How to hire a planner/buyer

How to hire a planner/buyer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step planner/buyer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a planner/buyer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new planner/buyer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a planner/buyer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a planner/buyer, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect planner/buyer also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list shows salaries for various types of planner/buyers.

   Type of Planner/Buyer	Description	Hourly rate
   Planner/Buyer	Buyers and purchasing agents buy products and services for organizations to use or resell. They evaluate suppliers, negotiate contracts, and review the quality of products.	$17-37
   Procurement Analyst	Procurement analysts procure favorable contracts by acting as liaisons between suppliers and their employers. They are hired by organizations that rely on supply chain management to analyze and evaluate potential suppliers, prepare reports about monthly supply costs, and negotiate contracts... Show more	$21-43
   Procurement Agent	A procurement agent develops profitable measures to save the client money and ensure the quality of goods supplied. Procurement agents obtain the purchased items through suppliers, monitor them, and expedite the orders... Show more	$23-50

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Supply Chain
   • Purchase Orders
   • Customer Service
   • MRP
   • ERP
   • Logistics
   • Production Schedules
   • On-Time Delivery
   • Kanban
   • Lean Manufacturing
   • Supplier Performance
   • Strong Analytical
   • Inventory Control
   • Cost Savings

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage assign commodities by communicating MRP changes to the suppliers, minimizing obsolete inventory while achieving the optimum inventory levels.
   • Manage monthly and year end physical inventory audits of all raw materials, WIP, and finish goods.
   • Manage inventory pipelines from NPI to manufacturing and/or offshore contract manufacturers.
   • Utilize company ERP system for inventory management and schedule optimization.
   • Plan and coordinate all material requirements of assign commodities and supplier availability utilizing the MRP system.
   • Synchronize with packers and freight forwarders to arrange and prepare documentation shipment export.

   More planner/buyer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your planner/buyer job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A planner/buyer salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a planner/buyer in Kentucky may be lower than in Massachusetts, and an entry-level planner/buyer usually earns less than a senior-level planner/buyer. Additionally, a planner/buyer with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average planner/buyer salary

   $54,261yearly

   $26.09 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level planner/buyer salary

   $37,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 21, 2026

   Average planner/buyer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Massachusetts	$67,821	$33
   2	California	$67,657	$33
   3	Washington	$65,821	$32
   4	Hawaii	$64,997	$31
   5	New Jersey	$64,423	$31
   6	New York	$59,233	$28
   7	Wisconsin	$58,036	$28
   8	Ohio	$55,539	$27
   9	Texas	$55,227	$27
   10	Illinois	$54,002	$26
   11	South Carolina	$52,700	$25
   12	Nevada	$52,171	$25
   13	Minnesota	$52,011	$25
   14	Colorado	$51,717	$25
   15	Utah	$51,258	$25
   16	Indiana	$50,421	$24
   17	Arizona	$49,750	$24
   18	Georgia	$49,671	$24
   19	North Carolina	$48,437	$23
   20	Missouri	$47,539	$23

   Average planner/buyer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Edwards Lifesciences	$109,564	$52.67	1
   2	Intuitive Surgical	$106,478	$51.19	3
   3	KLA	$101,510	$48.80	5
   4	National Semiconductor	$98,576	$47.39
   5	Bristol-Myers Squibb	$98,430	$47.32	12
   6	Entegris	$97,725	$46.98	3
   7	AstraZeneca	$94,257	$45.32	3
   8	Salt River Project	$94,106	$45.24
   9	Tesla	$93,658	$45.03	3
   10	Amphenol	$93,213	$44.81	4
   11	Southern California Edison	$91,669	$44.07	3
   12	FormFactor	$91,542	$44.01	5
   13	Waters	$89,826	$43.19	7
   14	Applied Materials	$86,706	$41.69	22
   15	Carestream	$86,661	$41.66
   16	Sysmex	$85,200	$40.96
   17	Oshkosh	$83,758	$40.27	8
   18	Dell	$82,887	$39.85
   19	Cytokinetics	$81,913	$39.38
   20	Enovation Controls	$81,579	$39.22

4. Writing a planner/buyer job description

   A good planner/buyer job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a planner/buyer job description:

   Planner/buyer job description example

   At Sturtevant Richmont, a Snap-on Company, we make torque tools that improve workplace safety, quality and throughput and we've been doing it for 90 years. If you're looking for an opportunity to grow your career in a small company atmosphere with big company benefits, we encourage you to consider Sturtevant Richmont.
   The Buyer Planner will: Review and manage demand and communicate forecast requirements. Order all materials to proper specifications and revisions. Negotiate lead times and prices with suppliers. Support Plant Manager in all aspects of manufacturing. Responsibilities Review and manage demand. Coordinate and communicate forecast requirements, supersedes, and discontinuances with suppliers. Make recommendations to improve and maintain optimal inventory and service levels and to improve the flow of purchased product.
   Contact suppliers, both internal and external, to expedite product on back-order.
   Maintain various data points within various MRP systems (e.g. LN) and Items Master dataset to ensure integrity of pricing and lead times.
   Create, change, close and delete purchase orders.
   Review master schedule to adjust purchased and/or manufactured material.
   Follow up on materials purchased, note promise dates and check materials received against purchase order.
   Evaluate and review existing vendors and suppliers for alternative purchasing options to increase efficiency.
   Research and select suppliers based on capabilities, pricing, quality and lead times.
   Contact vendors on delayed deliveries and act as liaison between suppliers and user departments.
   Manages and maintains ISO 9001 and 17025 procedures, work instructions and supplier requirements applicable to the Production Inventory Control and Purchasing functions.
   Responsible for government compliance with Conflict Materials, California Prop 65, Reach and Rohs etc.
   Provide support and assistance to other departments.
   Perform all other duties as assigned. Local travel may be required occasionally. Qualifications Bachelor's degree in operations, business, economics, mathematics or related field 5+ years related experience Strong analytical background Knowledge of supply chain principles Ability to read blueprints Excellent written and oral communication skills Familiarity with MRP software, web based supply purchasing products and Microsoft office products Demonstrated ability to prioritize multiple projects under pressure and time constraints Ability to lift and or move up to 50 lbs occasionally. We offer a complete benefits package, which includes medical, dental, vision, life insurance, tuition reimbursement, paid vacation days and more! Snap-on is an Equal Opportunity Employer, Minority/Female/Disabled/Veteran.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find planner/buyers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your planner/buyer job on Zippia to find and recruit planner/buyer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with planner/buyer candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new planner/buyer

   Once you've decided on a perfect planner/buyer candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new planner/buyer. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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