PPM Specialist : VOPs & Business Cycle at The South African Breweries (SAB)

Key Roles and Responsibilities:

Vertical Operations Performance (VOPs) Leadership

• Lead the deployment, optimisation, and governance of Vertical Operations performance routines across Africa Operations.
• Ensure effective daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly performance cadences, from operational teams to BU and Zone leadership forums.
• Coach leaders on data‑driven performance conversations, issue prioritisation, and disciplined follow‑through.
• Drive standardisation and continuous improvement of VOPs tools, dashboards, and rhythms in line with Africa and Global standards.
• Assess VOPs maturity and effectiveness, identifying gaps and driving targeted interventions.

Ownership of the PPM Business Cycle

• Own and manage the Planning & Performance Management Business Cycle, including:
• Annual and long‑range target setting
• Objective alignment and KPI governance
• Mid‑year performance reviews
• Year‑end performance evaluations and calibrations
• Ensure consistent, high‑quality execution of the business cycle milestones across Africa BUs.
• Enable leaders to translate strategic priorities into clear, measurable performance commitments.
• Partner closely with HR to ensure outcomes support differentiation, talent decisions, and succession planning.

Performance Governance & Results Delivery

• Translate strategy into performance scorecards, dashboards, and review routines for Vertical Operations.
• Track performance against commitments, identify risks and deviations, and support the definition of corrective actions.
• Ensure transparency, discipline, and accountability in performance reporting and follow‑up.
• Drive linkage between people performance, operational execution, and business outcomes.

Capability Building & Change Leadership

• Build PPM and performance management capability within Supply, Procurement and Vertical Operations through coaching, training, and embedded support.
• Act as a change enabler, reinforcing AB InBev’s ownership culture and high‑performance mindset.
• Support leaders in strengthening performance discipline, feedback capability, and decision quality.

Stakeholder Management & Integration

• Serve as a key interface between:
• Africa Supply & Procurement Leadership
• BU Directors and Supply & Procurement HODs
• People Business Partners
• Performance Excellence / CI teams
• Ensure alignment between PPM processes, VOPs routines, and broader operational excellence frameworks.
• Maintain strong governance, auditability, and consistency across the Africa Zone.

​Minimum Requirements:

• Postgraduate degree in Business, Finance, or a related field (MBA / CIMA / CA (SA) would be advantageous).
• 6–10 years’ experience in Planning & Performance Management, Finance, Supply, or Performance Excellence roles.
• Demonstrated experience leading performance routines, business cycles, or governance frameworks in complex, multi‑site environments.
• Strong exposure to manufacturing or large‑scale operational environments preferred.
• FMCG industry experience is an added advantage.

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