Maintenance Planner & Buyer

Come Join The Fun with us as our Maintenance Planner & Buyer and be part of Making Candy Fun!

At R.M. Palmer Company, our mission is clear: driving innovation that celebrates life’s special moments by focusing on value and integrity while making candy fun in everything we do. We take pride in blending creativity and tradition to deliver products that spark joy, bring smiles, and create lasting memories, one candy at a time.

Since 1948, R.M. Palmer Company, LLC has grown from just 4 employees and 4 products into a leading manufacturer of imaginative chocolate novelties with more than 500 unique products and over 600 full-time employees. Today, we operate two manufacturing facilities and a distribution center the size of 11 football fields, producing more than 50 million pounds of product each year.

Our continued success is built on the people and values that drive us every day. We believe in getting it done with urgency, ownership, and accountability. We challenge ourselves to break it better through innovation, curiosity, and continuous improvement. We own the outcome by taking responsibility and acting in the best interest of our team, customers, and company. We play to win by focusing on results and striving for excellence in everything we do. Most importantly, we aim to leave them smiling by bringing positivity, teamwork, passion, and energy to every interaction.

Why Join Us?

When you join our team, you’re not just starting a job, you’re building a career with a company that values its people. We believe in rewarding hard work, supporting work-life balance, and helping our employees grow.

• Three weeks vacation to start so you can recharge
• Affordable benefits starting at $19 per week for medical, dental, and vision
• Company 401(k) contribution with match to help you save for the future

If you are someone who takes ownership, solves problems, and thrives in a fast-paced environment, we encourage you to join the RM Palmer team.

Position Summary

The Maintenance Planner/Buyer is responsible for coordinating maintenance planning activities and managing the procurement of maintenance-related materials, parts, and services to support efficient plant operations. This role plays a critical part in minimizing downtime, maintaining inventory accuracy, improving preventative maintenance execution, and ensuring timely availability of parts and resources.

The ideal candidate is organized, analytical, and proactive, with strong communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively across maintenance, production, purchasing, and vendor partners. This position requires independent decision-making, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

This role will utilize Business Central ERP for purchasing, inventory, and operational transactions, along with MVP One CMMS for maintenance scheduling, preventative maintenance tracking, work order management, and maintenance reporting.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Maintenance Planning & Scheduling

• Develop, coordinate, and maintain preventative maintenance schedules for production and facility equipment using MVP One CMMS.
• Schedule corrective maintenance activities based on equipment priorities, downtime risks, and operational needs.
• Coordinate maintenance shutdowns and planned repairs with production and operations teams.
• Review and prioritize work orders to ensure efficient allocation of labor and resources.
• Monitor preventative maintenance compliance and work order completion within the CMMS system.
• Track maintenance performance metrics including downtime, PM completion rates, backlog, and response times.
• Assist in identifying opportunities to improve maintenance planning and scheduling processes.
• Ensure maintenance activities comply with safety, GMP, and company standards.

Purchasing & Inventory Management

• Source and purchase maintenance parts, supplies, equipment, and outside services utilizing Business Central ERP.
• Maintain proper inventory levels of critical spare parts and consumables.
• Obtain quotes, evaluate pricing, and coordinate vendor selection based on quality, service, and cost.
• Create, issue, and track purchase orders to ensure timely delivery of materials and services.
• Monitor supplier performance and maintain effective vendor relationships.
• Work closely with accounting and purchasing teams regarding invoices, receipts, and purchasing discrepancies.
• Assist in managing maintenance-related budgets and cost-control initiatives.
• Identify opportunities for inventory optimization and purchasing efficiencies.

Administrative & Coordination Responsibilities

• Maintain accurate records within Business Central ERP and MVP One CMMS.
• Coordinate communication between maintenance, production, purchasing, and external vendors.
• Participate in production planning and maintenance meetings.
• Prepare reports related to maintenance scheduling, inventory, purchasing activity, and operational performance.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives related to maintenance reliability and operational efficiency.
• Assist with contractor scheduling and service coordination as needed.

Qualifications & Skills

• Associate degree in Maintenance, Supply Chain, Operations, Business, or related field preferred.
• 3–7 years of experience in maintenance scheduling, maintenance planning, purchasing, manufacturing operations, or related roles.
• Experience working within a manufacturing or industrial environment preferred.
• Experience utilizing ERP systems, preferably Business Central ERP.
• Experience using CMMS platforms, preferably MVP One CMMS.
• Working knowledge of preventative maintenance systems and maintenance workflows.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, especially Excel.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and multitasking abilities.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Strong attention to detail and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work in alignment with company core values by taking initiative, driving results, embracing continuous improvement, maintaining accountability and ownership, contributing to a high-performing team environment, and delivering exceptional internal and external customer experiences.