Job Opportunities at Aspen Pharma Group

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this role is to perform forecasting and demand planning. Act as a focal point to improve forecast accuracy.  Assist in leveraging improvements in supply chain efficiency through demand-driven inventory optimization.

Demand planner is responsible for product forecasting by creating and maintaining forecast models through baseline planning, market insights and events planning.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Demand Plan Generation & Maintenance

• Collaboration with business unit heads, brand, and sales to generate and maintain a 24-month rolling forecast with latest assumptions 
• Drive accurate forecast in statistical and consensus forecasting covering both baseline and events planning
• Maintain demand planning systems to reflect latest forecast

Forecasting 

• Create statistical forecasts
• Analyse historical demand and remove anomalies (including outliers) from the norm using historical information
• Execute statistical modelling 
• Review resulting statistical forecast model
• Apply error analysis techniques to improve forecasting, update best fit statistical model to generate accurate base forecast
• Summarize/aggregate 

Create consensus forecast

• Achieve consensus for operational demand forecast by facilitating monthly forecast meeting with sales, marketing & finance
• Build into the monthly forecast any relevant market intelligence information discussed at the marketing updates on pricing, promotion, market penetration.
• Prepare relevant forecast and performance data as well as research materials to drive discussions on forward forecast adjustments, on both base and events
• Provide insights to past promotional activities through analytics and share recommendations on forecast adjustments or promotion adjustments
• Coordinate cross-functional research activities to reconcile significant variances and refine forecast model to reflect latest sales and assumptions

Forecasting Performance Tracking

• Monitor forecast trends & errors. Analyse forecast accuracy and bias performance through tracking sales actual and unpacking market insights and various demand drivers
• Present the forecast accuracy at the Forecast review meeting, agreed on root cause analysis and corrective actions. 
• Monitoring actual sales to drive continuous improvements in consensus forecasting with marketing and sales

Budget and Financial forecasting process

• Generate and approve a budget demand plan
• Attendance of Quarterly Financial Forecasting process with Brand and Finance
• Agree with Brand and Finance on base plan and submit to GSK Finance on a yearly basis for GSK budgets (where applicable)
• Providing purchasing forecasts for Clones to finance quarterly.

Supply Planning & Inventory Management

• Track stock supply point delivery vs actual, conduct required follow up to ensure service delivery 
• Attend relevant sales and operations execution meetings with suppliers
• Assess stock prioritization, pull forward and deferral request based on demand movements
• Ensure stock holding conforms with inventory policy and investigate deviations for corrective actions. Alternatively provide scenarios for decision making on proposed stock holding. 
• Identify and review items with excess inventory and propose action plan.
• Manage short dated stock and drive demand shaping with Marketing – repacks/shelf extensions/special activities where allowed by GSK RA.
• Minimise write off costs on slow moving stock by proposing change in stock policy or demand shaping actions to reduce write off. 
• Preparation of supply planning related reports for monthly supplier engagement meetings
• Providing commentary monthly on excess and shortfall stock as well as key drivers to inventory forward.
• Explore alternative supply options including section 21 and 36 products. Manage Section 21 supply process
• Liaise with GSK/Other 3rd parties QA on post importation testing (where applicable)
• Process purchase orders and obtain approvals for Clones
• Update Purchase orders for GSK and generate ASN numbers.
• Provide front end feedback to the supply sites on latest demand movements, coordinate discussions on the opportunities and risks regarding demand and supply.
• Provide input to supply points in developing inventory strategies on existing, new and phased-out products

Other Demand Planning Activities

• Manage the process for suspended and discontinued items.
• Enter and modify data and ensure the correctness of product hierarchy and master data
• Manage packaging product phase in and phase out
• Manage new product launches and ensuring all master data has been maintained to ensure upload of stock and demand.
• Ensure demand is downloaded for relevant supply parties
• Generating new codes at distributors for new launches
• Ensure Aspen item master is updated in line with GSK/Supplier Product Information List
• Parameters are reviewed and revised when necessary with specific reference to Safety Stock, Replenishment Cycles and Lead times
• Supporting planning related projects, system upgrade/transitions
• Support IT to resolve any system integration and data interface issues that may impact planning activities

Continuous Improvements

• Conduct ad hoc analytics required improve forecast accuracy performance
• Support demand planning lead with process and system streamlining and improvement plans
• Drive SKU segmentation in day to day planning activities

Requirements

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:

• Matric
• Relevant University qualification in Supply Chain Management, Logistics or Engineering 
• 5+ years of experience in Demand Planning including replenishment forecasting
• Previous exposure on working with statistical forecast is a plus
• Exposure to supply chain and S&OP is a must 
• Previous experience in data science is a plus
• CPF or CPIM an advantage
• Experience in the FMCG/Pharmaceutical industries is essential
• Strong knowledge of exports/imports is essential
• Good working knowledge with ERP systems (SAP) and forecasting Tools

SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES:

• Effective planning, organising and co-ordinating
• Highly numerate with excellent analytical skills
• Strong capabilities in logical reasoning
• Results driven
• Effective problem solving and decision making
• Commercial and strategic awareness
• Independent and self-directed individual that can drive execution
• Influencing capabilities
• Effective interpersonal skills, the ability to communicate effectively (written and verbal) and articulate risks with an understanding of overall impact/sensitivity to rest of the business
• Attention to detail
• Project management skills is a plus
• Ability to think strategically and innovatively around total rewards
• Data scientist experience is a plus 
• Ability to apply demand planning principles in the existing system landscape and provide opportunities on enhancement
• Being able to coach and transfer knowledge to pipeline talents 
• Ability to operationalize and adopt planning best practices in day to day planning

KNOWLEDGE:

• Computer skills on MS Office
• A solid understanding of S&OP, demand, and supply planning
• Deep working knowledge of ERP systems
• Deep technical knowledge of demand planning & statistical forecast
• Vast experience on demand management

Aspen is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity and suitably qualified job applicants are invited to submit their CV online on or before the 15th September 2023. Preference will be given to applicants from designated groups through a fair recruitment and selection process in accordance with laws governing employment equity, where such laws are applicable to Aspen.

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Description

Responsible for the management, coordination and operational support of Manufacturing Operations Systems, and continuous improvement project rollouts and new product launches within the Manufacturing Operations Systems / Projects environment.

Requirements

Leading Service Operations

• Provide technical and operational input on operational planning of the MBR design team and on the prioritization of objectives.
• Provide input into budget and resource requirements of section.
• Request, allocate and monitor use of assets and resources.
• Provide section staff with day-to-day direction and tasks.
• Run effective performance review meetings.
• Ensure visual performance boards are updated.
• Complete and monitor time and attendance.

Service Design

• Manage service definitions and team capacity.
• Compliance of IT services, processes and systems with company policies and regulatory requirements.
• Alignment to architecture strategy, policies, and standards.

Service Transition

• Change Management, risk, and impact evaluation.
• Management project stakeholders and report on Deliverables, Risks, Assumptions, Issues and Decisions.
• MBR Validation and Testing – Compiling requirements, risk assessments, specifications, and test protocols; testing and validation reporting.

Service Strategy

• Build trusted Business Relationship with users to ensure business needs are met. 
• Understand and anticipate customer demand through demand management processes.

Continuous Service Improvement

• Regularly review services to improve quality and identify areas where processes can be improved.
• Implement and monitor CSI initiatives.

 Skills Required

Background/experience

• Pharmaceutical/Engineering/IT business degree or diploma.
• Qualification in ITIL framework, agile methodologies, GAMP5 IT Systems Validation will be advantageous.
• 3-5 years pharmaceutical manufacturing.
• 1-2 years process development / QA.
• ≥ 1 year supervisory / managerial experience.

Specific job skills

• Good knowledge of Pharmaceutical GxP regulations.
• Advanced understanding of process and quality controls in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing.
• Compiling / implementing / monitoring deviations, change controls, CAPAs, SOPs, validation protocols and reports.
• Proven Information Technology acumen and competency.

Competencies

• Proven leadership abilities.
• Relational thinking.
• Dissemination of Technical Information.
• Improving Business Processes.