Lead Planner Supply Chain

**Job Advert Summary**:
A core function of the SC Lead Planner is to understand the strategic objectives of the business, drive the implementation of an operating plan for the relevant planning team and thereof by planners.

The Supply Chain Lead Planner is responsible to manage and guide operational planning teams and ensure the use of standardized processes, tools and reports required to perform planning responsibilities and reach availability, sales, waste, working capital, margin and profitability KPIs. The SC Lead Planner must also ensure effective integration and communication with all cross-functional teams and external stakeholders and drive their teams to contribute to and execute sales strategies and trade plans

**Duties & Responsibilities**:
Strategic Sales Planning
- Ensure compliance to T- planning processes (incl promo/event planning)
- Provide guidance to teams on how to generate sales plans for each specific
- Work with commercial buyers to achieve planning budgets and
- Attend meetings with commercial teams to agree forecast values at T-3
- Prepare figures for divisional sales planning meetings, sales forecast numbers at T-2.
- Escalate significant differences between sales targets, commercial sales plan and the retail sales forecast to Planning
- Track total category planning numbers and highlight risks (Forecast, Retail Forecast, Orders, Receipts, Sales)

Strategic Operational Execution
- Provide guidance and strategic input to planners on how to execute sales plans for each specific sub-category.
- Ensure the use of standardised planning and reporting tools for accurate sales planning and execution
- Ensure teams know when to influence forecast and that they are using the correct tools to accurately do
- Track total category KPI performance, highlight risks and identify and drive the implementation of opportunities within
- Ensure all planners use the correct tools and reports to understand root cause on poor KPI performance and implement solutions that will proactively reduce/avoid

Continuous Improvement & Standardisation
- Implement strategies that will result in improved ways of work through improved processes, planning tools, reports and system
- Ensure successful implementation of new processes, tools and reports in
- Proactively provide input and suggestions on improved ways of work and planning processes.
- Drive the use of standardised planning processes, tools and reports by all
- Ensure the operating plan is clearly communicated to and implemented by all

Drive Improved Stakeholder Engagement
- Build & maintain good working relationships with all stakeholder
- Collaborate with required internal stakeholders to create accurate and realistic sales plans that reflect business, category and promotional
- Work with Commercial Buyers to understand department strategies for accurate planning and execution
- Work closely with the technical team to ensure the accurate maintenance of shelf life in SAP. Ensure all quality related issues are incorporated into sales
- Communicate with the SET on store specific issues and accompany them on store visits - 1 per quarter
- Work with New Product Development teams to ensure the timeous execution of new product
- Share promotional forecast with vendors as set out in the T-4 promo planning
- Work with vendors and commercial to understand the root cause of poor strike rate and work on solutions to proactively avoid strike rate

Department Profitability
- Provide input on promo & pricing strategies based on category performance and annualization
- Provide input on range based on sales, waste and profitability
- Track and Ensure planners achieve KPI’s

Team Leadership and People Development
- Create clear direction, guidance and support for your team to execute required
- Identify training opportunities through observation of planner performance or consultation with

**Minimum Requirements**:
BCOM Logistics / Degree in Quantitative Analytics / Operational Research / Industrial Engineering / Applied Mathematics

2+ years supply chain planning experience

Information technology and automation knowledge

Economics and market dynamics

Understand cost-to-serve

Knowledge of Commercial Strategy and budgets

Knowledge of DC and Stores Operations

Understanding of the processes and procedures within the division

Sound knowledge of business/system rules used by planning teams

Cross-functional and stakeholder collaboration

**Competencies**:
Understanding of the retail value chain and cost and income elements that affects profitability

Understanding of PnP planning principles, KPIs and business impact

Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.

Leadership skills with the ability to create a motivational working environment for teams

Interpersonal relationship and communication skills

Knowledge of IT systems and tools used for planning e. SAP ERP, F&R, Analysis

**Additional Information**:
This role will include the integration with key stakehol