Supply Chain

Job Title: Supply Chain & Procurement Manager – South Africa

Reporting Line: Head of Operations – South Africa

Role Overview:

The Supply Chain & Procurement Manager is responsible for overseeing the end-to-end procurement and supply chain operations across multiple departments. This role ensures the efficient sourcing, purchasing, and delivery of goods and services—both locally and internationally—while maintaining optimal inventory levels and supporting production continuity. The position also includes responsibilities for select sister companies within the group.

A critical aspect of this role is the ability to respond rapidly to stock shortages. It is of utmost importance that procurement actions are taken immediately when shortages are identified, and that parts are delivered on time to avoid production delays. The successful candidate must be capable of designing and implementing new processes and systems to ensure procurement responsiveness and agility across the supply chain.

Additionally, this role serves as the overall custodian of the ERP system (Syspro), ensuring that all supply chain and procurement activities are accurately captured, monitored, and optimized through the system. This requires expert-level knowledge of Syspro, including configuration, reporting, and process integration.

Key Responsibilities:

• Departmental Oversight:
  
  Manage the following departments, each comprising various levels of staff including managers and operational personnel:

• Procurement Department:

• • Local Procurement:
• • Source and purchase goods and services from local suppliers.
  • Negotiate pricing, terms, and delivery schedules.
  • Ensure adherence to company procurement policies.
  • Maintain supplier relationships and conduct performance evaluations.
  • Monitor inventory levels and coordinate with internal teams to meet demand.
  • React swiftly to shortages and implement proactive measures to prevent delays.
• • International Procurement:
• • Manage significant international procurement spend, ensuring compliance with global trade regulations.
  • Oversee relationships with international shipping and logistics providers.
  • Lead planning and execution of international procurement, focusing on long-lead-time components.
  • Expedite critical imports based on accurate forecasting and production needs.
  • Support import/export activities for affiliated group companies.
  • Ensure international procurement processes are optimized for speed and reliability.

• Supply Chain Management:

• Oversee the complete supply chain process from sales order through procurement, shipping, and delivery to stores.

• Act immediately on shortages, prioritizing procurement and logistics to ensure uninterrupted production and timely delivery of parts.
• Continuously evaluate and improve supply chain processes to enhance responsiveness and reduce lead times.
• Inventory & Forecasting:
• Collaborate with relevant departments to forecast demand and maintain optimal stock levels in a dynamic supply and demand environment.

Key Performance Areas (KPAs):

• Delivery Lead Time (Sales Order to Invoicing):

• Evaluate sales orders for stock shortages and initiate timely procurement.

• Ensure rapid sourcing and delivery of components to support production schedules.

• Facilitate clear communication between stores, procurement, and production regarding estimated delivery timelines for both local and international items.

• Procurement Spend & Profitability:

• Monitor procurement expenditures to ensure alignment with budgetary constraints.

• Implement cost-saving initiatives to maintain and improve gross profit margins.

Required Qualifications & Experience:

• Expert-level knowledge of Syspro ERP systems
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
• In-depth knowledge of import/export regulations and processes.
• Strong background in manufacturing supply chain management.
• Demonstrated experience in leading and managing large, diverse teams.
• Self-motivated with the ability to operate independently and solve complex challenges with minimal oversight.

Additional Requirements:

• A track record of successfully implementing solutions in complex and problematic supply chain environments.
• Demonstrated ability to identify and resolve inefficiencies in warehouse operations, leading to improved inventory accuracy and reduced stock discrepancies.
• Proven ability to design and implement new procurement processes that improve responsiveness and ensure timely delivery of critical components.
• Experience in optimizing ERP systems to support operational excellence and data integrity.