Materials Planner

McCormick & Company, Inc., a global leader in the spice, flavor, and seasonings industry, is seeking a full-time Materials Planner. This new hire will work in The Maryland Manufacturing Center, located in Belcamp, MD. 

McCormick & Company, Incorporated is a global leader in flavor with approximately 14,000 employees worldwide. With over $6 billion in annual sales across 160 countries and territories, we manufacture, market, and distribute spices, seasoning mixes, condiments, and other flavorful products to the entire food industry including e-commerce, retail,food manufacturers and foodservice businesses. Our most popular brands include McCormick, French's, Frank's RedHot, Stubb's, OLD BAY, Lawry's, Zatarain's, Ducros, Vahiné, Cholula, Schwartz, Kamis, DaQiao, Club House, Aeroplane, and Gourmet Garden. Every day, no matter where or what you eat or drink, you can enjoy food flavored by McCormick. Our Purpose is "To Stand Together for the Future of Flavor and our Vision is "A World United by Flavor—where healthy, sustainable and delicious go hand in hand."

As a company recognized for its exceptional commitment to employees, McCormick offers a wide variety of benefits, programs, and services. Benefits include, but are not limited to, tuition assistance, medical, dental, vision, disability, group life insurance, 401(k), profit sharing, paid holidays, and vacations.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Materials Planner is responsible for the efficient planning, coordination, and management of materials in a GMP-compliant production warehouse. This role includes overseeing inventory levels, ensuring material availability for production, and performing regular cycle counting activities to maintain inventory accuracy. The Materials Planner will play a key role in ensuring compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), collaborating with production, quality, and warehouse teams to ensure materials are properly tracked and available to meet production schedules while maintaining the highest standards of quality and compliance.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop and maintain material plans based on production forecasts, inventory levels, and lead times, ensuring timely availability of materials in a GMP-compliant manner.
• Monitor and adjust material requirements as needed, working with procurement and production teams to ensure material availability without excess stock.
• Collaborate with procurement to ensure suppliers meet GMP requirements and that material deliveries are compliant with quality standards.

• Coordinate with production teams to ensure that all materials needed for production are available, while adhering to GMP standards for material handling and storage.
• Perform regular inventory audits and manage materials in a GMP-compliant manner to prevent contamination, mix-ups, or damage.
• Lead and conduct regular cycle counting activities to ensure accurate inventory levels in the warehouse.
• Maintain accurate records of material counts and discrepancies, taking corrective actions to resolve any discrepancies promptly.
• Ensure that cycle counting follows GMP standards for documentation, traceability, and compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Monitor and manage the effectiveness of cycle counting procedures to ensure adherence to GMP requirements, identifying areas for improvement.
• Ensure that materials are stored in a manner compliant with GMP guidelines, reducing the risk of contamination or mishandling.
• Ensure that all material handling, storage, and inventory activities comply with GMP standards and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain detailed records of material movements, cycle counts, and inventory adjustments in accordance with GMP documentation practices.
• Assist in training warehouse and production teams on GMP standards related to materials handling, storage, and cycle counting.
• Support quality assurance teams during internal or external audits to ensure that inventory management practices comply with GMP and other regulatory standards. Ensure compliance with all relevant environmental, health, and safety regulations within the warehouse setting.
• Work closely with production, quality assurance, procurement, and warehouse teams to ensure materials are available in the right quantities and in compliance with GMP standards.
• Communicate inventory status, shortages, or potential disruptions to the production team to minimize downtime.
• Assist in identifying and addressing potential issues in material flow, storage, or tracking to improve operational efficiency while maintaining compliance with GM. Prepare and maintain reports on inventory levels, cycle counting activities, material discrepancies, and any other related metrics.
• Document cycle count results, inventory adjustments, and corrective actions taken to address discrepancies, in line with GMP documentation requirements.
• Provide recommendations to improve materials planning, inventory accuracy, and cycle counting processes to enhance efficiency and compliance.
• Continuously review materials planning and inventory control processes to identify areas for improvement and cost reduction, while maintaining compliance with GMP.
• Participate in process improvement initiatives, supporting the implementation of Lean or Six Sigma practices to optimize material flow, reduce waste, and improve inventory management.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum of 3-5 years work experience in a planning or purchasing role, specifically within materials / inventory management/cycle counting
• Knowledge of GMP standards, including materials handling, storage, and traceability.
• Attention to detail and the ability to manage inventory in a regulated environment.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to handle inventory discrepancies and improve processes.
• Strong communication skills, written and oral, and the ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams, including ability to give effective presentations.
• Competent PC Skills including Word, Excel, etc.
• Familiarity with ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle) and inventory management software.
• Assertive and tenacious, results focused
• Customer focused and committed to building effective internal and external working relationships Innovative, flexible, and adaptable
• Good organizational and planning skills
• Good interpersonal skills
• Competent written and oral communication skills, including ability to give effective
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment while maintaining GMP compliance.
• PAPR/Respirator use required may be required. 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, or related field.
• Experience working in food manufacturing industries with a strong emphasis on GMP
• Working knowledge of statistics preferred
• Certification in materials management or inventory control (e.g., APICS CPIM, Six Sigma).
• Knowledge of quality management systems (QMS) and regulatory standards (e.g., FDA, ISO).
• Familiarity with barcode scanning and warehouse management systems (WMS)

McCormick & Company is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.

As a general policy, McCormick does not offer employment visa sponsorships upon hire or in the future. 

Base Salary: $30.09 - $45.13

Base salary compensation will be determined based on factors such as geographic location, skills, education, experience for this role, and/or internal equity of our current employees as part of any final offer. This position is also eligible to participate in McCormick’s Dividend Program. In addition to a competitive compensation package, permanent employees of McCormick are eligible for our extensive Total Rewards programs that include:

- Comprehensive health plans covering medical, vision, dental, life and disability benefits

- Family-friendly benefits such as paid parental leave, fertility benefits, Employee Assistance Program, and caregiver support

- Retirement and investment programs including 401(k) and profit-sharing plans