Introduction

The Production Planner is responsible for coordinating and optimising production planning, inventory management, materials availability, procurement and warehouse operations to ensure that production and customer demand requirements are met efficiently, accurately and cost-effectively.

The role involves developing, maintaining and monitoring short-, medium- and long-term production plans, ensuring the timely availability of raw materials, packaging and components, and aligning production capacity with demand forecasts and operational requirements.

Using SAP or a comparable ERP system, the incumbent will manage production schedules, monitor inventory levels, identify capacity constraints, track key performance indicators and communicate operational risks to relevant stakeholders.

The position is also responsible for minimising excess inventory, obsolete and slow-moving stock, production disruptions and unnecessary write-offs, while driving continuous improvement across manufacturing and supply chain operations.

The incumbent will provide leadership and direction to the Inventory and Materials Planner and Warehouse Team Leaders, promoting accountability, operational discipline, collaboration and continuous improvement.

Duties & Responsibilities

Key Performance Areas and Responsibilities

Production Planning and Scheduling

Develop, maintain and execute production plans in SAP or an equivalent ERP system to meet business demand while maintaining appropriate inventory levels and production efficiencies.
Translate demand forecasts, customer orders and business requirements into achievable production schedules, considering capacity, labour, equipment, material availability, product allergens, product colour impacts and manufacturing constraints.
Ensure the timely completion, distribution, communication and management of production plans.
Develop short-, medium- and long-term production plans, providing visibility of anticipated workloads over a rolling 52-week planning horizon.
Apply rough-cut and finite-capacity planning tools to assess production feasibility and identify potential capacity constraints.
Work with plant leadership and operational teams to resolve capacity challenges and minimise the cost of fulfilling production requirements.
Monitor production plan adherence, including APT% and SKU-level MPS%, and communicate performance against agreed targets.
Attend and coordinate production planning meetings, ensuring that decisions, constraints and corrective actions are documented and communicated.
Communicate production schedule changes, material shortages, capacity limitations and operational risks to relevant stakeholders.
Balance customer service requirements, inventory targets, operational capacity and cost efficiency.

Production Processes, Performance Management and Reporting

Support the development, integration and implementation of business systems, planning processes and operational standards.
Establish, monitor and report key production and inventory performance indicators.
Analyse service-level performance, production losses, inefficiencies and deviations from plan, identifying root causes and recommending corrective actions.
Prepare weekly analyses and reports on finished-goods slow-moving and obsolete stock (SLOB), including potential exposure.
Provide monthly SLOB reporting to management, highlighting financial exposure, stock risks and recommended interventions.
Maintain an accurate write-off tracker and communicate potential and actual write-offs to relevant departments.
Coordinate new product introductions and product discontinuations to minimise obsolete inventory and unnecessary write-offs.
Monitor Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) in conjunction with plant leadership and support initiatives to improve production stability and efficiency.
Identify recurring operational problems, analyse performance trends and implement corrective action plans.
Ensure reporting is accurate, timely and sufficiently detailed to support operational and commercial decision-making.

Continuous Improvement and Operational Excellence

Support the development, implementation and monitoring of continuous improvement programmes designed to improve plant efficiency, productivity and supply chain performance.
Identify, evaluate and lead improvements across production planning, inventory management, materials flow and warehouse processes.
Promote lean manufacturing principles to reduce waste, improve resource utilisation and lower total factory costs.
Collaborate with planning, scheduling, procurement, distribution, finance, Quality Assurance, Research and Development, suppliers and customers to improve operational coordination.
Identify opportunities to improve product flow, information flow, production responsiveness and supply chain performance.
Establish measurable improvement objectives, define KPIs and report progress against agreed action plans.
Conduct root-cause analyses, implement corrective and preventive measures, and monitor their effectiveness through weekly and monthly reviews.
Promote standardised business processes, planning tools and performance-management practices.
Encourage accountability, customer satisfaction, continuous improvement and adherence to operational targets.

Buying, Procurement and Supplier Management

Coordinate the sourcing and purchasing of raw materials, packaging materials and production components required to meet manufacturing demand.
Align purchasing activities with approved production plans, demand forecasts, stock requirements and inventory targets.
Monitor material availability and supplier performance to minimise production delays, shortages and excess inventory.
Evaluate suppliers based on cost, quality, reliability, lead times and service performance.
Support supplier negotiations and identify cost-effective purchasing opportunities without compromising quality or operational continuity.
Work closely with procurement, finance, production and quality teams to resolve supply issues.
Monitor replenishment requirements and maintain appropriate stock levels while avoiding unnecessary surplus, waste and working-capital exposure.
Identify potential supply chain disruptions and develop appropriate mitigation plans.

Inventory and Warehouse Management

Oversee inventory planning and warehouse operations to ensure adequate stock availability for production and customer demand.
Monitor raw materials, packaging, components and finished-goods inventory, maintaining accurate stock records and effective stock-control procedures.
Coordinate monthly cycle counts and investigate inventory discrepancies.
Ensure raw material movements are accurately recorded, controlled and reconciled within the applicable inventory systems.
Monitor stock ageing, slow-moving and obsolete inventory, expiry exposure and potential write-offs.
Ensure inventory practices comply with internal controls, audit requirements and applicable SOX controls.
Work with Warehouse Team Leaders to improve warehouse organisation, stock accuracy, material handling and operational efficiency.
Balance inventory replenishment decisions against production continuity, customer service, storage capacity and working-capital requirements.
Coordinate warehousing, production, procurement and distribution activities to support the timely movement of materials and finished goods.
Ensure inventory and warehouse processes comply with relevant quality, safety and operational standards.

Leadership, Team Management and Stakeholder Engagement

Provide leadership, guidance and performance oversight to the Inventory and Materials Planner and Warehouse Team Leaders.
Set clear expectations, establish departmental objectives and monitor performance against agreed KPIs.
Coach and develop team members in production planning, materials planning, inventory control, warehouse management and problem-solving.
Promote effective communication and collaboration across production, planning, procurement, finance, quality, distribution and other business functions.
Ensure operational constraints, supply risks, production changes and inventory concerns are communicated promptly.
Encourage accountability, professional conduct, teamwork and continuous improvement.
Support team capability development and consistent adherence to policies and procedures.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Production PlanningProduction plan adherence, including APT% and SKU-level MPS%
Customer ServiceAchievement of agreed service-level targets
Capacity UtilisationCapacity planning accuracy and reduction of production constraints
Manufacturing EfficiencyOEE performance and reduction of production losses
Inventory ManagementInventory accuracy, stock availability and compliance with inventory targets
Obsolete StockReduction in SLOB exposure and avoidable write-offs
Material AvailabilityAvailability of raw materials, packaging and components
ProcurementSupplier performance, purchasing efficiency and cost effectiveness
Warehouse ManagementCycle-count completion, stock accuracy and timely material movements
Product TransitionsEffective product introductions and discontinuations with minimal write-offs
Continuous ImprovementDelivery of improvement initiatives and achievement of agreed targets
Reporting and ControlsTimely reporting, audit readiness and adherence to inventory controls
People ManagementTeam performance, capability development and achievement of departmental objectives
Specific numerical targets, reporting deadlines and KPI weightings should be agreed with the relevant line manager and incorporated into the performance scorecard.

7. Core Competencies

Production and Supply Chain Expertise: Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, production planning, MRP, inventory management and quality control.
Leadership and People Management: Ability to lead teams, manage performance, coach employees and drive accountability.
Analytical Thinking and Problem-Solving: Ability to interpret operational data, identify root causes, assess risks and implement effective solutions.
Planning and Organisational Ability: Strong scheduling, prioritisation, forecasting and coordination skills, with the ability to manage competing deadlines.
Communication and Stakeholder Management: Effective interpersonal communication and the ability to coordinate activities across departments and external partners.
Commercial and Financial Acumen: Understanding of inventory costs, working capital, procurement economics, production efficiency and cost control.
Integrity, Adaptability and Continuous Improvement: Demonstrates respect, commitment, trustworthiness, proactive problem-solving, agility and a commitment to operational excellence.

8. Special Requirements

Previous experience in an FMCG or manufacturing environment is essential.
APICS certification is advantageous.
CPIM certification is advantageous.
Practical experience with SAP or a comparable ERP system is strongly preferred.
Working knowledge of inventory control, production planning and relevant audit requirements is required.
Ability to work across functions and manage competing operational priorities in a deadline-driven manufacturing environment.

Desired Experience & Qualification

Minimum qualification

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Inventory Management, Operations Management or a related field.

Advantageous qualifications and certifications

APICS certification.
Certified in Planning and Inventory Management (CPIM).
Additional training in production planning, manufacturing operations, inventory control or supply chain optimisation.

Minimum experience

At least five years’ experience in production, manufacturing, production planning, inventory management or supply chain roles.
Demonstrable experience within an FMCG or manufacturing environment.
Experience working with customers and cross-functional operational teams.
Exposure to international audit requirements and Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) controls relating to inventory management.
Proven leadership and people-management capabilities, including experience leading continuous improvement initiatives and achieving measurable results.

Preferred experience

Experience using SAP or a comparable ERP system for production planning, materials requirements planning (MRP) and inventory control.
Experience with demand forecasting, capacity planning, production scheduling and manufacturing performance analysis.
Exposure to rough-cut and finite-capacity planning over short- and long-term planning horizons.
Experience managing new product introductions, product discontinuations, obsolete inventory and stock write-offs.
Experience in supplier sourcing, procurement, commercial negotiations and warehouse operations.
Ability to analyse market forecasts, anticipate production changes and develop action plans to address operational constraints.

Introduction

Duties & Responsibilities

Desired Experience & Qualification

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