Supply Chain Executive

Swift Human Resources; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 800,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading retail firm in Cape Town is seeking a Supply Chain Executive to optimize end-to-end supply chain operations. The ideal candidate should possess a Bachelor’s Degree and have 10-15 years of experience in merchandise planning, financial analysis, and retail operations. Key responsibilities include leading strategic plans, demand forecasting, and collaboration with supplier teams. This position requires a proven track record in people management and vendor negotiations.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10-15 years merchandise planning and financial/business analysis experience.
• At least 10 years of experience in a retail environment.
• 5 years of people management experience.
• 5 years of vendor management experience including contract negotiation.
• 5 years of accountability for large budgets.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead the annual strategic plan and budget for sales, margin, and inventory.
• Champion the evolution of Integrated Business Planning.
• Drive a world-class demand forecasting capability.
• Design and optimise inventory strategies across the product portfolio.
• Collaborate with the Private Label team on sourcing strategies.

Skills

Sourcing & Imports Management

Warehouse & Distribution

FMCG Supply Chain

Data Analysis

Forecasting & Planning

Customer & Market Insight

Supplier & Lifecycle Management

Financial Planning

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce / Science / Engineering / Supply Chain Logistics

Honours / Master’s degree

Job description

SUMMARY :

To drive and optimize company's end-to-end supply chain operations, including sourcing, demand and replenishment planning, import management, supplier collaboration, efficiency and cost negotiations, financial and pharmacy planning. The role is pivotal in delivering best-in-class in-store availability while achieving working capital and service level objectives. Continually enhance integrated business planning (S&OP) and cross-functional collaboration, supported by fit-for-purpose systems, to ensure the right products are available at the right time — enabling company to consistently deliver on its promise as South Africa’s leading health and beauty retailer.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE :

Essential

• Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce / Science / Engineering / Supply Chain Logistics

Desirable

Honours / Master’s degree

Experience :

A minimum of 10-15 years merchandise planning and financial / business analysis, modeling and forecasting experience

A minimum of 10 years of experience in a retail environment 5 Years functional experience – FMCG Supply Chain or Retail Planning

5 Years People Management experience

5 Years vendor management experience including contract negotiation

5 Years commercial experience including accountability for large budgets

Strong planning and buying experience with solid understanding of financial and statistical analysis of both

Strategic leadership experience applying business and financial analysis skills and knowledge to solve business problems and influence decision making

Responsibilities :

Develop and lead the annual strategic plan and budget for sales, margin, and inventory, ensuring full alignment with the business unit’s financial and growth objectives.

Champion the evolution and execution of Integrated Business Planning (S&OP) to drive alignment across demand, supply, and financial planning, enhancing cross-functional decision-making and accountability.

Drive a world-class demand forecasting capability, leveraging accurate demand signals and analytics to align forecasts with financial targets at product, category, and store levels.

Design and optimise inventory strategies across the product portfolio and logistics network to ensure product availability, service level excellence, and optimal working capital utilisation.

Ensure forward-looking capacity planning across Distribution Centres, including stockholding, throughput, and inbound / outbound flow, to support business growth and avoid operational bottlenecks.

Manage end-to-end new product introductions, ensuring seamless forecasting, sourcing, and post-launch execution to maximise speed-to-shelf and product availability.

Collaborate with the Private Label team to define sourcing strategies that deliver margin improvement, secure reliable supply, and support the business's brand ambitions

Lead supplier collaboration, commercial efficiency negotiations, and gain-share agreements to unlock value, reduce cost-to-serve, and drive incremental group profit from the supply chain.

Create and maintain robust, insight-led reporting and performance metrics, enabling real-time visibility and data-driven decision-making across all supply chain touchpoints.

Continuously evaluate and implement leading-edge supply chain technologies and tools, ensuring digital readiness, scalability, and alignment with future strategic objectives.

Lead the deployment and integration of next-generation supply chain solutions, ensuring seamless cross-functional adoption, productivity gains, and end-to-end efficiency.

Establish and nurture strong cross-functional partnerships with key stakeholders across buying, product development, operations, and logistics to ensure integrated, high-impact execution.

Proactively identify risks, operational challenges, and emerging issues, develop mitigation plans, and maintain transparent, solution-oriented communication across the organisation.

Build, lead, and inspire a high-performing team of demand planning and replenishment professionals, fostering a culture of excellence, ownership, agility, and service.

Embed a culture of continuous improvement across all supply chain disciplines, driving innovation, agility, and best-in-class product availability while optimising cost and capital.

Knowledge :

Sourcing & Imports Management - Expertise in product sourcing, supplier coordination, and inbound logistics.

Warehouse & Distribution - Strong capability in understanding warehouse operations and outbound logistics efficiently.

FMCG Supply Chain - Broad knowledge of end-to-end supply chain processes within FMCG environments.

Data Analysis - Skilled in using data models to drive insights and performance improvements.

Forecasting & Planning - Proficient in demand forecasting tools, trends, and technologies.

Customer & Market Insight - Clear understanding of customer needs, market trends, and the competitive landscape.

Supplier & Lifecycle Management - Experienced in supplier performance, promotional planning, product lifecycles, and supply chain optimisation.

Financial Planning - Strong grasp of financial models to support cost management and working capital efficiency.

POSITION INFO :

Position available for a Supply Chain Executive.

Must have : Essential - Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce / Science / / Supply Chain . Desirable - Honours / Master’s degree. A minimum of 10-15 years merchandise planning and financial / business analysis, modeling and forecasting experience. A minimum of 10 years of experience in a retail environment 5 Years functional experience – Supply Chain or Retail Planning. 5 Years People Management experience. 5 Years vendor management experience including contract negotiation. 5 Years commercial experience including accountability for large budgets. Strong planning and buying experience with solid understanding of financial and statistical analysis of both. Strategic leadership experience applying business and financial analysis skills and knowledge to solve business problems and influence decision making.

Kindly apply if you meet the minimum requirements. Should you not hear back from us within 2 weeks consider your application as unsuccessful.