Stock Allocations Planner

At RCL FOODS we see and do things differently, we think bigger, work smarter and as a team collectively work towards achieving our purpose, We Grow What Matters

Our Talent Team is on the hunt for a Stock Allocations Planner on a Fixed Term Contract for our Livekindly Collective Africa Division. The role will be based in Westville and will report into the Supply Planning Manager.

The Stock Allocations Planner will be responsible to maximize customer service by allocating the available stock fairly across all orders received from direct customers, planning stock required for depot replenishment as well as planning stock to storage, while constantly considering the opportunities for cost saving within the distribution network. Be the first line of stock related queries for all distribution related operational queries and get these resolved.

Functional Strategy into Action Operationalisation:

• Work in conjunction with the manager(s) in the Outbound Supply Chain team to deliver the functions strategy into action.
• Facilitate integrated supply chain delivery by managing relationships and interaction with cross functional teams and/or external service providers.
• Ensure the agreed SIA is implemented through delivery of own and team targets.
• Execute any assigned outbound supply chain planning projects when applicable.

Replenishment Planning of Stock to Depots/Branches:

• Using the forward demand plan, determine anticipated future orders by depot and plan stock into storage facilities ensuring adherence to targeted days cover.
• Target days cover should be determined using the national forward demand plan split down to depot level, using a historical sales split (usually 3-4 months history) plus taking into account any known promotional activity in that region.
• Take in account any allocated or fixed pallet spaces or model stock by depot when planning stock into the warehouse to ensure no excess stock is not pushed into the warehouse.
• Days Cover targets must take into account frequency of inbound replenishment deliveries, variability of demand as well as projected forward sales.

Allocation of Available Stock to Customer Orders:

• On a daily basis, review all direct customer orders and branch orders to determine whether they can be fulfilled and from where.
• On acceptance of the order, allocate the stock to the order in SAP/Syspro, including which warehouse the stock will be despatched from.
• Before allocating stock to customer orders, ensure they are not on credit block.

Primary Transport Planning:

• Daily, book vehicles with the Primary transport service provider/team to ensure required customer delivery day can be met.
• Ensure that vehicles are booked with a minimum of 48-hour lead time.
• Ensure that the daily communication from primary transport team is aligned to what was agreed when planning the vehicles.

Customer Export Order Management (where applicable):

• Manage orders received from export customers through the supply chain. These may be handled either as Make to Order or can be drawn from stock in some regions/ categories.
• Assist and advise Consumer and the Export Team on any issues that may arise (eg: production delays, stock age).
• Work with the production planners to ensure production is planned with sufficient lead time to meet the required despatch date.

Stock Management and Reporting, but not limited to:

• Proactively manage stock age, slow moving and obsolete stock across all stock holding points and make recommendations on how to clear stock for the categories being managed.
• Review stock levels both within own network, including Vector or other service providers bulk facilities, and external service providers at a branch level and take corrective action where days cover either exceeds maximum or is below minimum covers.
• Monitor the days cover by SKU and action plans when stock is either below target (raise with the production planner to determine if stock is scheduled for production or determine if it can be brought in from elsewhere) or in excess of target, raise awareness with the sales team.

Customer Service Levels Analysis and Query Resolution:

• On a daily basis, monitor order fulfilment and stock holding by running customer service level reports daily to correct any service failures if possible during that same week.
• Work directly with the call centre, distribution, customer team, and supply planning where appropriate, to ensure that customer expectations are met and report any deviations.

Stock Allocation Tool Management and Execution (where required):

• Fully understand the functionality of the stock allocation tool on SAP and use it correctly in order to manage the agreed allocation of stock to customer.
• Attend the appropriate meetings where stock allocation decisions are made to ensure full understanding of the business intention.
• Using the outcome of the meeting, ensure that the stock allocation tool is correctly updated to ensure the business decisions are accurately executed.
• This tool will be used to manage customer jabs, stock shortages, stock auctions for consequential chicken, etc.

Distribution Budget Input (when required) and Cost Management:

• Provide input into the annual distribution budget using historical assessment of stock holding and daily transport requirements.
• Work closely with the distribution service provider, transport and warehousing teams to find opportunities to save costs and improve supply chain efficiencies.
• Work closely with national planning to minimise stock holding and transport costs.

Information and Data Management:

• Ensure all open direct orders and branch stock transfer orders are cleaned weekly.
• Ensure all incomplete orders are actioned and/or closed.
• Review orders on SAP/Syspro daily to ensure that no orders are missed out and inadvertently not actioned.
• Ensure all orders cancelled by customers or deferred to another week are rejected by the Friday of the current week.

Outbound Supply Chain Projects (where required):

• Be involved in any allocated projects that drive cost savings (warehouse, transport), system improvements (e.g.: SAP, Syspro and other system tools), customer service improvements as well as new product launches and discontinuations.

• 3 year Diploma or Tertiary Qualification in Commerce/Supply Chain/Logistics Management; SAPICS preferred but not mandatory.
• 3-4 years operational experience within Outbound Supply Chain Planning (demand and supply), Call Centre or Distribution environment.
• Computer literacy (MS Office and particularly Excel).
• Advanced Excel/ PowerPoint.
• Must have experience in SAP/Syspro.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Good verbal and written communication.
• Good interpersonal and telephone skills.
• Warehousing principles and practices.
• Logistics and distribution principles and practices.
• Analytical thinking and problem solving.