Materials Planner

**Key Duties & Responsibilities**:
**KEY OUTPUTS**
- Use Outperform (OP) Materials Requirements Planning (MRP) (or an alternative approved system) to determine tactical raw material requirements against which Procurement will be required to conclude supply agreements.
- Generate the tactical requirements and tactical forecasts for the Procurement team.
- Agree tactical stock holding parameters per plant with the Plant MRP Controller and Finance.
- Use OP MRP (or an alternative approved system) to determine tactical raw material requirements to determine Budget and Profit Forecast working capital targets and the explanation of resulting variances.
- Determine Supplier and Plant held safety stock levels by material using supply chain best practice. Ensure that Suppliers submit stock levels weekly and upload the information into OP. Using the Weeks of Cover report, monitor and manage Supplier and Plant held stocks to achieve agreed safety stock levels on a weekly basis as well as Working Capital targets.
- Ensure that OP MRP accurately calculates operational raw material requirements and correctly determines the source of supply by proactively managing Bill of Material effective dates, MRP master data and parameters.
- Check that operational raw material requirements are in line with the tactical plan and highlight variances to the Supply Planning Manager.
- Consolidate Plant raw material requirements using OP MRP based on the ABI supply agreements concluded by Procurement, provide operational forecasts to Suppliers weekly for the 13 week horizon. This includes the management of supplier allocations.
- Meet with Suppliers weekly or at least monthly to communicate and discuss the operational forecast, addressing volume, timing, New Product introduction and Promotional supply issues using the agreed meeting format and agenda.
- Communicate requirements for imported raw materials through to the Procurement team and with support from the Inbound Logistics team, monitor the shipping schedule and ETAs to ensure that stock levels are maintained at agreed levels.
- In the event that suppliers are unable to meet demand, work with the ABI Supply Planning Manager to prioritise supply by Plant and then co-ordinate execution with Procurement.
- Communicate clearly and consistently with the New Product Development Team to ensure on time fulfilment of New Product introduction projects. This includes ensuring the raw materials required for new product introductions and promotions are called off according to the agreed lead-times and that bleed in and bleed out of materials is managed to avoid stock outs, minimise write-offs, short runs and unbudgeted inter-plant movements.
- Track MRP KPIs weekly to ensure that the Plant Material Planners are using MRP effectively.
- Address ineffective use of MRP either directly with the Plant, or for serious issues, through the Supply Managers and Manufacturing Managers.
- Run the MRP diagnostic tools to identify errors, omissions and inconsistencies in MRP inputs and parameters and hold key stakeholders accountable for making corrections by highlighting issues.
- Manage Raw Materials to agreed SLA.
- KPI measurement and control.
- Supplier violation measurements

**KEY ATTRIBUTES AND COMPETENCIES**
- Good Planning Skills
- Analytical & Numerical Skills and Logical Thinker
- Good Communication Skills
- Good Interpersonal Skills / Team Player
- Quick Thinker
- Problem Solving Skills
- Computer Literacy
- Self-Driven and Managed
- The ability to negotiate with and influence suppliers at an operational level
- The ability to work without constant supervision
- Good planning skills / logical approach to problem solving
- Team player
- Discipline and rigour around process and output

**Skills, Experience & Education**:

- A degree or equivalent tertiary qualification (Preferably in Operations/ Logistics Management or in one or more of the numerical sciences).
- **Advantageous** - B-Tech or University Degree.
- Preferable 2 Years’ experience, within in Beverage or Similar Consumer Goods Industry.
- Experience in supply planning functions will be an advantage.
- Computer literacy with proficiency in Microsoft products and SAP.