Industrial Engineer at Core Group

Job Description

• Core Group is the leading distributor of premium technology brands across Southern Africa and selected African markets. As the exclusive distributor for Apple and other world-renowned technology brands, we connect customers with innovative products and exceptional experiences through our retail, wholesale, e-commerce, and partner networks.
• Reporting to the Supply Chain & Planning Executive, the Industrial Engineer plays a critical role in enabling the business to scale through data, systems, and process excellence.
• This position combines industrial engineering principles, supply chain analytics, inventory management, planning support, and business process optimisation with hands-on ownership of automation tools, dashboards, reporting systems, and digital solutions. You will be responsible for translating strategic objectives into technology-enabled operational outcomes while ensuring data accuracy, process compliance, and supply chain efficiency across South Africa and our African operations.
• This is an ideal opportunity for someone who enjoys solving complex operational challenges through data, systems thinking, automation, and continuous improvement.

Process Engineering & Continuous Improvement

• Analyse end-to-end supply chain and planning processes to identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and opportunities for optimisation.
• Design, document, implement, and continuously improve business processes across planning, procurement, logistics, and inventory management.
• Develop and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and process documentation.
• Quantify and report on process improvement outcomes, including cost savings, productivity gains, and accuracy improvements.
• Drive a culture of continuous improvement through data-driven decision-making.
• Monitor inventory performance across retail and wholesale operations throughout Africa.
• Analyse stock holding, ageing inventory, and inventory turns to improve working capital efficiency.
• Support planning teams in maintaining optimal stock levels and reducing inventory risk.
• Produce inventory performance reporting and recommendations for action.
• Assist with forecasting, planning, and inventory modelling activities.
• Monitor planning compliance and forecasting performance.
• Support New Product Introduction (NPI) planning and execution.
• Analyse demand trends and provide insights to support inventory and supply decisions.

Systems Innovation & Digital Transformation

• Support the implementation and optimisation of supply chain and planning systems.
• Develop dashboards and reporting tools that provide visibility into operational performance.
• Identify opportunities to automate manual processes and improve business productivity.
• Support strategic initiatives that enhance scalability across African operations.
• Design, develop, and maintain automation tools using Python, SQL, Excel VBA, Power BI, and related technologies.
• Build reporting solutions and business intelligence dashboards to improve decision-making.
• Manage documentation, version control, and maintenance of internally developed tools.
• Ensure business-critical automation and reporting systems remain operational and continuously improved.

Master Data & Systems Integrity

• Maintain the integrity and accuracy of supply chain and planning master data.
• Partner with IT and ERP teams to support data governance and system improvements.
• Support system integrations, migrations, and data cleansing initiatives.
• Conduct audits to ensure operational readiness and data quality.
• Lead and participate in operational excellence, automation, and digital transformation projects.
• Drive approved strategic initiatives from concept through implementation.
• Document lessons learned and share best practices across the organisation.

Requirements

• Degree in Industrial Engineering (Essential).
• Postgraduate qualification in Supply Chain Management, Data Analytics, Operations Research, or Business Analytics is advantageous.
• Professional registration or Engineer-in-Training (EIT) status will be beneficial.
• Minimum 5 years' experience in Industrial Engineering, Supply Chain Operations, Business Analytics, or Process Improvement within a retail, consumer electronics, distribution, manufacturing, or FMCG environment.
• Proven track record of delivering measurable process improvements and operational efficiencies.
• Experience working with ERP systems such as Syspro or similar platforms.
• Strong experience in automation, data analytics, and business intelligence development.

Technical Skills

• Advanced Python programming and automation (Advantageous)
• Strong SQL skills for data extraction, transformation, and analysis.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel, including VBA and modelling.
• Experience with Power BI or equivalent business intelligence tools.
• Process mapping, workflow design, and optimisation methodologies.
• Understanding of inventory management, logistics, forecasting, and supply chain principles.
• Systems thinking and structured problem-solving.
• Strong analytical and quantitative skills.
• Ability to convert business challenges into scalable process and technology solutions.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• High attention to detail and commitment to operational excellence.
• Strong project management and execution capability.
• Self-starter with a continuous improvement mindset.