Planning Manager

The Planning Manager is responsible for balancing inventory investment with customer service levels by managing end-to-end demand and supply planning processes. This role links Supply and Demand, through a robust Integrated Business Planning process, and ensures medium to long term demand and supply plans are balanced to meet customer requirements and sets up the short-term plan execution for success. The role will be responsible for Supply and Demand Planning processes. It will require strong collaboration with central supply planning to ensure production plans support demand and inventory expectations, supplier management of product importation and local packing up to the point of delivery to the local 3PL warehouses. Balancing cost, cash and service will be the key focus for this role.

• Owner of the local Integrated Business Planning (S&OP) process for the South African business and support the regional IBP process.
• Lead the Demand & Supply Planning team to deliver on key KPIs: service level, forecast accuracy/bias, inventory, cost, and talent development.
• Ensure consistent product availability to meet market demand while optimizing working capital.
• Provide visibility to commercial team in terms of supply risk in the short team and propose demand management interventions to ensure a reliable supply plan can be committed to customers.
• Drive continuous improvement in planning processes, reducing lead times and inventory levels without compromising service levels.
• Lead the SCOS agenda from a Supply Chain Planning perspective, ensuring performance losses are identified, and prioritised action plans are executed, making use of robust problem-solving methodology to address root causes.
• Oversee inbound supply planning and production coordination, including Co-Man operations and intercompany supply.
• Work closely with local packing operation to manage production performance and efficiency, with a focus on waste elimination and cost optimisation of the local packing operation.
• Lead the Demand/Supply Review process within the IBP framework, ensuring proactive risk management and reliable supply plans.
• Maintain a formal “fixed window” Sales and Operations Execution process where the next 13 weeks’ demand vs supply discrepancies are actively identified and gaps are addressed through supply or demand interventions.
• Build strong internal and external networks to adopt best practices in supply chain excellence, risk management, and digital tools.
• Work cross functionally with commercial, finance and other supply chain functions to drive integration and visibility.
• Build strong working relationships with customer supply chain leadership teams to facilitate collaboration aimed at alignment of plans as well as productivity initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with EHS legislation and company policies, including the Code of Conduct.
• Own and improve the local Integrated Business Planning (S&OP) process as feeder into regional and global IBP processes.
• Provide clear visibility into forward supply risk, inventory projections and pro-actively implement risk mitigation plans
• Optimise inventory levels in accordance with working capital budgets, and improvement targets
• Track all Planning KPI’s vs plan, identify gap drivers and implement and review corrective and preventative action using continuous improvement methodology.
• Drive system adoption and automation in the planning space, eliminating manual and repetitive non value adding tasks.
• Achieve weekly service level targets and monitor performance against targets.
• Improve forecast accuracy and reduce forecast bias through data analysis and commercial collaboration.
• Identify and resolve service risks, escalating to Central Planning when needed.
• Setting annual budgets for inbound logistics costs and maintaining a productivity pipeline to contain costs.
• Manage inbound supply planning to ensure demand fulfilment within budget and ensure accuracy of plans to support business planning processes.
• Align annual operating plans with central supply chain targets and local priorities.
• Coordinate Co-Man production and act as the single point of contact for intercompany supply.
• Maintain and update planning parameters, and master data according to requirements to streamline processes and ensure planning accuracy.
• Support new product launches by providing end-to-end planning input from project initiation to execution.
• Support the development and improvement of existing and new supply sources and flows.
• Develop strong relationships with central planning, plant teams, and supply chain partners.
• Communicate effectively with local and regional stakeholders to ensure transparency and reliability.
• Lead and develop the planning team, fostering engagement and capability growth.
• Continuously review and improve internal planning processes for clarity and efficiency.