Factory Planner - South Africa at BIC

 JOB SUMMARY

• The Factory Planner for the South Africa cluster will be responsible for developing and executing short- to mid-term production plans that align with demand forecasts, inventory targets, and factory capabilities. This role ensures that manufacturing operations are synchronized with supply chain objectives, enabling high service levels, cost efficiency, and agility in response to market dynamics.
• This position is critical to strengthening local planning capabilities and will form part of the 2026 Operating Plan structure.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES / TASKS

Production Planning & Scheduling

• Translate demand plans into feasible production schedules for the South Africa factory.
• Balance capacity, material availability, and labor constraints to optimize production output.
• Monitor adherence to production plans and adjust schedules proactively to mitigate risks 

Inventory & Material Management

• Ensure alignment between production plans and inventory targets to avoid stockouts or excess.
• Collaborate with procurement and material planners to secure timely availability of raw and packaging materials.

Performance Monitoring & Reporting

• Track key planning KPIs (e.g., schedule adherence, OTIF, inventory turns).
• Provide regular updates and insights to factory leadership and regional planning teams.

Cross-functional Collaboration

• Act as the planning interface between factory operations, demand planning, logistics, and procurement.
• Support S&OP and pre-S&OP processes with factory-level inputs and scenario planning.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify and implement improvements in planning processes, systems, and data accuracy.
• Contribute to digitalization and automation initiatives within factory planning.

Key Interfaces:

• Factory Operations & Site Leadership
• Demand Planning MEA
• Procurement & Material Planning
• Logistics & Distribution
• Quality Assurance
• Finance & Controlling
• Regional Supply Chain Leadership

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, COMPENSIES

Planning & Prioritization: 

• Ability to manage complex schedules and competing priorities.

Analytical Thinking: 

• Strong problem-solving skills and data-driven decision-making.

Collaboration & Communication:

• Effective stakeholder engagement across functions and levels.

Agility & Adaptability: 

• Comfortable working in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.

Systems Thinking: 

• Understands end-to-end supply chain impact of factory planning decisions.

Additional Notes:

• This role is part of the strategic workforce planning for 2026 and supports the decentralization of planning responsibilities.
• The position will contribute to improved responsiveness, reduced lead times, and enhanced service levels in the South Africa cluster.
• Role may require occasional travel to other cluster sites or regional planning meetings.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, Industrial Engineering, Business Administration, or related field.
• 3–5 years of experience in factory or production planning, preferably in FMCG or manufacturing.
• Strong understanding of supply chain principles, production processes, and planning systems.
• Experience with ERP and advanced planning tools (e.g., SAP PP, APO, OMP, Kinaxis, JDE, Blue Yonder).
• Proficiency in Excel and data analysis tools; ability to work with large datasets.