Supply Chain Coordinator

Our client provides a wide range of products and services to the steel industry in South Africa from their modern and comprehensive steel service centres and specialty steel divisions.

This position is the link between the supplier and business. Once an import order has been placed each item must be managed at a detailed level, monitoring production, shipment readiness and arrival in South Africa to ensure that no supply gaps open. This role is key in inventory planning and is therefore crucial in the cashflow and working capital management of the business.

**Position details**:
Type: Permanent

Reports to: Liaison Manager & Analyst

Primary purpose: This position is the link between the supplier and business. Once an import order has been placed each item must be managed at a detailed level, monitoring production, shipment readiness and arrival in South Africa to ensure that no supply gaps open. This role is key in inventory planning and is therefore crucial in the cashflow and working capital management of the business.

Key performance areas (duties & responsibilities):
Inventory management to ensure optimal stock levels are kept throughout the business and specifically at business unit level

Give guidance to the shipping team with relevant prices, ship-planning, pre-receipting, deliveries and other administrative work

Follow up on price adjustments and ensure that shipments are at the correct pricing (this entails direct liaison with the mill, the commercial team and the shipping team)

Understand all the products and the various lead-times/technical requirements

During the course of managing and monitoring pipelines it will be expected that buying decisions/actions are challenged and/or changes recommended

Very close interaction with the import buying function is required to ensure the total pipeline runs smoothly

Daily, weekly and/or monthly interactions and pipeline updates to be communicated to the various sales/planning teams - ensuring uninterrupted supply to customers

Daily liaison with various mills to communicate priorities and to expedite requirements and these updates from suppliers to flow through to ship planning files to assess pipeline requirements

Decisions have to be made continuously to support the following outcomes:

- Preserve cash
- Ensure uninterrupted supply
- Mitigate shortfalls
- Control cost
- Support customer forecast changes
- Manage stock

Proactive thinking required to foresee and counter problems in the long term supply; whilst innovative thinking and immediate actions required to address short term challenges

Expediting from production to despatch ex mill, from mill to loading port and from discharge port to plant is required and need to integrate these actions with the buying function AND shipping team actions.

Identify cost savings opportunities

Effective communication with the various branches to ensure best service delivery

Ensure reduction of slow moving and obsolete stock - flag early

Analysis to guide ship planning (in area of control):

- Analyze the automotive forecast used for buying vs new versions of the forecast
- Analyze the automotive forecast used for buying vs actual draw
- Identifying trends on items relating to draw, mill performance and quality performance

Keep up to date with mill production issues, shipping schedules and seasonal changes that might impact timeous supply

Shorten reaction time to anomalies from once a month to more frequent assessments and decisions

Daily liaison with all internal customers in the various business units to highlight anomalies and to obtain concessions/feedback from our customers where alternative arrangements have to be made (this include, but is not limited to: damages to material, quality related losses, production errors, etc)

Implementation of formal processes with the various suppliers to ensure that business requirements are met

Need to take initiative as this role require improvement and optimization of existing processes

Need to be actively involved with internal customers and suppliers during decision making

Manage MRF cash flow targets: shipping and inventory

Together with the buying function and management need to frequently work through automotive inventory and come up with proposed interventions to improve working capital

Flag slow moving stock before it gets to 4 months (zero consumption and over-stocked items)

Suggest alternative usage for slow moving items where it can be used for alternative parts / plants

Need to know which levers to pull for certain working capital outcomes

Ensure that logistic claims to offset costs to suppliers are registered and follow up on the settlement of these claims

Expedite mill claims and ensure that rejected material is re-ordered immediately if required

Managing supplier evaluations with the senior management team and buyers and issuing the required reports (delivery on time, surveys, and overall ratings) - taking control of corrective/preven