Planning Excellence Leader

Lioncareers; Auckland; Hybrid; NZD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Lion New Zealand in Auckland seeks a Planning Excellence Leader to drive modern planning and supply across NZ. You will question the status quo, simplify processes and shape how data, technology and AI inform planning decisions.

Based in Auckland/Pride Brewery, you’ll partner with teams in New Zealand and Australia, lead major initiatives like IBP and broadband projects, and use KPIs to improve availability and planning maturity.

Qualifications

• Experience in supply planning or a broader supply chain role.
• A track record of improving processes and delivering practical outcomes.
• The ability to use data, KPIs and risk insights to guide decisions.
• Strong stakeholder skills and confidence coordinating work across teams.

Responsibilities

• Set priorities and shape the strategy for NZ Planning & Supply, aligned with Lion’s wider supply chain objectives.
• Lead improvement initiatives that strengthen product availability, DIFOT, planning performance and value creation.
• Coordinate technical improvements to IBP, working with teams in New Zealand and Australia to align activities and ways of working.
• Lead key supply chain projects, including the Broadband project, and identify further opportunities to improve how we plan.
• Use reporting, data and KPIs to provide clear insights and support better supply chain decisions.
• Improve the governance, data quality and adoption of planning processes and systems, including SAP and IBP.
• Explore how AI and other emerging tools could support better planning and more effective ways of working.

Skills

Supply planning experience

Process improvement

Data-driven decisions

Stakeholder management

Curiosity and initiative

Education

Degree in supply chain/logistics

Tools

IBP

SAP

Job description

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Due to a recent exciting internal promotion, we are now looking for our next Planning Excellence Leader for Lion New Zealand.

This is a hands-on improvement role for someone who enjoys questioning the status quo, simplifying processes and finding better ways to plan. You’ll help shape the future direction of Planning & Supply in New Zealand, strengthen our planning maturity and bring a curious, practical lens to how we use data, technology and AI.

Based in Auckland/Pride Brewery, you’ll work across domestic, international, co-pack and intercompany supply, partnering with teams in New Zealand and Australia.

What you’ll be doing

• Set priorities and help shape the strategy for NZ Planning & Supply, aligned with Lion’s wider supply chain objectives.
• Lead improvement initiatives that strengthen product availability, DIFOT, planning performance and value creation.
• Coordinate technical improvements to IBP, working with teams in New Zealand and Australia to align activities and ways of working.
• Lead key supply chain projects, including the Broadband project, and identify further opportunities to improve how we plan.
• Use reporting, data and KPIs to provide clear insights and support better supply chain decisions.
• Improve the governance, data quality and adoption of planning processes and systems, including SAP and IBP.
• Explore how AI and other emerging tools could support better planning and more effective ways of working.

What you’ll bring

• Experience in supply planning or a broader supply chain role, ideally in FMCG.
• A track record of improving processes and delivering practical outcomes.
• The ability to use data, KPIs and risk insights to guide decisions and identify opportunities.
• Strong stakeholder skills and confidence coordinating work across teams.
• A curious, self-motivated approach, with the confidence to challenge existing ways of working and bring people along.
• Experience with IBP and planning systems. SAP experience would be useful, but we’re open to people who have worked with other systems.

A relevant degree in supply chain, logistics or a related field would be advantageous.

You’ll have the opportunity to make a visible difference to planning across Lion NZ, helping improve today’s processes while shaping what planning could look like in the future. If you’re motivated by continuous improvement and interested in the role data and AI can play in supply chain, we’d love to hear from you.