Planning Manager

Nichehr Global; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 700 000 - 900 000; Full time

Job summary

A top-tier supply chain management firm in South Africa is seeking a Planning Manager to lead planning functions across the business, ensuring synchronization between demand, supply, and logistics. The ideal candidate will have 8–12 years of experience in end-to-end supply chain or planning, with strong SAP and analytical skills. This role plays a key part in driving service excellence and should have a Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, or Operations Management.

Qualifications

• 8–12 years of experience in end-to-end supply chain or planning within FMCG, Consumer Goods, or Manufacturing industries.
• Proven expertise in S&OP leadership and cross-functional stakeholder management.
• Exposure to import/export logistics and regional supply coordination will be an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Lead the overall planning function across the business, ensuring synchronization between demand, supply, production, materials, logistics, and inventory.
• Oversee Demand Planning, Supply Planning, Production Scheduling, and Material Planning.
• Lead monthly demand reviews with Sales and Marketing to finalize the rolling forecast.
• Convert demand forecasts into optimized supply and production plans.
• Ensure timely availability of Raw & Packaging Materials through efficient procurement.
• Optimize inventory levels to balance working capital and service goals.
• Own all planning dashboards, including service levels, forecast accuracy, and inventory KPIs.

Skills

Strong command of SAP (PP/MM)

MRP systems

Advanced Excel

Power BI

S&OP leadership

Capacity planning

Stakeholder management

Import/export logistics

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, or Operations Management

Job description

Job Description

Job Title: Planning Manager
Department: Operations – Planning
Reports To: Head – Operations, South Africa
Location: South Africa

Qualifications & Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, or Operations Management.
8–12 years of experience in end-to-end supply chain or planning within FMCG, Consumer Goods, or Manufacturing industries.
Strong command of SAP (PP/MM), MRP systems, and Advanced Excel / Power BI.
Proven expertise in S&OP leadership, capacity planning, and cross‑functional stakeholder management.
Exposure to import/export logistics and regional supply coordination will be an advantage.

Role Overview

To lead the overall planning function across the business, ensuring seamless synchronization between demand, supply, production, materials, logistics, and inventory. The role is pivotal in driving service excellence, forecast accuracy, and working capital efficiency, while supporting the business to meet its commercial goals and operational stability across the factory and third‑party (3P) network.

Responsibilities and Duties

1. End‑to‑End Planning Leadership – Oversee Demand Planning, Supply Planning, Production Scheduling, and Material Planning for operations (factory + 3P).

   Develop and maintain an integrated S&OP process, ensuring alignment across Sales, Marketing, Finance, and Operations.

   Translate business demand into executable production and procurement plans considering capacity, material constraints, and lead times.

   Drive coordination to balance service levels, cost efficiency, and inventory health.

2. Demand & S&OP Management – Lead monthly demand reviews with Sales and Marketing to finalize the rolling forecast.

   Drive initiatives to improve forecast accuracy by channel (Retail, Wholesale, Export).

   Analyze forecast bias, seasonal trends, and market intelligence to enhance predictability.

   Present consolidated planning outlooks during S&OP Executive Reviews.

3. Supply & Production Planning – Convert demand forecasts into optimized supply and production plans, ensuring full utilization of plant and 3P capacity.

   Manage production sequencing and constraint planning to maximize throughput and minimize changeovers.

   Track daily and weekly plan adherence, investigate deviations, and implement corrective actions.

   Collaborate with Quality and Engineering teams for maintenance readiness and preventive planning.

4. Material Requirement & Procurement Interface – Ensure timely availability of Raw & Packaging Materials (RM/PM) through efficient purchase requisitions and supplier call‑offs.

   Work with Procurement and Import teams for shipment scheduling, MOQ compliance, and supplier OTIF performance.

   Maintain end‑to‑end visibility of inbound shipments, customs clearance, and local deliveries to prevent production delays.

5. Inventory Management & Control – Optimize FG, RM, and PM inventory levels to balance working capital and service goals.

   Monitor SLOB (Slow Moving & Obsolete) stock and implement reduction plans (donations, liquidation, repack).

   Maintain governance on Days of Coverage (DOC) and inventory turns across all categories.

6. Reporting, Analytics & Systems – Own all planning and inventory dashboards, including service level, plan adherence, forecast accuracy, and inventory KPIs.

   Use SAP, Excel, Power Query, and Power BI for automated planning reports.

   Implement data‑driven insights for scenario analysis and performance improvement.

   Drive digitalization and automation initiatives in planning systems and processes.

7. Team Development & Stakeholder Engagement – Lead and develop the planning team, fostering accountability, accuracy, and ownership.

   Serve as the key liaison between Sales, Procurement, Production, Logistics, and Finance.

   Represent the planning function in regional and global forums.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Production Plan Adherence: 95%
• Sales Loss %: 98%
• Retail Serviceability: 99%
• RM/PM Stock Norm Adherence: 95%
• Forecast Accuracy & Bias: 70%
• SLOB % of Total Inventory
• MIS Reports
• Forecast Accuracy
• Forecast Bias
• Sales Loss % and Serviceability
• Retail Serviceability