥̥ Planner
̥̥ Production planner
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̥̥ Production scheduler
All keyword searches were conducted on Indeed.com. Indeed is a job

aggregator, and pulls jobs from thousands of other websites. In July 2011, Indeed
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had nearly three million jobs listed and is one of the broadest sources of job
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posting statistics. It is also a great site for job seekers trying to search as wide a
pool of jobs as possible.
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The job postings were surveyed for a number of keywords. The keywords were
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selected to represent some of the main responsibilities found within buyer/
planner roles. Sometimes acronyms will take the place of phrases for keyword
purposes such as APICS Certified in Production and Inventory Management
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(CPIM) and APICS Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP). The keywords
selected for the survey were:
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̥̥ New suppliers
̥̥ Supplier certification
̥̥ Purchasing
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̥̥ Demand forecast
̥̥ Inventory management
̥̥ Negotiate
̥̥ Production schedule
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̥̥ Production scheduling
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̥̥ Logistics
̥̥ CPIM
̥̥ CSCP
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When searching for these keywords, an exact phrase search was conducted.
Because of this, some variations of the phrases were not included in the results.
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Despite this limitation, the survey still gives a good indication of the relative
importance of some of the keywords in various buyer/planner related positions.

Job title Job listed
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Buyer 4,301
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Buyer/planner 337
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Planner 6,809
Production planner 359
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Production scheduler 162
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Keyword: “New suppliers”
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Job title Percentage with keyword
Buyer 4.7%
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Buyer/planner 6.5%
Planner 0.5%
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Production planner 1.7%
Production scheduler 0.0%

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Keyword: “Supplier certification”

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Buyer 0.5%
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Buyer/planner 0.9%
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Planner 0.1%
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Keyword: “Purchasing”
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Buyer 60.5%
Buyer/planner 62.9%
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Planner 15.0%
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Keyword: “Demand forecast”
Job title ig
Percentage with keyword
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Buyer 0.1%
Buyer/planner 0.6%
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Planner 0.7%

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Keyword: “Inventory management”

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Buyer 7.3%
Buyer/planner 16.9%
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Planner 9.2%

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Keyword: “Negotiate”
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Buyer 23.2%
Buyer/planner 18.4%
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Planner 4.4%
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Keyword: “Production schedule”
Job title ig
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Buyer 1.1%
Buyer/planner 9.2%
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Planner 4.5%

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Keyword: “Production scheduling”

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Buyer 0.7%
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Buyer/planner 3.3%
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Planner 1.7%

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Keyword: “Logistics”
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Buyer 8.9%
Buyer/planner 8.9%
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Planner 9.4%
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Keyword: “CPIM”
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Buyer 3.6%
Buyer/planner 8.9%
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Planner 3.6%

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Keyword: “CSCP”

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Buyer 0.2%
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Buyer/planner 0.9%
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Planner 0.4%

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This is just a small selection of keywords and only touches on five job titles.
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Companies and job seekers can easily conduct similar research. Go to Indeed.
com or another job board and search for keywords. On Indeed, it is easy to
search for both keywords and job titles. For example, the search term below
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will search for job postings with the term “CPIM” anywhere in the job posting,
and the phrase “production planner” in the job title.
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CPIM title: “Production planner”
Companies can do similar research within résumé databases by searching
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résumés for keywords.
This research can be an effective way of identifying what keyword phrases

your target audience is using. Start with a few job postings or résumés that
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are close to your ideal target. Pull out some of the keywords used and search
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the database for them. You will quickly find out whether the search terms
are too general or too specific. For example, using the keyword “purchasing”
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for job titles with “buyer” will yield 60 percent of the buyer jobs. This is a poor
differentiator. On the other end of the spectrum, using “CSCP” with buyer job
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titles yields only 0.2 percent of the job postings and is likely to be too restrictive.
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There are a number of keywords that should be used in a job description for
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buyer/planner. Below is a list of suggestions:
̥̥ Supplier development
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̥̥ Supplier identification
̥̥ New suppliers
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̥̥ Supplier evaluation
̥̥ Supplier site evaluation
̥̥ Bidders list
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̥̥ Supplier certification
̥̥ Supplier certification process
̥̥ Supplier audit
̥̥ Purchasing or buying
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̥̥ Replenishment
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̥̥ Specification development
̥̥ RFP or RFQs
̥̥ Solicit bids or solicit proposals
̥̥ Evaluate bids or evaluate proposals
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̥̥ Negotiate contracts
̥̥ Blanket Purchase Agreement or BPA
̥̥ Place purchase order
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̥̥ Demand forecast or forecast demand

̥̥ Production schedule
̥̥ Assess capacity or capacity plan
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̥̥ Expedite production or expedite orders

̥̥ MRP or ERP
̥̥ Engineering change orders or ECO
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̥̥ Manage inventory, inventory control or inventory management

̥̥ Logistics
̥̥ Transportation
̥̥ Freight costs
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̥̥ Lead times
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̥̥ Kanban
̥̥ Commodities or raw materials
̥̥ Maintenance repair and operating supplies or MRO
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̥̥ Work in process or WIP

̥̥ Economic Order Quantities or EOQ or lot size
̥̥ Master production schedule or MPS
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BUILDING A BUYER/PLANNER JOB DESCRIPTION
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Building a job description requires pulling together all the aspects of a job that
a job seeker needs to find the job and persuade the job seeker to apply. The
sample job description for the buyer/planner role is designed to cover all areas
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of the buyer/planner career. Few jobs in the field will be this broad. Many of the
positions will have a more limited scope, focusing in some areas and excluding
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other responsibilities. When developing a job description, pull the key elements
of the job and try to capture the full scope of the position.
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JOB TITLE
Provide the title of the position.
Buyer/planner
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COMPANY AND LOCATION
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Provide the company name and location.
Widget, Inc. - city, state
COMPANY OVERVIEW
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Insert company description.
Widget, Inc. is a world-class manufacturer of high performance widgets.
Founded in 1970, the company has grown from a three person custom
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fabrication organization into a global leader in the industry with more 4,000
employees. Our growth has not changed the value we offer. We still produce
complex, custom widgets made to the exact specifications of our customers.
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Our success has been driven by our employees. We empower our employees to
drive change and improve our operation in order to provide our customers with
the greatest possible service. This has led to a culture where our employees take
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personal responsibility for exceeding the expectations of our customers, and this
culture extends from our founders to our newest employees.
Widget, Inc. offers an exceptional benefit plan, including flexible schedules and
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a generous vacation plan. We believe in providing an environment where each

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employee can find the right work-life balance. Some weeks, this means putting
in extra time to make sure we hit a customer order due date, other weeks it
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provides extra personal time. Bottom line, we work together to succeed for
ourselves, our company and our customers.
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OVERVIEW OF THE POSITION
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Provide an overview of the position.
The buyer/planner will plan and manage the replenishment process by creating
production schedules and purchasing materials in support of those schedules.
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This role provides leadership for the planning and execution of production plans,
supplier management, and customer service performance for a product line. It
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requires a high level of interaction and coordination with leaders in operations,
and sales and marketing.
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RESPONSIBILITIES
Include specific responsibilities related to the job.
In this section, breaking the responsibilities up into categories is a great
strategy to make the job description easier to read. Another strategy would be
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to provide titles for each bullet point. Either way works. The key is to make it
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easy to read and attractive to job seekers.
Supplier management ig
̥̥ Identifies and recommends suppliers by investigating potential suppliers,
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researching parts, equipment, machinery, services and materials
availability. Develops potential bidder lists and initiates formal requests
for quotations or proposals.
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̥̥ Conducts supplier site visits and evaluates them as to production

capability, performance, delivery and other key business criteria. May
complete supplier certifications independently or as part of a technical
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and/or quality team.
Purchasing
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̥̥ Manages all purchasing activities including but not limited to:

• Generating RFPs or RSQs
• Performing cost and price analyses
• Quote and invoice reconciliations
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• Place points of sale and process incoming expense requisitions

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̥̥ Identifies and selects appropriate vendor(s) for necessary goods or services.

̥̥ Maintains effective and proper relations with suppliers or their
representatives.
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̥̥ Performs value-cost analysis for goods and services.

̥̥ Manages contract negotiation efforts and drives total cost reduction across
assigned commodities.
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̥̥ Manages the cost, quality and delivery of commodities.

Planning
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̥̥ Prepares and executes production schedules in a timely manner to meet
customer demand and delivery goals. Conducts daily reviews of shortage
and expedites reports to maintain inventory levels.
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̥̥ Develops weekly shipping schedules to ensure 100 percent customer service
levels across the value stream.
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̥̥ Leads the production planning process on site, communicating with production,
and all other functions to ensure plans meet all customer commitments.
̥̥ Rushes production or purchase orders that are needed in less than the
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normal lead time to improve the shortfall between the current plan and
requirements to meet or exceed customer expectations.
QUALIFICATIONS
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Provide detailed qualifications that are required or preferred.
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EDUCATION
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Determine the education level required and preferred. Consider specifying
both the required and preferred educational level.
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̥̥ Bachelor’s degree required. Degrees in engineering or business preferred.
MBA preferred.
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CERTIFICATIONS
List the certifications they possess; consider adding every certification that
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relates to the job.
̥̥ CPIM, CSCP, or C.P.M. certification preferred

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EXPERIENCE
List the number of years of experience required for the position. Consider
specifying specific experience required.
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̥̥ Five or more years of experience in buyer/planner roles required

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ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE
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Include experiences and skills that are preferred. Incorporate many of the
keywords you want to include in the job description.
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̥̥ Preferred experience and skills:
• Supplier development, supplier identification and managing suppliers
• Conducting supplier evaluations and audits, and supplier certifications
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• Purchasing commodities, MRO or other raw materials and services
• Evaluating bids and proposals
• Writing and issuing RFPs and RFQs
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• Negotiating contracts and Blanket Purchase Agreements
• Developing demand forecasts, production schedules and capacity plans
• Expedite production and purchase orders
• MRP and ERP systems
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• Managing inventory levels
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• Logistics, transportation and minimizing freight costs
• Kanban systems, economic order quantities (EOQ) and minimizing lot sizes
BUYER/PLANNER JOB DESCRIPTION EXAMPLE

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BUYER/PLANNER
Widget, Inc. - city, state
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COMPANY OVERVIEW
Widget, Inc. is a world-class manufacturer of high performance widgets.
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Founded in 1970, the company has grown from a three-person custom

fabrication organization into a global leader in the industry with more 4,000
employees. Our growth has not changed the value we offer. We produce
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complex, custom widgets made to the exact specifications of our customers.

Our success has been driven by our employees. We empower our employees
to drive change and improve our operation to provide our customers with the
greatest possible service. This has led to a culture where our employees take
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personal responsibility for exceeding the expectations of our customers, and

this culture extends from our founders to our newest employees.
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Widget, Inc. offers an exceptional benefit plan, including flexible schedules and
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a generous vacation plan. We believe in providing an environment where each

employee can find the right work-life balance. Some weeks, this means putting
in extra time to make sure we hit a customer order due date, other weeks, it
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provides extra personal time. Bottom line, we work together to succeed for
ourselves, our company and our customers.

OVERVIEW OF THE POSITION
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The buyer/planner will plan and manage the replenishment process by creating
production schedules and purchasing materials in support of those schedules.
This role provides leadership for the planning and execution of production
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plans, supplier management and customer service performance for a product
line. It requires a high level of interaction and coordination with leaders in
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operations, and sales and marketing.
RESPONSIBILITIES
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Supplier management
̥̥ Identifies and recommends suppliers by investigating potential suppliers, researching
parts, equipment, machinery, services, and materials availability. Develops
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potential bidder lists and initiates formal requests for quotations or proposals.
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̥̥ Conducts supplier site visits and evaluates them as to production capability,
performance, delivery, and other key business criteria. May complete supplier
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certifications independently or as part of a technical and/or quality team.
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Purchasing
̥̥ Manages all purchasing activities, including but not limited to,
• Generating RFPs and RFQs
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• Performing cost and price analysis

• Quote and invoice reconciliations
• Place POs and process incoming expense requisitions
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̥̥ Identifies and selects appropriate vendor(s) for goods/services needed.

̥̥ Maintains effective and proper relations with suppliers or their representatives.
̥̥ Performs value/cost analysis for goods and services.
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̥̥ Manages contract negotiation efforts and drives total cost reduction across
assigned commodities.
̥̥ Manages the cost, quality and delivery of commodities.
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Planning
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̥̥ Prepares and executes production schedules in a timely manner to meet

customer demand and delivery goals. Conducts daily reviews of shortage
and expedite reports to maintain inventory levels and act accordingly.
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̥̥ Develops weekly shipping schedules ensuring 100 percent customer service
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levels across the value stream.
̥̥ Leads the production planning process on site, liaising with production and
all other functions to ensure plan meets all customer commitments.
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̥̥ Rushes production or purchase orders that are needed in less than the
normal lead time in order to improve the shortfall between current plan and
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requirements in an effort to meet or exceed customer expectations.
QUALIFICATIONS
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Provide detailed qualifications that are required or preferred.
Experience:
̥̥ Five or more years of experience in buyer/planner roles required.
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Preferred experience and skills:
̥̥ Supplier development, supplier identification and managing suppliers
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̥̥ Conducting supplier evaluations and audits and supplier certifications
̥̥ Purchasing commodities, MRO or other raw materials and services
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̥̥ Evaluating bids and proposals
̥̥ Writing and issuing RFPs and RFQs
̥̥ Negotiating contracts and Blanket Purchase Agreements
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̥̥ Developing demand forecasts, production schedules and capacity plans

̥̥ Expedite production and purchase orders
̥̥ MRP and ERP systems
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̥̥ Managing inventory levels

̥̥ Logistics, transportation and minimizing freight costs
̥̥ Kanban systems, economic order quantities (EOQ) and minimizing lot sizes
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JOB SEEKERS: REVIEWING JOB DESCRIPTIONS
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Start by trying to understand the scope of the position. You need to understand
the range of responsibilities so you can prioritize them. This is important for jobs
with unusual titles. Some industries and companies have specialized job titles
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that can be confusing to people who are not familiar with them. Even if the
job title sounds familiar, you still cannot assume you understand the position.
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Each role will have a different set of responsibilities.
The overview of the position and the required responsibilities and the
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qualifications will all give an indication of the scope of the role. If you have
researched a number of similar roles, you should have an idea of the types of
responsibilities that could be present. For example, with a buyer/planner role,
understanding how much of the role is purchasing and supplier development,
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and how much is related to scheduling and logistics is important. For a supply
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chain manager, is important to understand the supply chain and the types of
issues the supply chain manager will encounter. For example, some roles may
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have complex international trade arrangements, while others may have a large
network of domestic contract manufacturers. Although the role is the same,
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the scope is determined by the organization of the supply chain. Each job will
have variations that need to be identified.
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SCOPE OF THE POSITION

Start by trying to understand the scope of the position. You need to
understand the range of responsibilities so you can prioritize them. This is
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important for jobs with unusual titles. Some industries and companies have
specialized job titles that can be confusing to people who are not familiar
with them. Even if the job title sounds familiar, you still cannot assume you
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understand the position. Each role will have a different set of responsibilities.
The overview of the position and the required responsibilities and the
qualifications will all give an indication of the scope of the role. If you have
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researched a number of similar roles, you should have an idea of the types of
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responsibilities that could be present.

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For example, with a buyer/planner role, understanding how much of the role is
purchasing and supplier development, and how much is related to scheduling
and logistics is important. For a supply chain manager, is important to
understand the supply chain and the types of issues the supply chain manager
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will encounter. For example, some roles may have complex international trade
arrangements, while others may have a large network of domestic contract
manufacturers. Although the role is the same, the scope is determined by the
organization of the supply chain. Each job will have variations that need
to be identified.

PRIMARY FOCUS
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After identifying the scope of the position, look for the primary focus area of
the role. You can often identify this by the order of the job description and the
number of times a specific area is mentioned. For example, consider a buyer/
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planner role that mentions supplier certifications, purchasing and planning.
The scope of the role is straightforward and most people familiar with
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purchasing will have a general idea of the position.
Now, consider the order and content of the job description. The overview
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section of the job description focuses on supplier management, issuing
purchase orders, and negotiating prices. Within the list of responsibilities, more
than half of the bullet points focus on requesting, evaluating and selecting
quotes from suppliers. Only one bullet mentions planning and supplier
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certifications and it is at the end of the bulleted list. This would imply that the
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planning and supplier certification responsibilities are a lower priority to the
company, and a traditional purchasing agent would be a good match for the role.
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You cannot determine with certainty the priorities of a hiring manager from a
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job posting. The posting may not be an accurate picture of the job. If possible,
try to network with a current or former employee to find out firsthand what the
role entails. If you do not have a contact inside the company, analyze the job
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posting to make the best guess of what the priorities are for the role.
QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED
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After you start to understand the focus areas of the position, review the
qualifications for the position. Look for specific requirements that indicate the
key elements of the job. Again, in this section, the first items listed are usually
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the most important. The qualifications required in a job description may not
create the same impression as the list of responsibilities. There are certain
skills that are only used to perform one or a few tasks.
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Look for requirements that indicate technical aspects of the job. Fewer
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candidates are likely to meet the more technically challenging requirements.

As a job seeker, you can use this information to tailor your résumé and give
yourself an edge over the competition. Look for skills that are rare and difficult
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to master, and that you have a depth of expertise with.

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PRIORITIZING
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It is essential that you can differentiate the run-of-the-mill activities in a job from
the requirements and responsibilities that are important differentiators. This is
the difference between the tasks that anyone can perform, and the ones that
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only the top candidates do well. For example, many job descriptions include
standard requirements such as the ability to travel, physical requirements
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or basic skills such as math, writing or business software. These are basic
expectations. You need to have them, but possessing them will not impress a
hiring manager. For example, in today’s job market, if you are not familiar with
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Microsoft Word, you are going to be at a disadvantage. Just about any office role
requires experience with Word. You may mention your skill with Word in a skills
section probably at the end of your résumé, but focusing on this is unlikely to
impress a hiring manager. The requirement is too basic. Focus on skills that are
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specific to your industry and skills that fewer job seekers possess.
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In addition to the basic requirements that are likely to apply to most jobs
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at a company, there will be job-specific requirements that are also basic
requirements. For example, a buyer/planner with responsibility for managing
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inventory levels needs to understand how to calculate inventory turns. This is a
basic calculation, and one everyone in an inventory management role
should be able to do. Some job descriptions will include the ability to calculate
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inventory metrics such as inventory turns as a requirement for the position.

Despite this, the requirement for calculating inventory turns is a low priority
and something every candidate is expected to be able to do.
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To be successful at customizing a résumé, you need to prioritize the critical

requirements from the basic expectations. Look for aspects of the job that are
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most challenging. A good way to identify these is to look for the responsibilities
performed by the role but not by subordinate positions. For example, a
purchasing manager will lead a team of buyers. For both buyers and purchasing
managers, understanding how to negotiate with a vendor is important. For a
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buyer, this might be a critical responsibility. For a purchasing manager, this is a

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basic expectation. It’s still important, but every purchasing manager is expected
to have some mastery of this skill. For the purchasing manager, leading a team
of buyers, setting purchasing strategy and managing the performance of the
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purchasing department are skills that are unique to the role.
Look for responsibilities that define the position. These are likely to be the
most critical to a hiring manager, and are the elements of your background
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that you should emphasize.

TAILORING YOUR RÉSUMÉ
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Once you understand the scope of the role and prioritize the most important
skills and experiences required, you can start tailoring your résumé. Every
aspect of your résumé can be changed. Start with the introduction to your
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résumé. Most job seekers start with summary section that provides an
overview of their skills, experiences and accomplishments. This section can
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provide the strongest sales pitch for you. Make sure it is tailored to the role.
Focus on the primary elements of the job.
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After the introductory section, make changes to your work experience section
to emphasize different experiences and accomplishments in each job. You can
show how a job, that may appear unrelated to the position you are pursuing,
actually had a number of elements that prepared you for the role.
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Once you have customized your résumé, from top-to-bottom, it will provide
the best sales pitch for the job. This maximized your chances of landing
an interview. With the high-level of competition, you need to gain every
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advantage you can, and this style of customization is a critical tool.
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BUYER/PLANNER
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COMPETENCY MODEL
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INTRODUCTION
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Buyer/planners are buyers who also do material planning. This role
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is responsible for and manages purchasing, materials requirements
planning, supplier relationship management, product life cycle and
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service design, among other things.
APICS is the premier membership organization that provides education,
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certification and career development opportunities to supply chain
professionals worldwide. The APICS Certified in Production and
Inventory Management coursework and corresponding certification
give professionals the knowledge and skills they need to succeed.
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Knowledge and skills, combined with professional experience, create
the competencies required for individuals to excel in their careers and
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distinguish themselves in their field. APICS developed the Buyer/Planner
Competency Model to guide individuals considering careers in buying
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and planning for buyer/planner professionals seeking to advance their
positions and human resource managers who are hiring in this field.
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28 APICS BUYER/PLANNER
SUSTAINABLE CAREER
SUPPLY CHAINS: PACK VALUE THE PRIORITY
MAKING
ABOUT THE MODEL
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The structure of the APICS Buyer/Planner Competency Model follows
guidelines set by the Employment and Training Administration of the
United States Department of Labor. The model is represented in a diagram
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on the next page for easy reference. The model is organized into tiers of
competencies, with descriptions of the activities and behaviors associated
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with each competency. The Competency Model Clearinghouse defines
competency as “the capability to apply or use a set of related knowledge,
skills, and abilities required to successfully perform ‘critical work functions’
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or tasks in a defined work setting.” In most cases, the competencies outlined
in this model are adapted from the APICS Operations Management Body of
Knowledge (OMBOK) Framework.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The APICS Buyer/Planner Manager Competency Model was a research project
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undertaken by staff in the Professional Development Division of APICS. They
were supported by APICS members and customers who participated in survey
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research. APICS staff used public domain information obtained from the
Competency Model Clearinghouse (www.careeronestop.org) to create the model.
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BUYER/PLANNER DIAGRAM
Occupation-related
Buyer/Planner Specific Requirements

includes requirements such as certification, licensure and specialized educational
degrees, or physical and training requirements for buyers/planners.
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̥̥ Postsecondary education
̥̥ Association membership
̥̥ Certifications
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Buyer/Planner Knowledge Areas and Technical Competencies
represent the knowledge, skills and abilities needed by buyers/planners.
̥̥ Purchasing ̥̥ Inventory management
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̥̥ Scheduling techniques ̥̥ Risk management
̥̥ Material requirements planning ̥̥ Supplier relationship management
Profession-related
̥̥ Product and service design ̥̥ Enterprise resources planning and

̥̥ Service scheduling (days on and days off) manufacturing resource planning
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̥̥ Plant maintenance ̥̥ Advanced planning systems
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Operations Management Knowledge Areas and Technical Competencies
represent the knowledge, skills and abilities needed by all occupations within operations management,
including buyers/planners.
̥̥ Operations strategy
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̥̥ Execution, planning, scheduling control
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̥̥ Manufacturing process environments ̥̥ Lean management
̥̥ Standards (time measurement) ̥̥ Sustainability
̥̥ Supply chain management ̥̥ Enabling technology application
̥̥ Process improvement and six sigma
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Workplace and Leadership Competencies

represent those skills and abilities that allow individuals to function in an organizational setting.
̥̥ Problem solving and decision making ̥̥ Planning and organizing
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̥̥ Teamwork and collaboration ̥̥ Conflict management

̥̥ Accountability and responsibility ̥̥ Supporting and training staff
̥̥ Customer focus (internal and external)
Academic Competencies
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Foundational
are primarily learned in an academic setting, and include cognitive functions and thinking styles.
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̥̥ Math, statistics and analytical thinking ̥̥ Foundations of business management

̥̥ Reading and writing for comprehension ̥̥ Materials management fundamentals
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̥̥ Applied science and technology ̥̥ Operations and enterprise economics

̥̥ Supply chain fundamentals
Personal Effectiveness Competencies

represent motives and traits as well as interpersonal and self-management styles and generally are
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applicable to a number of industries at a national level.

̥̥ Awareness of the needs of others ̥̥ Effective communication
̥̥ Integrity ̥̥ Interpersonal skills
̥̥ Continuous learning ̥̥ Creativity

FOUNDATIONAL
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COMPETENCIES
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PERSONAL EFFECTIVENESS COMPETENCIES (TIER 1)
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Personal effectiveness competencies represent motives, traits, and
interpersonal and self-management styles, and are applicable in any number
of industries.
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Awareness of the needs of others
̥̥ Understand other business needs and goals.
̥̥ Have perspective into other points of view.
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̥̥ Build rapport and credibility with colleagues.
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̥̥ Anticipate needs and respond to concerns and conflicts.
Integrity ig
̥̥ Demonstrate trustworthiness and professionalism with clients, peers and
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team members.
̥̥ Respond with consistency in situations that require honesty and candor.
̥̥ Avoid conflicts between work and personal interests or activities.
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Continuous learning
̥̥ Demonstrate an interest in personal learning and development; seek
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feedback from multiple sources about how to improve and develop; modify
behavior based on feedback or self-analysis of past mistakes.
̥̥ Take steps to develop and maintain the knowledge, skills and expertise
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necessary to achieve positive results; participate fully in relevant training

programs; actively pursue other opportunities to develop knowledge and skills.
̥̥ Anticipate changes in work demands and participate in assignments
or training that address these changing demands; treat unexpected
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circumstances as opportunities to learn.

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̥̥ Engage in career development by identifying occupational interests,

strengths, options and opportunities; make insightful career planning
decisions based on integration and feedback; seek out additional training
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to pursue career goals.

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Effective communication
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̥̥ Express information to individuals or groups that considers the audience
and the nature of the information (for example, technical or controversial);
speak clearly and confidently; organize information logically; speak using
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English conventions including proper grammar, tone and pace; track and
react appropriately to audience responses; use eye contact and nonverbal
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expression effectively.
̥̥ Receive, attend to, interpret, understand and respond to verbal messages
and other cues; pick out important information in verbal messages;
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understand complex instructions; appreciate the feelings and concerns
behind verbal messages.
̥̥ Practice meaningful two-way communication by speaking clearly, paying
attention, seeking to understand others, listening attentively, clarifying
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information and attending to nonverbal cues; respond appropriately.
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̥̥ Influence others; persuasively present thoughts and ideas; inspire
commitment and ensure support for ideas.
Interpersonal skills
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̥̥ Relate to clients, colleagues and team members.
̥̥ Maintain a positive, supportive and appreciative attitude.
̥̥ Actively listen to others and demonstrate understanding of different points
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of view.
̥̥ Create an open environment that encourages people to work together to
solve problems and improve practices and services.
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̥̥ Explore and resolve conflicts as they arise.

̥̥ Communicate clearly to avoid misunderstanding.
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Creativity
̥̥ Demonstrate intellectual curiosity about why things are the way they are;
challenge the status quo.
̥̥ Change, elaborate, adapt and improve on ideas or those of others.
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̥̥ Demonstrate a tendency toward action; materialize thoughts into products

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or services.
AP
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ACADEMIC COMPETENCIES (TIER 2)
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Academic competencies are primarily achieved in an academic setting and
include cognitive functions and thought processes.
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Math, statistics and analytical thinking
̥̥ Practice applied mathematics in collecting and interpreting quantitative data.
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̥̥ Demonstrate the ability to scrutinize and break down facts and thoughts
into strengths and weaknesses.
̥̥ Develop the capacity to think in a careful and discerning way to solve
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problems, to analyze data, and to recall and apply information.
Reading and writing for comprehension

̥̥ Understand what has been read; gather information from a text.
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̥̥ Demonstrate an understanding of material read by forming opinions and
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sharing personal experiences.
̥̥ Apply the strategies of self-questioning, retelling, writing, summarizing,
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predicting and verifying, story mapping, role play and responsiveness.
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Applied science and technology
̥̥ Demonstrate an understanding of the factors that are considered important
to the branch of knowledge or technology.
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̥̥ Understand the use of technology and the interaction with life, society
and the environment in conjunction with such subjects as industrial arts,
engineering, applied science and pure science.
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̥̥ Develop knowledge of specific tools and how they affect the ability to adapt
to and control the environment.
̥̥ Demonstrate the ability to apply knowledge or understanding to meet a
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specific, recognized need.

̥̥ Possess knowledge that is sufficiently general, clearly conceptualized,
carefully reasoned, systematically organized, critically examined and
empirically tested with regard to the specific science or technology.
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Supply chain fundamentals

̥̥ Understand that supply and logistics is a system of organizations, people,
technology, activities, information and resources involved in moving a
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product or service from supplier to customer.

̥̥ Possess basic knowledge of supply chain activities, including transformation
of natural resources, raw materials and components into a finished product
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that is delivered to the end customer.

̥̥ Recognize the ways that supply chains link value chains.

Foundations of business management
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̥̥ Understand all management activities carried out in the course of running
an organization, including controlling, leading, monitoring, adjusting,
organizing and planning.
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̥̥ Analyze financial statements and explain the implications of standard financial
ratios and all components of the balance sheet and income statement.
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̥̥ Create interactive decision support models that demonstrate the sensitivity
of outcome to multiple independent variables.
̥̥ Calculate project and organizational cash flow forecasts; present value
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investment comparisons and risk-adjusted return calculations.
̥̥ Demonstrate knowledge of visual presentation techniques including charting,
histograms, flow sheets, and oral and written presentation techniques.
̥̥ Practice basic business communications.
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̥̥ Understand fundamental organizational behavior.
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Materials management fundamentals
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̥̥ Demonstrate knowledge of the operations management structure of the
modern manufacturing and distribution company.
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̥̥ Convert and communicate demand requirements for products and services
into detailed plans and schedules for inventory acquisition.
̥̥ Calculate key inventory performance metrics such as turnover ratios,
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cost-benefit trade-offs, days of inventory on hand, labor productivity and

inventory valuation.
̥̥ Calculate and apply the various costing and valuation methods to
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inventory management.
̥̥ Have detailed knowledge of manufacturing planning, master production
scheduling, product definition, inventory control, materials requirements
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planning, capacity requirements planning, shop floor control, warehousing,

transportation and purchasing business functions.
̥̥ Understand standard enterprise resource planning (ERP) and supply chain
management (SCM) system technologies.
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̥̥ Incorporate methods and techniques involved in lean and Just-in-Time

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(JIT) management.
̥̥ Implement new technologies.
̥̥ Be capable of performing human resource management functions.
AP
̥̥ Participate in strategic planning and control development with senior

management.
̥̥ Understand basic principles of sustainability, including reverse logistics,
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reworking product lines and cutting operational energy costs.

Operations and enterprise economics
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̥̥ Understand the importance of and demonstrate the ability to take raw
materials or knowledge and convert it into a product or service that has
more value to the customer than the original material or data.
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̥̥ Determine the success or failure rate of a business using financial
accounting, incorporating terms and techniques including income, expense,
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cost of goods sold, gross margin, balance sheet, return on assets, inventory
turns, capital asset management and cash management.
̥̥ Employ the technique of break-even analysis, which finds the break-even
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point — the volume at which revenues exceed total costs.
̥̥ Find the best operating level (BOL), the level of capacity a process was designed
for. This is also the volume of output at which average unit cost is minimized.
̥̥ Use cost accounting systems to keep track of all costs of building products,
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labor, material, overhead and variances. These systems include activity-
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based costing (ABC) and cost analysis and control.
WORKPLACE AND LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES (TIER 3)

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Workplace competencies represent those skills and abilities that allow
individuals to function in an organizational setting.
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Problem solving and decision making

̥̥ Practice goal-directed thinking and action in situations for which no routine
solutions exist.
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̥̥ Understand a problem situation and its step-by-step transformation based

on planning and reasoning.
̥̥ Demonstrate the ability to choose between alternative courses of action
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using cognitive processes such as memory and evaluation.

̥̥ Demonstrate the ability to map processes of possible consequences of
decisions, to work out the importance of individual factors, and to choose
the best course of action.
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Teamwork and collaboration

̥̥ Demonstrate a commitment to the mission and motivation to combine the
team’s energy and expertise to achieve a common objective.
AP
̥̥ Understand the dynamics of effective teamwork in order to attain higher

levels of performance.
̥̥ Demonstrate the ability to work as part of a tight-knit and competent
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group of people.
̥̥ Demonstrate a commitment to engage teams in other departments or
divisions of the organization.

Accountability and responsibility
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̥̥ Demonstrate a willingness to accept responsibility and accountability for
one’s actions.
̥̥ Exhibit a moral, legal or mental accountability in areas of responsibility.
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̥̥ Understand that these two workplace competencies are intertwined, and
that both abilities must be present in order to succeed.
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Customer focus (internal and external)
̥̥ Understand this is an organizational orientation toward satisfying the needs
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of potential and actual customers.
̥̥ Ensure that the whole organization, not just frontline service staff, puts
customers first.
̥̥ Ensure all activities, from the planning of a new product to production,
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marketing and after-sales care, are built around the customer.
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̥̥ Understand that every department and every employee should share the
same customer-focused vision.
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̥̥ Practice good customer relations management and maintain a customer
relations program.
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̥̥ Demonstrate the ability to balance the needs of the organization and the
needs of the customer.
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Planning and organizing

̥̥ Effectively plan what is to be achieved and involve all relevant staff members.
̥̥ Anticipate important or critical events, identifying resource requirements
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and assigning responsibility for specific work, including deadlines and

performance expectations.
̥̥ Demonstrate the use of information-gathering techniques, analyzing
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situations and identifying implications in order to make correct decisions.

̥̥ Demonstrate the ability to monitor progress and to make changes as required.
̥̥ Ensure that staff is aware they will be accountable for achieving the desired
results through planned program evaluation and individual performance appraisal.
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̥̥ Ensure that staff is provided with the necessary tools to succeed.

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Conflict management
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̥̥ Demonstrate the ability to manage conflict by identifying and handling
conflicts in a sensible, fair and efficient manner.
̥̥ Demonstrate skill in effective communicating, problem solving and
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negotiating with a focus on party interests.
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Supporting and training staff
̥̥ Understand the importance of facilitating ongoing professional development
opportunities for staff.
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̥̥ Assess training needs and identify means (for example, classes, mentoring,
written materials) to fill skill gaps.
̥̥ Provide opportunities for staff to demonstrate leadership skills.
̥̥ Provide clear and meaningful performance evaluation.
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̥̥ Encourage the development of skills that increase personal and
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departmental productivities.
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PROFESSION-RELATED
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COMPETENCIES
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OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT TECHNICAL
COMPETENCIES (TIER 4)
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Operations management technical competencies represent the knowledge,
skills and abilities needed by all occupations within operations management,
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including distribution and logistics managers.
Operations strategy
̥̥ Ensure the alignment of the materials management strategy with the
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business strategies driving sales, marketing, finance and manufacturing.
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̥̥ Develop inventory and plant asset management strategy supportive of
company investment and capital management plans.
̥̥ Demonstrate the ability to consistently deliver products and services to
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meet customer needs.
̥̥ Develop strategic objectives that focus on areas of quality, cost, flexibility,
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productivity and speed.
̥̥ Consistently search for methods to develop an agile and committed
departmental workforce.
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Manufacturing process environments

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̥̥ Demonstrate close understanding and practical knowledge of a company’s

manufacturing processes and equipment capabilities.
̥̥ Encourage a close working relationship between manufacturing and
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materials management personnel.

̥̥ Develop materials storage and delivery processes supportive of
manufacturing operations.
̥̥ Assist manufacturing with process improvement and lean initiatives.
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̥̥ Assist manufacturing management in the development of meaningful

productivity and performance measurements.
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̥̥ Understand the influence of demand on manufacturing process design.

̥̥ Ensure processes conform to both the needs of the customer base and the
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characteristic of the product.

̥̥ Ensure the continuous availability of quality materials and finished components.
̥̥ Understand output of materials requirement planning (MRP), capacity
management and advanced planning system technologies.
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Standards (time measurement)
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̥̥ Assist manufacturing engineering in the development of process
productivity standards.
̥̥ Understand calculations for efficiency, utilization and productivity.
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̥̥ Demonstrate the ability to calculate nominal and demonstrated
productive capacities.
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Supply chain management
̥̥ Demonstrate the ability to manage the network of interconnected
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businesses involved in the ultimate provision of product and service
packages required by end customers.
̥̥ Understand that supply chain management spans all movement and storage
of raw materials, work-in-process inventory and finished goods from point of
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origin to point of consumption.
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Process improvement and six sigma
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̥̥ Understand the systematic approach to closing of process or system
performance gaps through streamlining and cycle time reduction; identify
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and eliminate causes of quality below specifications, process variation and
non-value-adding activities.
̥̥ Maintain company processes that afford optimum operation and enhance
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the company’s quality management system.

̥̥ Demonstrate the ability to visualize the total process and aid in locating
problem areas using process mapping, quality improvement and
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visualization tools to locate, quantify and correct root causes of problems.

̥̥ Perform periodic evaluations to maintain processes by gathering pertinent
information such as problem symptoms from knowledgeable sources and
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carrying these through to the problems, potential causes and root causes
of the problem.
̥̥ Hold gains in process improvements by establishing key performance
measurements, benchmarking metrics and continuous process
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Execution, planning, scheduling and control
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̥̥ Determine the need for material and capacity to address expected demand,
execute the resulting plans, and update planning and financial information to
reflect the results.
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̥̥ Plan the management function by defining goals and the tasks and
resources needed to attain those goals.
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̥̥ Schedule a timetable of events and decide when and where certain events
will occur.
̥̥ Control and check errors, taking any corrective action so that deviations
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from standards are minimized and stated goals of the organization are
achieved in a desired manner.
Lean management
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̥̥ Identify and reduce or eliminate waste in all areas of a supply chain.
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̥̥ Calculate the total system cost of delivering a product or service to the
customer.
̥̥ Develop systems that allow employees to produce results by: ig
• Educating suppliers to create value for customers by streamlining
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processes in the value chain.
• Using suppliers whose methods and core competencies will align with lean
requirements and developing long-term relationships with them.
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• Reducing or entirely eliminating the cost of changing from one product or

service to another.
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Sustainability
̥̥ Understand current industry and government regulations governing sustainability.
̥̥ Be able to calculate the carbon footprint of business processes.
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̥̥ Develop processes that strive to eliminate waste.

̥̥ Incorporate renewable raw materials.
̥̥ Assemble an effective reverse logistics program.
̥̥ Pursue transportation alternatives to reduce energy and emissions.
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̥̥ Utilize safe and reusable containerization.

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̥̥ Pursue paperless documentation.

̥̥ Coordinate shipping and freight to use full truckloads.
̥̥ Convert outputs to inputs; recycle end products and components
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when possible.
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Technology application
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̥̥ Recognize that continuous process improvement is an accepted way of life
in business and that few companies lack a continuing quality or process
improvement effort.
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̥̥ Implement improvement methods such as business process re-engineering,
total quality management (TQM), six sigma, lean manufacturing and theory
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of constraints (TOC).
̥̥ Understand that technology and process functionality have an
interconnected relationship and that each helps transform the other.
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̥̥ Initiate process improvements that are enabled and supported by technology.
BUYER/PLANNER KNOWLEDGE AREAS (TIER 5)
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Buyer/planner knowledge areas are broad knowledge areas that can be used
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as a basis for specifying more detailed knowledge areas required for work as a
buyer/planner.
Purchasing
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̥̥ Establish specifications in terms of optimal quantity to purchase, quality
required and the cost impact on budget.
̥̥ Select suppliers according to the type of product, quality provided by the
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supplier and the possibility of partnership.

̥̥ Negotiate contracts that include costs, warranties, delivery, handling, and
penalties for late delivering or cost overruns.
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̥̥ Manage the purchasing cycle, including generating requisitions, PO creation,

PO follow-up, goods reception and final payment.
̥̥ Monitor supplier performance with a system that monitors, measures and
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provides feedback on supplier performance.

̥̥ Provide an uninterrupted flow of materials and services.
̥̥ Purchase products competitively.
̥̥ Keep inventory investment to a minimum.
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̥̥ Develop people resources and information tools for productivity optimization.

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Scheduling techniques
̥̥ Understand how to implement and determine the appropriate scheduling
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technique to control capacity at work centers:

• Finite scheduling
• Infinite scheduling
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• Forward scheduling
• Backward scheduling

Material requirements planning (MRP)
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̥̥ Plan orders for production activity control and purchasing to implement
and control.
̥̥ Ensure sufficient capacity to implement MRP by using capacity
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requirements planning.
̥̥ Use the master production schedule, product structure file, inventory record
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file and item master file for the MRP process.
̥̥ Construct a product tree bill of material when given parents and components.
̥̥ Calculate the requirements, receipts, orders and projected availability for a
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basic MRP record.
Product and service design

̥̥ Understand the life cycle of your organization’s product or service and
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how the cycle stages relate to your function. For example, once a product
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reaches maturity, there is often a need to lower costs and price. Buyers may
need to reevaluate supplier selection.
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̥̥ Be able to provide input for concurrent product design and engineering processes.
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Service scheduling (days on and days off)
̥̥ Create service schedules that maintain capacity levels to meet anticipated demand.
̥̥Take into consideration employee skill mix, shift assignments and
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employee preferences.
Plant maintenance
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̥̥ Schedule maintenance of shop floor equipment.
Inventory management
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̥̥ Be capable of determining departmental inventory management strategies

and objectives.
̥̥ Know how to set up an effective inventory control department.
̥̥ Know how to apply trade-off analysis to balance requirements of demand
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and supply.
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̥̥ Understand the different classes of inventory (raw materials, WIP, finished

goods, MRO, service parts, damaged and obsolete).
̥̥Understand the difference between independent and dependent
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demand inventory.
̥̥ Know how to define the five functions of inventory: cycle inventory, safety
inventory, anticipation inventory, transportation inventory and hedge inventory.
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̥̥ Know how to determine the elements of inventory decision costs such as

fixed, variable, direct and overhead.
̥̥ Know how to calculate inventory carrying costs.

Inventory management (cont.)
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̥̥ Know how to calculate manufacturing and purchasing costs.
̥̥ Effectively manage surplus and obsolete inventories.
̥̥ Understand the methods of valuing inventory: standard; first in, first out
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(FIFO); last in, first out (LIFO); average; and actual cost.
̥̥ Understand the difference between continuous and period review systems
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of inventory control.
̥̥ Effectively calculate the inventory required to restock products or parts with
inventory models including:
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• Visual review
• Two-bin inventory system
• Periodic review
• Order point
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• Time-phased order point (TPOP)
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• Just-in-Time (JIT)
̥̥ Effectively calculate safety stock for independent demand items.
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̥̥ Be able to calculate the order quantity through the economic order
quantity (EOQ).
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̥̥ Maintain high inventory accuracy through various techniques including
inventory audits, annual physical inventory and cycle counting.
̥̥ Generate reporting detailing inventory financial statements, turnover ratios,
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activity-based cost (ABC) analysis and inventory performance.

̥̥ Be aware of the latest electronic data collection technologies.
̥̥ Understand lean and JIT concepts and practices.
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̥̥ Be able to set up and run a pull system of inventory control.

̥̥ Effectively calculate kanban card requirements.
̥̥ Develop kaizen event teams to remove inventory, process wastes and speed
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inventory throughput.
Risk management
̥̥ Accurately identify risks that affect supply, transformation, delivery and
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customer demand.
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̥̥ Effectively analyze the probability, control and impact of identified risks.

̥̥ Develop strategies for dual sourcing, buffering, forward buying and others
that minimize financial impact uncertainties such as yields, timing, pricing
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and catastrophic events.

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BUYER/PLANNER TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES (TIER 6)
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Buyer/planner technical competencies are specific to the role of buyer/planner.
Supplier relationship management (SRM)
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̥̥ Form partnerships with suppliers based on mutual business value principles:
compatibility of interests, mutual need, openness and trust.
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̥̥ Base your degree of involvement with a supplier on a continuum (from
simple transactional to strategic alliance) of how much value-add the
supplier creates.
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̥̥ Develop partnerships with suppliers who provide a value proposition in areas
including product development, operations integration and efficiencies,
flexibility and others.
̥̥ Develop a supplier rating program that monitors and measures performance
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while providing timely feedback to the supply partners.
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Enterprise resources planning (ERP), manufacturing resource planning
(MRP II), materials requirements planning (MRP)
̥̥ Be able to define ERP and MRP II software systems.
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̥̥ Be able to explain the components of a modern ERP system.
̥̥ Have knowledge of the foundations of ERP systems.
̥̥ Understand the basic principles and operations of ERP systems.
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̥̥ Understand the integration of company functions provided by an ERP system.

̥̥ Establish ERP planning procedures.
̥̥ Explain MRP II time-phased planning logic.
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̥̥ Be capable of discussing the role of the bill of material in ERP.

̥̥ Describe how safety stock is managed in MRP.
̥̥ Understand the various types of order policies available in MRP order generation.
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̥̥ Apply the application of independent and dependent demand to ERP.

̥̥ Calculate scrap and shrinkage factors into the MRP generation.
̥̥ Be capable of discussing and demonstrating the MRP gross-to-net
explosion process.
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̥̥ Evaluate the contents and calculations on the MRP grid display or report.
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̥̥ Have knowledge of planning utilizing action messaging.

̥̥ Have knowledge of planning time fences in MRP.
̥̥ Be capable of defining the types of replenishment orders found in the MRP grid.
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̥̥ Be capable of working with pegged requirements in MRP.

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Enterprise resources planning (ERP), manufacturing resource planning
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(MRP II), materials requirements planning (MRP) (cont.)
̥̥ Know how to perform order rescheduling in MRP.
̥̥ Understand the various MRP output reports.
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̥̥ Establish when MRP is to be generated.
̥̥ Have knowledge of detail capacity planning (CRP).
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̥̥Have detailed knowledge of the CRP components (work centers, labor
and machines, routings, setup times, run, standards and move times)
necessary to run CRP.
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̥̥ Have knowledge of how to increase or decrease capacity.
̥̥ Be able to use CRP to reschedule open and MRP-generated orders.
̥̥ Understand load versus capacity output reporting.
̥̥ Collaborate with functional departments to discuss and react to changes
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in demand.
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̥̥ Understand ERP support for advanced planning systems (APS).
Advanced planning systems

̥̥ Understand the output from APS.
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̥̥ Have basic knowledge of advanced planning systems optimization techniques.
̥̥ Understand advanced planning relationships to MRP planning systems.
̥̥ Have the ability to develop simulation scheduling scenarios.
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OCCUPATION-RELATED
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COMPETENCIES
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BUYER/PLANNER SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS (TIER 7)
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Buyer/planner specific requirements include certification, licensure and
specialized educational degrees, or physical and training requirements.
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Post-secondary education
̥̥ The majority of buyer/planner professionals hold post-secondary
degrees — a bachelor’s or equivalent.
̥̥ While a number of buyer/planner professionals have degrees related to
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supply chain or operations management, the majority hold degrees in other
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fields, including but not limited to business, economics, engineering or
liberal arts studies.
Association membership
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Professional association membership ensures that the buyer/planner
professional is able to link into a network of practitioners to share best
practices, develop their careers and continue their professional education.
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There are a number of supply chain associations related to specific industries,

including but not limited to:
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̥̥ APICS
̥̥ Institute of Supply Management (ISM)
̥̥ Supply Chain Council (SCC)
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̥̥ American Purchasing Society
Certifications
Once the professional is in the workplace, it is desirable to obtain a buyer/
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planner-related certification. While there are a number of supply chain and

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operations management certifications related to specific industries, general

certifications include:
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̥̥ APICS Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM)

̥̥ APICS Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP)
̥̥ American Purchasing Society Certified Purchasing Professional (CPP)
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APPENDIX:
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UNDERSTANDING
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JOB DESCRIPTIONS
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UNDERSTANDING JOB DESCRIPTIONS
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A quick scan of a job board will identify a wide range of job descriptions.
Almost every job posting is unique. The organization, structure, content,
format, and writing style change from company to company and position to
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position. These variations become even greater when comparing job postings
to the job descriptions used internally at companies.
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Job descriptions are designed with a balance of detail and ambiguity. This can
be frustrating for job seekers, but is necessary. If a job description is too vague,
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then it will not establish clear expectations to make a hiring decision or to
assess the performance of someone in the role. This can open a company up
to discrimination charges if a candidate is rejected based on criteria not noted
in the job description.
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If a job description is too detailed, it may restrict the hiring process and result
in qualified job seekers being rejected. In addition, it is likely to fail to capture
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every essential function of the job. It is impossible to list every single task
that could be required in a job. Even the most mundane role requires some
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adaptability, and the challenges in an organization are constantly changing.
A job description must incorporate these variations.
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Good job descriptions provide a level of detail and specificity while still
capturing the flexibility and adaptability required in a position.
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PURPOSE OF A JOB DESCRIPTION

The purpose of a job description also affects how it is written. A job
description can serve a wide range of purposes. This often means that a job
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description that works well in one situation may not adequately meet the
needs of another situation.
Job descriptions are mostly viewed as job postings to attract candidates. They
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are essentially advertisements. Companies want to attract a large candidate

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pool to ensure they can select the best candidate. Some job postings are
focused on selling the position and company as much as possible. These job
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descriptions have a lengthy section detailing the background and success

of the company, and highlight the growth potential of the position. Job
descriptions written with job seekers as the primary audience work to highlight
the reasons a job seeker should apply for a position.
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Although job advertisements are what most people picture when thinking about
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a job description, they are only one type of job description. Job descriptions are
important in a number of other situations, and take a number of other forms.
Each role in a company should have a written job description detailing the
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requirements and expectations of the job. The job description serves as a
written summary of the performance level required in a role, and is an essential
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management tool. Without clearly defined roles and expectations, it can
be difficult to manage performance, and difficult for employees to gauge
what they need to do to be successful. Often, these job descriptions vary
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from person to person and year to year, reflecting the specific challenges
in an organization and the developmental opportunities for the employee.
Job descriptions written for a person currently in a role work to set clear
expectations for the scope of the role and the performance level required.
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Job descriptions are also used to determine the compensation levels for
positions. Companies have standard compensation guidelines for positions.
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This makes it easier to determine what to pay a new hire, and to ensure
consistency in compensation across the organization. The first step in
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developing a compensation plan is to understand the position. A job
description is an important element in this process, but the job descriptions
for compensation purposes are typically much more general than other job
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descriptions. This allows similar positions to be grouped together. For example,

the engineering manager, production manager, and accounting manager may
all be at the same level in a company and have a similar compensation plan.
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They essentially have the same job description for compensation purposes,
and yet their roles are different.
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Companies also need to organize employees for data security purposes. With
large organizations, it is important for each employee to have access to the
systems and data needed for their job. At the same time, there is a lot of data
that needs to be kept confidential. For example, a limited number of people
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should have access to employment records. Job descriptions help establish

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what information technology (IT) access a person has in a specific role.
Ideally, a company would have a job description that covers all of these topics.
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Often though, companies take short cuts. Instead of detailing the exact
functions, responsibilities, and challenges in a position, the description is
generalized. This generalization is essential for the job description to be useful
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for longer periods of time. Companies and jobs are continuously changing, and
a job description either has to change with the role, or be broad enough to still
be applicable in the future.

ELEMENTS OF A JOB DESCRIPTION
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Job descriptions show the scope of a role within a company and how the
role fits into the organization. The job description also needs to answer key
questions about the job. To do this, there are a number of elements that make
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up a job description.
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̥̥ Position within the organization
• Job title
• Department
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• Title of supervisor
• Location
̥̥ Compensation
• Pay grade
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• Schedule (full-time or part-time)
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• Exempt or nonexempt status
̥̥ Company overview: A description of the company culture, goals, market
position and history. ig
̥̥ Overview of the position: A brief description of the role with highlights of
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key responsibilities.
̥̥ Potential of the position: A description of the career path the position may
lead to.
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̥̥ Responsibilities: The typical day-to-day activities that a person must

perform in the role should be listed.
̥̥ Performance expectations: The specific expectations for a person in the
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role that must be met to be considered successful. Most job descriptions

generalize the expectations. For annual review purposes, these expectations
need to be detailed and specific.
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̥̥ Job qualifications: The requirements for a person to be qualified to perform

a job should be listed. This includes specialized education or training,
experience, or skills that are necessary to the job.
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̥̥ Resources essential to perform the job: A profile of equipment, software,

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and user rights that a person in the role needs to do the job. Each of these
elements describes an aspect of a position. Depending on the use of the
job description, some of these elements may or may not be important. For
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example, the company overview is an important element of a job description

that is posted as a recruiting advertisement, but the overview is likely to
be unimportant to a person in a payroll department trying to set up a new
©
employee in the payroll system.

JOB POSTING BEST PRACTICES
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When writing a job description for a recruitment campaign, you need to create an
exciting, attractive job description with enough sizzle to get candidates to apply.
You also need to write a description that is going to help candidates present the
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right information to you. Candidates will use the job description to tailor their
résumés and cover letter to the position, and will focus on the elements of their
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backgrounds that tie to the most significant elements of the job posting. Most
importantly, you want to attract the right candidates. The goal is to generate a
large number of submissions from candidates who meet your requirements, and
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fewer submissions from candidates that don’t meet the requirements.
Five best practices were identified from the job descriptions studied for this report:
̥̥ Be specific
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̥̥ Focus on what’s in it for them (WIIFT)
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̥̥ Include a company overview
̥̥ Use relevant keywords
̥̥ Write with short blocks of text ig
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Each of these best practices is detailed below.
BE SPECIFIC
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It is important for a job description to be specific. Job seekers are looking for
a role where they are going to work for years, dedicating a significant portion
of their lives to the role and company. Vague descriptions make it difficult to
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imagine working for the company. Providing a clear picture of what the role
entails can make a job seeker more comfortable with applying.
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Specific job descriptions can also discourage individuals who are unqualified
from applying. If the job description clearly shows a requirement the job seeker
does not possess, and it is clear the requirement is essential to being hired,
individuals without the qualification are less likely to apply. Be careful with this
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though. If you make too many requirements essential for the position, it will be
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difficult to find candidates that meet all the requirements.
A good way to be specific without being overly restrictive is to provide a great

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deal of detail of the responsibilities of a position. This provides a job seeker with
a clear picture of the role.
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Example: Buyer/planner position, list of responsibilities
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̥̥ Creates purchase orders, including schedule line agreements and
blanket orders, usually for complex purchase requests. Clearly defines all
requirements, pricing, terms and conditions and expectations.
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̥̥ Manages exception messages by expediting, delaying, or canceling orders as required.
̥̥ Supports internal customers by providing information on purchasing
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processes, products and suppliers. Mitigates problems by applying a broad
view of situational implications and total cost impacts. Provides value in
resolving supplier and purchased product related issues.
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̥̥ Administers bid processes including preparation of request for quotation
(RFQ) packages, and comprehensively assesses supplier proposals for
price, requirement satisfaction, terms and conditions, schedule, risk, supplier
performance and best value.
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̥̥ Negotiates complex contracts with suppliers and supports other buyer
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negotiations by developing negotiation strategies based on the proposal analysis
including price and cost factors, terms and conditions, and technical issues.
̥̥ Documents, authorizes and maintains contractual agreements that
address all elements.
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̥̥ Manages supplier performance by addressing day-to-day issues such as
rejections and quality issues and supplier requested schedule changes,
ensuring the system application programming (SAP) is accurate, and leading
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supplier performance review meetings.

̥̥ Identifies potential suppliers through superior knowledge of the supplier
marketplace and existing supplier capabilities, and has the ability to search
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broadly and internationally for new sources to ensure supplier qualifications

meet requirements. Performs comprehensive on-site supplier assessments.
̥̥ Provides advanced knowledge and insight to support strategic sourcing,
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including assessments of the current situation (for example, internal

direction, suppliers, pricing trends). Develops future purchase strategies and
actions to proactively reduce total costs and optimize performance.
̥̥ Maintains information in the SAP system and material requirements
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planning (MRP) system settings to optimize inventory, varying from MRP

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recommendations based on established variance guidelines and resolves

system reconciliation issues such as invoice and receiving discrepancies.
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Job seeker tip

Tailor your résumé. There are candidates who apply to anything and everything.
Some send hundreds of résumés and are not discouraged by the requirements
©
of a position, and many do not read the requirements. This leads to a large
number of unqualified applications for every job posting. You can stand out and
get more attention with your application by customizing it to the job and writing
a custom cover letter for the position. This takes time, but most recruiters will
look closer at a résumé if they know the candidate spent time on the application.

FOCUS ON WIIFT
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Most job descriptions focus on the responsibilities and requirements of the
position. This is important, and can have a significant impact on the candidates
who apply. Just as important is creating a posting that is attractive to a job
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seeker. Job postings are ads and should give the job seeker a reason to apply.
The solution is simple. Make sure the posting shows what’s in it for them (WIIFT).
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Identity the key attributes that make the job attractive. This can include exciting
challenges, the corporate culture, stability and growth of the company, benefits,
or any other feature that offers something unique to the job seeker.
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Example: Buyer/planner position, list of benefits
̥̥ Benefits
̥̥ 401(k) program
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̥̥ Company paid life insurance
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̥̥ Business casual dress code
̥̥ Health, dental and flexible spending insurance plans
̥̥ A positive work environment with all team players ig
̥̥ A stake in the company with an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP)
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Job seeker tip
The goal of your job search is to find a position that meets your needs and
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wants. You should assess jobs based on how they appeal to you. Despite this,
focus on what you can contribute to the organization in your application.
When you submit a résumé and cover letter, focus on WIIFT. Persuade the
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company and hiring manager to want to interview you. Avoid lengthy objective
statements. Some job seekers are more detailed about what they want than
what they can do. Focus on the value you offer to an employer.
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INCLUDE A COMPANY OVERVIEW
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Providing background on the company is important in a job posting. There
are over 20 million businesses in the United States, and job seekers will only
know a few of them. Even if the job seeker has heard of a company, they are
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unlikely to know much about it. A job posting can create an impression of the
company’s culture, values and track record. This impression goes a long way
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toward selling a candidate on a position.
Example: Strategic buyer position, company overview
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Baking Company is not a conventional company, and we don’t intend to
become one. True, we share a focus on innovation and smart business
practices, but even as we continue to grow, we’re committed to retaining a
small company feel where every employee is valued and is an integral part
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of our success. Our goal is to be the most innovative and sustainable global
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provider of all natural food products. We’re making history and the good news
is that we’ve only just begun. Are you ready to join the pastry revolution?
Job seeker tip:

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Do research on the companies you interview with. Study the company. Learn as
much as you can about the company’s culture, values, strategy, performance
and hiring process. Many hiring managers will ask questions designed to test
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whether you have done your homework. If you haven’t, it will hurt your chances.
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USE RELEVANT KEYWORDS
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An effective job posting makes it easy for the right job seekers to find.
Although unemployment is still high, and the job market is far from strong,
there is a lot of competition for talent. In May 2011, there were 2,973,171 job
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postings on Indeed.com. With so many, it is easy for a job posting to get lost.
Companies need to make it easy to find the job posting. Choosing the right
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keywords is important. Some keywords will attract a lot of candidates such as
“supervisor” or “manager.” Others will have a much more narrow focus such as
“master production scheduler.”
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The best keywords will be phrases that an ideal candidate will use as a search
term. Often, important skills and certifications are good at attracting top
candidates. This makes it important to have both requirements and preferred
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qualities. A company may want someone with a Certified in Production and
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Inventory Management (CPIM), but not make it a requirement. Including the
CPIM as a preferred qualification, you are more likely to get candidates to apply
who have that credential. ig
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Example: Buyer/planner position, system and certification preference
Full knowledge of materials planning systems such as MRP or enterprise
resources planning (ERP) requirements and order generation process. CPIM or
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Certified Purchasing Manager (CPM) certification is preferred.
Job seeker tip

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Identify a number of specific keyword phrases that relate directly to your ideal
job and set up email alerts on a site like Indeed.com. This will help you focus on
your search on the jobs that are closest to your goals. A good keyword phrase for
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an email alert will only generate a few job postings per day or per week. If you are
getting more than that, make the search more specific.
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WRITE WITH SHORT BLOCKS OF TEXT
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People do not want to read long blocks of text. Writing with short blocks
increases the amount of the job posting that is read. Despite this, there are
companies that write one giant paragraph and use it as a job posting. In the age
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of Twitter and Facebook, a posting like that will not be read. To be more effective,
put each idea in a separate paragraph and make sure each paragraph is one to
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three lines long. If it is longer than a few lines, break it up. A lot of candidates are
used to reading blocks of text that are less than 140 characters.
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To make a job posting easier to read and more inviting to a job seeker, add
titles to each paragraph. Start a paragraph with a word or phrase describing
what is in the paragraph. This gives someone the ability to scan the posting
and read the elements that are most important to them.
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Example: Buyer/planner, list of preferred competencies
To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the
following competencies: ig
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̥̥ Analytical: collects and researches data; uses intuition and experience to
complement data.
̥̥ Problem solving: identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner, works
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well in group problem solving situations, and uses reason when dealing with
emotional topics.
̥̥ Technical skills: pursues training and development opportunities, and strives
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to continuously build knowledge and skills.

̥̥ Written communication: writes clearly and informatively, and is able to read
and interpret written information.
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̥̥ Teamwork: balances team and individual responsibilities.

̥̥ Quality management: looks for ways to improve and promote quality, and
demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness.
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Job seeker tip

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This strategy is great on a résumé. Use short blocks of text and add keyword titles
to major bullet points. It provides a more professional look and makes it easier for a
hiring manager to find the most important elements of your résumé.
AP
©

FOCUS ON WHAT IS IMPORTANT
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It is important to focus a job description on what is important. To create a
complete picture of a job, a lot of information is needed. However, a complete
picture is not necessary when posting a job description. For example, the pay
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grade of a position may be important to a company, but it is not necessary
to publish the pay grade with the job description advertisement. One reason
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is that the pay grade information is unlikely to be important to a candidate.
Would knowing that a position had a pay grade of seven tell you anything?
Unless the company publishes the entire compensation plan, the specific pay
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grade doesn’t help.
There are other details that are also not valuable to a job seeker, and these
can be omitted from a job posting. Omitting the details allows the posting to
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be more focused. Some details only become important for certain jobs. For
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example, exempt or nonexempt status for a purchasing manager is likely to be
understood without stating it. For other positions, the difference is tougher.
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For example, a production team lead could be a salaried role or an hourly role
depending on the company. Disclosing the overtime status of the position is
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valuable information.
The important thing is to focus on the important details that will help a job
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seeker understand what the role entails.
Job seeker tip

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This is another great strategy for your résumé and cover letter. If you add
information that is not relevant to your ability to do a job, you will distract
the reader from the reasons they should interview you. Unfortunately, most
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candidates have a lot of detail in their résumés about unimportant elements

of their background. Make every word on your résumé count. Weeding out
nonessential information will produce a much more effective résumé.
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AP
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ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
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Gary W. Capone is President of Palladian International, LLC, a career coaching
firm in Waynesboro, Virginia that offers résumé assessment, résumé writing,
and interview coaching services.
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He has authored two books:
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̥̥ Résumé Writing for Manufacturing Careers
̥̥ Power Up Your Job Search: A Modern Approach to Interview Preparation
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Mr. Capone is a graduate of the Management and Technology Program at
the University of Pennsylvania, where he concurrently earned a Bachelor of
Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Economics
from the Wharton School of Business. Mr. Capone has experience in
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manufacturing, distribution, accounting, finance, recruiting, and human
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resources, gained from positions at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Newell
Rubbermaid, Kforce, Raymond James, and the Target Corporation.
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In 2006, he joined the board of directors of the Blue Ridge Chapter of
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APICS and in 2009, was elected chapter president. Mr. Capone spoke at the
2009 and 2010 APICS International Conferences. In 2010, he became the
career coach for the APICS “Ask the Coach” in the APICS Career Center at
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apicscareercenter.org.
APICS BUYER/PLANNER CAREER PACK

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APICS Corporate Office

8430 West Bryn Mawr, Suite 1000, Chicago, IL 60631 USA
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Phone +1-773-867-1778 Toll Free 800-444-2742 Fax +1-773-636-3008 apics.org

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AP
©

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ABOUT APICS
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APICS is the leading professional association for supply chain and
operations management and the premier provider of research, education
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and certification programs that elevate end-to-end supply chain excellence,
innovation and resilience. APICS Certified in Production and Inventory
Management (CPIM) and APICS Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP)
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designations set the industry standard. With over 37,000 members and
more than 250 international partners, APICS is transforming the way people
do business, drive growth and reach global customers.
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AP
©
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1 APICS BUYER/PLANNER CAREER PACK

2 APICS BUYER/PLANNER CAREER PACK

APPENDIX: Understanding Job Descriptions 47

3 APICS BUYER/PLANNER CAREER PACK

I’M A HIRING MANAGER ig

with your organization’s human resources staff.

I’M A HUMAN RESOURCES PROFESSIONAL

and the APICS Buyer/Planner Competency Model to identify the key

knowledge areas to include in the job posting.

4 APICS BUYER/PLANNER CAREER PACK

5 APICS BUYER/PLANNER CAREER PACK

supply chain management careers.

WHEN PLANNING YOUR CAREER, CONSIDER COMPLETING THE

̥̥ Determine the additional training or education required. What knowledge do

(annual, biannually or on another schedule)

6 APICS BUYER/PLANNER CAREER PACK

PROMOTIONS OR CHANGE OF EMPLOYER

Top five skills, traits and accomplishments responsible for promotion

Advice from buyer/planners

̥̥ Be detail oriented and organized

̥̥ Learn your product and customer

7 APICS BUYER/PLANNER CAREER PACK

̥̥ New supplier development

contains a wide range of responsibilities. Typically, a more junior buyer/

may have a sophisticated and structured supplier certification program, while

Below are some of the specific responsibilities under each category:

New supplier development

̥̥ Identify new suppliers

8 APICS BUYER/PLANNER CAREER PACK

̥̥ Release orders to manufacturing

̥̥ Prepare MRP reports on key metrics

9 APICS BUYER/PLANNER CAREER PACK

All keyword searches were conducted on Indeed.com. Indeed is a job

10 APICS BUYER/PLANNER CAREER PACK

Production planner 359

Production planner 1.7%

Production scheduler 0.0%

Keyword: “Supplier certification”

Job title Percentage with keyword

Production planner 0.0%

Production scheduler 0.0%

11 APICS BUYER/PLANNER CAREER PACK

Production scheduler 19.1%

Production planner 0.8%

Production scheduler 0.0%

Keyword: “Inventory management”

Job title Percentage with keyword

Production planner 12.8%

Production scheduler 6.8%

12 APICS BUYER/PLANNER CAREER PACK

Production scheduler 1.2%

Production planner 26.7%

Production scheduler 25.9%

Keyword: “Production scheduling”

Job title Percentage with keyword

Production planner 5.8%

Production scheduler 26.5%

13 APICS BUYER/PLANNER CAREER PACK

Production scheduler 13.6%

Production planner 7.0%

Production scheduler 8.6%

Job title Percentage with keyword