Factory Planner

Bic Corporation; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 500,000 - 750,000; Full time

Job summary

BIC World is seeking a Factory Planner to develop and execute short- to mid-term production plans for the South Africa cluster in Johannesburg. You will align demand, inventory targets, and factory capabilities to ensure high service levels and cost efficiency, while contributing to the 2026 Operating Plan.

In this role you will interface with operations, demand planning, procurement, logistics and finance, drive process improvements, and support S&OP activities with scenario planning.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, industrial engineering, business administration, CPIM or related field.
• 3–5 years of experience in factory or production planning, preferably in FMCG or manufacturing.
• Strong understanding of supply chain principles, production processes, and planning systems.
• Experience with ERP and advanced planning tools (e.g., SAP PP, APO, OMP, Kinaxis, JDE, Blue Yonder).
• Proficiency in Excel and data analysis tools; ability to work with large datasets.

Responsibilities

• Production Planning & Scheduling: translate demand plans into feasible production schedules.
• Inventory & Material Management: align production plans with inventory targets.
• Performance Monitoring & Reporting: track KPIs and report to leadership.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: act as planning interface between functions.
• Continuous Improvement: identify and implement planning process improvements.

Skills

Planning & Prioritization

Analytical Thinking

Collaboration & Communication

Agility & Adaptability

Systems Thinking

Education

Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, Industrial Engineering, Business Administration, CPIM or related field

Tools

SAP PP

APO

OMP

Kinaxis

JDE

Blue Yonder

Job description

Factory Planner

Johannesburg, ZA, 2042

BIC

On site

Join BIC World, a community of brands dedicated to creating ingeniously simple and joyful products that have been part of hearts and homes for over 75 years. We are committed to growing our iconic and innovative brands by reimagining everyday essentials in new, sustainable, and responsible ways. Our culture encourages a "roll up your sleeves and get the job done" mindset, ensuring self-starters, problem solvers, and innovative thinkers can truly thrive. At BIC World, you are empowered to take ownership of your career and use your unique perspective to make a meaningful, global impact on our mission.

Job Summary

The Factory Planner for the South Africa cluster will be responsible for developing and executing short- to mid-term production plans that align with demand forecasts, inventory targets, and factory capabilities. This role ensures that manufacturing operations are synchronized with supply chain objectives, enabling high service levels, cost efficiency, and agility in response to market dynamics.This position is critical to strengthening local planning capabilities and will form part of the 2026 Operating Plan structure.

Main Responsibilities / Tasks

Production Planning & Scheduling

• Translate demand plans into feasible production schedules for the South Africa factory.
• Balance capacity, material availability, and labor constraints to optimize production output.
• Monitor adherence to production plans and adjust schedules proactively to mitigate risks.

Inventory & Material Management

• Ensure alignment between production plans and inventory targets to avoid stockouts or excess.
• Collaborate with procurement and material planners to secure timely availability of raw and packaging materials.

Performance Monitoring & Reporting

• Track key planning KPIs (e.g., schedule adherence, OTIF, inventory turns).
• Provide regular updates and insights to factory leadership and regional planning teams.

Cross-functional Collaboration

• Act as the planning interface between factory operations, demand planning, logistics, and procurement.
• Support S&OP and pre-S&OP processes with factory-level inputs and scenario planning.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify and implement improvements in planning processes, systems, and data accuracy.
• Contribute to digitalization and automation initiatives within factory planning.

Key Interfaces

• Factory Operations & Site Leadership
• Demand Planning MEA
• Procurement & Material Planning
• Logistics & Distribution
• Quality Assurance
• Finance & Controlling
• Regional Supply Chain Leadership

Skills, Knowledge, Competencies

• Planning & Prioritization: Ability to manage complex schedules and competing priorities.
• Analytical Thinking: Strong problem-solving skills and data-driven decision-making.
• Collaboration & Communication: Effective stakeholder engagement across functions and levels.
• Agility & Adaptability: Comfortable working in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
• Systems Thinking: Understands end-to-end supply chain impact of factory planning decisions.

Additional Notes

• This role is part of the strategic workforce planning for 2026 and supports the decentralization of planning responsibilities.
• The position will contribute to improved responsiveness, reduced lead times, and enhanced service levels in the South Africa cluster.
• Role may require occasional travel to other cluster sites or regional planning meetings.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, Industrial Engineering, Business Administration, CPIM or related field.
• 3-5 years of experience in factory or production planning, preferably in FMCG or manufacturing.
• Strong understanding of supply chain principles, production processes, and planning systems.
• Experience with ERP and advanced planning tools (e.g., SAP PP, APO, OMP, Kinaxis, JDE, Blue Yonder).
• Proficiency in Excel and data analysis tools; ability to work with large datasets.

BIC World is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We strongly commit to hiring people with different backgrounds and experiences to help us build better products, make better decisions, and better serve our customers. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, veteran status, disability status, or similar characteristics. All employment is decided based on qualifications, merit, and business need.

BIC World is not seeking assistance or accepting unsolicited resumes from search firms for this employment opportunity. Regardless of past practice, all resumes submitted by search firms to any team member at BIC via email, or directly to a BIC team member in any form without a valid written search agreement in place for that position will be deemed the sole property of BIC, and no fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by BIC as a result of the referral or through other means.