Senior Planner

Clicks Group Limited; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Clicks Group Limited, based in Woodstock, Cape Town, seeks a Senior Planner to drive demand planning and forecasting in our Supply Chain division. The role reports to the Planning Manager and requires leading cross-functional teams to align sales, margin and stock plans with the overall operating plan.

You will advance forecast accuracy, maintain long-horizon demand schedules, and partner with Commercial, Supply Chain and Finance to optimize launches, stock replenishment and supplier engagements.

Qualifications

• Understanding forecasting methods and applications
• Experience with Demand Planning and forecasting in FMCG
• Ability to forecast across monthly, quarterly and yearly horizons
• Collaboration across Commercial, Supply Chain and Finance teams

Responsibilities

• Develop annual Sales, Margin and Stock plans aligned to the operating Plan
• Maintain 18 months rolling forecast at supplier and product level
• Lead weekly Demand Review with in-transit stock and sales data
• Collaborate with Commercial teams on launches and supply readiness
• Track stock, manage replenishment orders and mitigate write-offs
• Produce supplier and performance reports for monthly engagements
• Communicate irregularities in PO management or stock reception to stakeholders

Skills

Demand planning

S&OP process

People leadership

Problem solving

Financial planning

Buying & planning

Business acumen

Tools

Excel

BI

Planning systems

Job description

We are looking to employ a Senior Planner to work within our Supply Chain division. This role will be based at our Head Office in Woodstock, Cape Town and report to the Planning Manager.

Job Purpose

To deliver on the business's strategic objectives by developing annual Sales, Margin and Stock plans that are aligned to and support the overall operating Plan. To ensure that the agreed deliverables are met through daily / weekly tactical KPI management and problem solving, effective communication with stakeholders and by driving and tracking the performance of sales, purchases and managing import and local processes and deliverables.

Job Objectives

• To drive improvements in forecast accuracy and provide forecast insights and recommendations for monthly, quarterly, and yearly financial and budget process, including 3-year financial plan
• To execute the degree of forward planning for wholesale, distribution and movement at a store level and thereby manage availability and allocation of products into stores.
• To develop and maintain a monthly demand schedule by maintaining 18 months rolling forecast at supplier and product level.
• To collaborate across the business with Commercial leads, Supply Chain, Finance, Suppliers
• To lead the process of weekly Demand review files with Stock on hand, in transit and month to date sales including assessing stock prioritisation, pull forward orders and deferral requests based on demand movements to ensure overall business objectives related to sales, margin and working capital are achieved.
• To work closely with the commercial team to review readiness of new launches
• To attend monthly and bi-monthly supply review meetings and lead discussions with key product suppliers and compile supply planning related reports for monthly supplier engagements.
• To track stock supply and manage demand replenishment orders to various suppliers.
• To identify and review products with excess inventory and recommend a joint action plan with commercial team and suppliers to effectively mitigate business risk write off.
• To communicate any irregularities, errors, purchase order management and vendor compliance factors that impact the receiving of stock thereby ensuring timely forecast and communication of unusual incoming volume to the relevant stakeholders to allow for adequate planning in the chain.
• To maintain reports and housekeeping of data warehouses in the system that relates to reports.
• To engage with the commercial and finance teams monthly, quarterly and annually related to the financial forecasting process and agree on base plan

Job Knowledge

• Understanding of forecasting methods and applications, including statistical modelling
• Systems, procedures, and best practice in Demand Planning
• Understanding of customer demographics and shopping behaviours
• Understanding marketing and business principles
• In depth understanding of supply chain management practices
• Computer literate – advanced Excel, BI, Planning systems
• In depth understanding of current industry trends and technology (AI, ML, IOT), and how this impacts the future supply chain and demand planning specifically
• Clear understanding of forecasting algorithms and other statistical inputs
• Supplier collaboration and experience in successful joint forecasting
• Understanding of import processes
• Ability to work as a team and individually

Skills

• Extensive FMCG demand planning, forecasting, and importing experience
• Category management, sales and operations planning way of working (matrix organisations)
• People leadership / management
• Problem solving and analytical thinking
• Financial planning and management in Retail
• Buying and planning processes in Retail
• Excellent business acumen