Job Title - Supply Planning Manager – Southern Africa

Designation - Individual Contributor

Reporting To - Head of Supply Chain Africa

Skip Level Reporting - Regional Supply Chain & Manufacturing Head: Africa, Middle East

Function - Supply Chain

GJL -  GJL 4

Location - Southern Africa

ABOUT UPL:

UPL is focused on emerging as a premier global provider of total crop solutions designed to secure the world’s long-term food supply. Winning farmer's hearts across the globe, while leading the way with innovative products and services that make agriculture sustainable, UPL is the fastest-growing company in the industry. Our successes in the field add up to powerful financials. UPL delivers results from protecting crops that translate into attractive investor value. Based on the recognition that humankind is one community, UPL’s overarching commitment is to improve areas of its presence, workplace, and customer engagement.

Our purpose is ‘OpenAg’. An agriculture network that feeds sustainable growth for all. No limits, no borders.

We are one team, for maximum impact. One team with shared goals. We have a laser-like focus on what our customers need and want, on anticipating their future needs, and on how we can create innovative solutions and experiences for them. We think outside the box and go beyond our comfort zone. We believe in agility, we mix the power of speed, with structure from process. And wherever we can, we always believe in having fun.

Role Summary

Accountable and responsible to ensure that the demand for products is met timely in full while maintaining cost effective processes to plan and improve the supply of goods as required. Responsible for the monthly master plan of materials and finished goods as well as the relevant communication thereof to S&OP forum, stakeholders and others as required. Manage exceptions and timely cover any anticipated gaps as required. Lead the daily, weekly and monthly planning forums to manage daily, weekly and monthly changes to plans always ensuring net working capital requirements does not exceed allocations and where it does, gain the needed approvals before execution of changes.

Role Responsibilities

Financial

• Impacts of supply plan on financial performance - Supply risks and opportunities managed.
• Impacts of SC inventory levels being managed on Net working capital targets - process in place to manage inventory levels efficiently and reduce excesses in time.
• Yearly, Monthly and Weekly Forecasting & Budgeting of inventory, manufacturing, purchasing plans for the purpose of volumes assigned in overhead cost calculations and setting of net working capital budgets and all the drivers of net working capital.
• Drive cost effective product allocation in the internal network to low-cost alternatives regularly reviewing alternate routings for optimization and continuous improvement in the supply of products utilizing the UPL network.
• Responsible for accurate planning master data (e.g., SPK) to ensure product flows are planned accurately as these impacts on the availability of accurate costs in the system.

Customer

• Ensure products are available as per SLA to ensure efficient execution of customer orders, depot replenishment of commercial inventories on time and in full. Setting pro-active processes to manage flow of materials to and from plants and tracking of changes to plans impacting Nett working capital.
• Manage communication with internal customers with risks and opportunities identified in the planning and planning evaluation process. Propose solutions for gaps. Accountable for weekly planning process and coordination between factory and customer service teams to address shortfalls in supply.
• Support but also challenge the forecast collecting and update process in each cycle.
• Understanding major movements in markets and business to be managed in changes to plans – ensure DCR process is functionally correct and respond accurately to out of forecast requests without overcommitting.

Operations/Process

• Lead the design and execution of a Demand Management & Forecasting process on both aggregate (business) and granular (operations) level that drive  excellence in supply planning & execution  in a  high SKU and complex manufacturing environment
• Prepare consensus monthly purchase plan, production plan and updated inventory plan.
• Ensure medium term production plan is prepared, reviewed and agreed in S&OP forum.
• SNP super user – ensure regular review and checks of Planning master data including default routings is accurately reflected.
• Set up automated and efficient re-ordering processes and safety stocks as required.
• Create check and balances to ensure critical materials of Top 50 products are ordered on time and where there are changes review process includes all components in the BOM.
• New product introduction - manage supply planning inputs when new products are introduced – including ensuring all routing Master data is complete, planning data is accurate, and that product is placed in the correct manufacturing entity as per registration.
• Manage raw and packing material planning and replenishment to plants and contract manufacturers.
• APO-SNP - weekly planning cycle - managing governance and discipline for each planning run. Get an analyse output and discuss/implement actions as needed. Invent and improve tools available to ensure all planning requirements in the region can be met with minimal manual effort. In this regard advance excel and even Sequel experience may be essential on top of SNP and MRP experience
• Key super-user/trainer in the development of new tools and implementation thereof – core team member for any major implementation
• Process owner for PTS, PTP in SAP where implementations require UAT and user acceptance. Ensure daily, weekly and monthly Exception Reports are generated that identify potential deviations in advance and are acted upon promptly with countermeasures that avoid deviation from plans.  
• Actively champion Continuous Improvement, including Optimization initiatives that drive high performance in all areas of supply planning.

Individual / Team

• Lead and guide a small planning team in execution of plans.
• Engage with stakeholders at multiple levels to communicate, engage and find solutions for issues and gaps against demand, including managing allocations as required.
• Integration and key player in the sub-regional supply chain - to identify risks and opportunities and part of local leadership team.
• Implement and Monitor execution of agreed objectives of team as aligned with sub-regional and functional expectations.
• Drive implementation of key assigned projects, as either project leader or significant contributor
• Lead key supply planning and inventory sections of local and sub-regional S&OP forums.

Sales and Operational Process

• Leads the Supply and purchasing review to match demand with Supply.
• Contribute to demand reviews for updating the constrained forecast with supply issues.
• Sub-regional set-up of information flow standardized for communication to allow for regional and global consolidation for all plans generated including the valuation of inventory projections, production plans and purchasing plans as compared to budgets set.
• Manage Key Supply chain KPI such as OTIF, Inventory targets and planning accuracy measures.

Responsibility Weightage and % of Time Spent Matrix

Internal Stakeholders

• Finance Team
• Manufacturing and Operations
• Commercial Services
• Marketing
• Master data/Internal IT team

External Stakeholders

• Contract Manufacturing Partners
• External Auditors

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Required 5 years Supply planning experience in an SAP environment, some experience in managing small teams and presenting and communicating at executive level.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in chemical engineering, chemistry, industrial engineering, accounting, supply chain, preferable in agrochemical field involving thousands of SKU’s and global sourcing & supply.

Technical Requirements

• Advanced Supply chain planning capability, including use of ERP tools APO-DP, APO-SNP and production scheduling.
• Trained in operations research and proven experience in supply and operations supply chain mathematical modelling, optimization and simulation in a complex manufacturing environment.
• Advanced training and expertise in Excel including VBA for automating processes.
• Proven experience in SQL, R and/or Python will be a major plus, as will usage of BI tools like the Power suite i.e., PowerBI, Power Automate, Powerapps with emphasis on PowerBI.  
• Strategic thinking and problem-solving methodologies, Management of Change
• Communication and collaboration at multiple levels in the organization and across functions. Strong English communication skills needed.
• Ability to understand and translate financial information, including supporting development of business case proposals where appropriate Demand Planning - Expertise in forecasting, understanding demand patterns, and developing strategies to meet demand.
• Procurement Strategies - Knowledge of procurement strategies, including strategic sourcing, supplier relationship management, and cost optimization.
• Advanced Excel Skills - Proficiency in Excel for data manipulation, modelling, and analysis.
• Fluency in English.
• Strong data analytical mindset with understanding of numbers and good memory to recognize patterns with ability to understand what the results mean in the context of business performance or supply situation.
• Problem solving attitude with a learning mindset.

Behavioural Requirements

• Attention to detail and capable to grasp context and impact of supply/finance information.
• Conscientious and diligent
• Ability to deal with adversity (Resilience)
• Low/No tolerance for mediocrity drive delivery of results & process optimization in continuous improvement mindset.
• Persuasion and good listening skills
• Continuous Learning mindset that ensures staying abreast of latest technologies and instil the same in team

UPL Competencies 

• Adaptability & Resilience
  • Recognizes and is open to changing circumstances and alters behavior and scales up as necessary; increases personal awareness and appreciation of individual and cultural differences to create an open, inclusive, and accepting workplace.
• Entrepreneurial Mindset 
  • Has a creative mindset and ability to think holistically, takes calculated risks and maximizes opportunities?
• Results Orientations
  • Acts, pursues goals with persistence and achieves results; communicates goals and vision to the team to drive enthusiasm and ambition.
• Execution Excellence
  • Enhances the speed of execution and builds efficiency in processes, systems, and people; has sharp focus on quality-orientation.
• Strategic Orientation
  • Demonstrates knowledge of the social, economic, and environmental factors and how they impact the business. Identifies key issues that could impact the business and develops strategy through an analytical lens/design thinking.
• Building Teams and Talent
  • Empowers colleagues through knowledge sharing and delegation, quickly establishing rapport; provides recognition for achievements and accomplishments.
• Customer Centricity
  • Understands the customer needs and pain points, fulfills the needs and expectations by focusing on creating value for customers.