Planner Buyer (Remote)

Cengage Learning Holdings II, Inc.

Job Overview

Location

2 Locations

Job Type

Full-time

Full Job Description

📋 Description

• As a Planner Buyer at Cengage Learning Holdings II, Inc., you will play a critical role in ensuring the seamless flow of educational materials from production to delivery, directly supporting the company’s mission to empower learners worldwide through accessible, high-quality education technology.
• Your work will maintain optimal inventory levels, prevent stockouts and overstock, and ensure timely fulfillment of educational products—key to sustaining Cengage’s reputation for reliability and innovation in serving millions of students and educators globally.
• You will schedule stock replenishment based on demand forecasts, vendor capacity, and manufacturing specifications to maintain industry-standard fill rates and inventory turnover, aligning procurement with sales trends and seasonal academic cycles.
• You will monitor customer back orders and initiate manufacturing or procurement actions as needed to resolve fulfillment gaps and maintain service levels.
• You will collaborate closely with the Forecast Manager to review, validate, and refine demand forecasts using historical data, market trends, and product lifecycle insights to improve planning accuracy.
• You will coordinate with finance business managers to assess and address profitability concerns related to procurement decisions, ensuring cost efficiency without compromising product availability or quality.
• You will schedule work orders with distribution centers to assemble educational kits and learning bundles, ensuring timely preparation for shipment to institutional and retail customers.
• You will manage excess stock levels through proactive analysis and disposition strategies, aligning inventory with company financial goals and sustainability objectives.
• You will align with content and product development teams on new product specifications, timelines, and launch dates to ensure procurement activities are synchronized with editorial and production schedules.
• You will complete the end-to-end procurement of finished goods from global manufacturers, including vendor selection, purchase order creation, and order tracking to ensure on-time, in-full delivery.
• You will ensure timely deliveries from vendors or internal production shops by monitoring lead points, managing exceptions, and escalating delays when necessary.
• You will resolve supplier issues related to pricing, specifications, quality, and delivery schedules through negotiation, documentation, and cross-functional collaboration.
• You will expedite critical jobs and arrange drop shipments when urgency arises to meet customer commitments or prevent stockouts in key markets.
• You will collaborate with distribution center teams to address receipt discrepancies, damaged goods, or documentation errors, ensuring accurate inventory reconciliation.
• You will work with cost accounting to finalize order costs, validate invoices, and support accurate financial reporting and margin analysis.
• You will leverage proficiency in Excel and ERP systems such as Oracle JD Edwards or SAP to manage data, generate reports, automate workflows, and support decision-making with real-time visibility into inventory, orders, and supplier performance.
• You will apply your knowledge of book manufacturing processes (a plus) to better understand lead times, material constraints, and production capabilities when planning and buying.
• You will thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment by effectively multitasking across multiple product lines, vendors, and deadlines while maintaining attention to detail and prioritization.
• You will contribute to Cengage’s culture of inclusion, engagement, and discovery by bringing your authentic self to work, collaborating across diverse teams, and supporting initiatives that promote equity and belonging in the workplace.
• You will gain deep expertise in educational supply chain planning, global procurement, and inventory optimization—skills highly transferable across industries and valuable for career advancement in operations, supply chain, or procurement leadership.
• You will have the opportunity to impact the learning journey of millions of students by ensuring that the right educational materials are available at the right time, place, and format—directly enabling access to knowledge and opportunity.

🎯 Requirements

• Minimum of 3 years of progressive experience as a planner-buyer in a manufacturing, distribution, or retail environment.
• Proficiency with Excel and ERP systems such as Oracle JD Edwards, SAP, or comparable platforms for inventory management, purchase ordering, and data analysis.
• Strong ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment while maintaining accuracy, meeting deadlines, and managing competing priorities.

🏖️ Benefits

• Comprehensive Total Rewards package including health, dental, and vision insurance, retirement savings plans with company match, and paid time off.
• Access to professional development resources, learning platforms, and tuition reimbursement to support continuous growth and skill enhancement.
• Flexible remote work arrangement enabling work-life balance and geographic flexibility while contributing to a global education mission.

Skills & Technologies

Onsite

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Cengage Learning Holdings II, Inc.

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About Cengage Learning Holdings II, Inc.

Cengage provides higher education course materials, digital learning platforms, and e-textbooks. Its offerings include MindTap, WebAssign, and Cengage Unlimited, serving colleges, universities, students, and lifelong learners worldwide.

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