Market Collaboration Planner Nut

Unilever is currently hiring for Market Collaboration Planner

Reports to: Supply Operations Manager

Scope: South Africa (Nutrition)

Location: South Africa

Terms & Conditions: Full Time

With 3.4 billion people in over 190 countries using our products every day, Unilever is a business that makes a real impact on the world. Work on brands that are loved and improve the lives of our consumers and the communities around us. We are driven by our purpose: to make sustainable living commonplace, and it is our belief that doing business the right way drives superior performance. At the heart of what we do is our people – we believe that when our people work with purpose, we will create a better business and a better world. 

At Unilever, your career will be a unique journey, grounded in our inclusive, collaborative, and flexible working environment. We don’t believe in the ‘one size fits all’ approach and instead we will equip you with the tools you need to shape your own future.

CATEGORY/FUNCTION INTRODUCTION

Customer Operations drives superior experiences for our consumers by ensuring product availability on line and on shelf and superior customer experiences through being the no. 1 supplier. The department  links the supply and demand sides of the organization through digital platforms and ensures accurate forecasts, optimized inventory, superior customer service, reduced logistics costs and efficient order to cash processes.

JOB PURPOSE

Unilever is the place where you can bring your purpose to life with the work that you do – creating a better business and a better world. This role is the main interface between the L2 Planning Hub and the Market (L1) for supply planning, collaborating with the operations teams and L1 Execution Planners to ensure L1 plans are adopted and service levels and working capital targets are met. The Market Collaboration Planner will be the Planning contact point for the Market on Supply and Innovation for the category, with a short to medium term planning focus.

WHAT WILL YOUR MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES BE

Supply:

• Ensure that any critical information from Sales and Operations teams in Market required to create executable plans are shared with the Hub

• Ensure monthly Finished Goods supply plan is in line with agreed demand plan and month end FG stocks for the category

• Drive acceptance of supply plans, ensuring adoption by Sales and Operations teams

• Drive plan effectiveness over short to medium term

• Responsible for the following planning inputs from the Market into S&OP: end to end supply planning (local, 3P, imports) and resultant stock availability at MSO for the 0 – 24-month horizon

• Recommend parameter changes from L2 and liaise with Sales and Operations teams to get these approved

• Alongside the Demand Planner, responsible for the supply and demand reconciliation process being in place and is a key member of S&OP meeting

• Actively support the Supply Operations Manager on the preparation of the S&OP, and contribute bringing insights and recommendations when required

• Identify potential bottlenecks on finished goods production, and propose ways to resolve them at optimal cost

• Review the rough cut capacity planning for the category to ensure that customer service, stock and cost (working capital and factory recoveries) requirements are met through S&OP ‘Supply’ meeting

• Responsible for Supply inputs to Regional Demand Supply Reconciliation process

• Integrate supply chain constraints into the current month’s operational forecast through the S&OP process

• The Market Collaboration Planner will be the first Planning contact point for the Market on Supply and Innovation,with an operational day-to-day planning focus

• First point of escalation for trade off decisions outside of the Hub’s level of authority

• Responsibility is executed in close co-operation with & full support of, the Imports/Exports Team

Service:

• Drive integrated activities with the broader supply chain and customer teams as well as through collaboration both internally and externally to ensure customer service requirements are understood and met by deep diving DR and daily hotspots in daily Service call

• Responsible for the overall stock availability for the category

• Order manage stock as required

• Responsible for joint projects to improve responsiveness and flexibility

• Drive resolution of short-term constraints for SKUs shared between export and local for the category (export hub) specific SKUs will be managed by factory scheduler / export hub)

• Update monthly Service Loss Tree

• Oversee monthly Service Review (performance vs plan, update fcst YTG) and sign-off with Demand Fulfilment Manager

Working Capital Management:

• Drive improvements on working capital recommended by L2 Inventory Optimisation Specialist including inventory holding policy change in order to meet customer service level targets

• Own and manage the finished goods obsolete and excessive stock. Raise and manage provisions in accordance with policy. Own the stock cover line for total forward supply view (weeks 0 – 52), balancing service levels and costs appropriately

• Ensure accurate stocks forecast is in place for category(ies)

• Responsible for inventory DOH for the category

• Responsible for updating monthly Inventory Loss Tree

• Oversee monthly Working Capital Review (performance vs plan, update fcst YTG) and sign-off with Supply Operations Manager

Business Waste:

• Manage and update weekly Business Waste projections

• Oversee monthly Business Waste Review (performance vs plan, update fcst YTG) and sign-off with Supply Operations Manager

• Responsible for updating monthly Business Waste Loss Tree

• Work with Execution Planner to close actions on waste prevention for Finished Goods and Packing and Raw Materials

Input into Distribution Network Capacity Planning:

• Provide input (pallet holding) to the distribution team to ensure that customer service level and financial targets are met

• Work closely with distribution to understand outbound network constraints and liase with the appropriate planning teams (site and third party) to overcome short term constraints

Innovation:

• Monitoring that innovation plan is on track as per agreed stock cover

• Point of contact to cross-functional business teams aftermarket ready gate

• Represent SC in innovation project meetings and network creation sessions led by project leaders and execute SC tasks as per network.

• Manage SC, and key business stakeholders on STT dates - risks on overall timings, focusing on SC elements.

• Report and manage SC innovation risks with input from key SC stakeholders and ensure this is documented and tracked in risk assessment meetings

• Owns & co-ordinates input and sign-off of SC section of Innovation Gate Checklist as well as Inoplan

• Lead and execute E2E SC tasks on innovations through cross functional SC teams, including Hub and factories to ensure OTIF met

• Facilitate execution of Innovation and 5S projects (secure factory trials, and trial slots from SU’s, flag risks, etc)

• Allocate innovation capability and capacity; support CAPEX request process for innovations with the or SUIT (Sourcing Unit Implementation Team)

• Drive Innovation related make or buy sourcing assessments through Product Group Strategic sourcing team

• Co-ordinate and flag SC innovation business loading risks partnering with SUIT and Product Group teams

• Coordinate category Innovation Related savings plan aligned with the agreed targets and ensure delivery via effective project management and coordination

• Co-ordinate RMPM and FG transitioning with Inventory Specialist, E2E Planners for effective management of Innovation Business Waste

• Liaise with Inventory Specialist on inputs for optimal FG inventory for launch stock covers

• Ensure all Innovation related master data is accurate and driven through MPOWER

• Drive innovation functional excellence within SC by ensuring governance through gate checklists, business waste, risk assessments and MOC

• Ensure and drive Innovation Assumption Document for all innovations with demand planners

• Provide SC input into business case for business waste, and CAPEX (SUIT)

• Contribute into Post Launch Evaluation reviews for innovations to ensure continuous improvement

• Lead Factory Innovation Meetings together with SUIT – creating visibility Innovation plans, progress and action tracking based on project network

Excellence:

• Lead business waste integration across all categories into the Business Waste steercom as part of Planning Excellence Reporting.

• Review daily the performance of the current month and provide feedback to the Supply Operations Manager

Exception Management:

• Sign-off and escalate exceptions to Demand Manager

WHAT YOU NEED TO SUCCEED

Experiences & Qualifications

• Tertiary degree with Supply Chain, Engineering and/ or Business Management is preferred.

• Experience in supply planning will be an advantage

• Further studies in supply chain, including APICS/SAPICS qualification, would be beneficial

• A good understanding of, and the use of SAP is essential

• Planning and functional business process knowledge

• Strong Business Acumen

• Business partnering experience

Skills

• Excellent communication skills and ability to influence stakeholders to achieve results

• An excellent integrator and collaborator

• Strong change, service and agile mindset

• Strong accountability and responsibility

• Data driven decision making

Leadership

• You are energized by delivering fantastic results. You are an example to others – both your results and your resilience. You are constantly on the lookout for better ways to do things, engaging and collaborating with others along the way.

• As an individual you are the one responsible for your own wellbeing and delivering high standards of work. You must also focus on the Consumer and what they need. You are humble and have your head up, looking around to interpret evidence and data smartly, spot issues and opportunities to make things better.

• Critical SOL (Standards of Leadership) Behaviors

  • PASSION FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE: Takes personal responsibility and accountability for execution and results. Has an owner’s mindset, using data and insight to make decisions.

  • PERSONAL MASTERY: Sets high standards for themselves. Actively builds own wellbeing and resilience.

  • CONSUMER LOVE: Whatever their role, always looks for better ways to serve consumers. Invests time inside and outside to understand the needs of consumers.

  • PURPOSE & SERVICE: Has humility, understanding that leadership is service to others, inside and outside Unilever.

  • AGILITY: Explores the world around them, continually learning and developing their skills.

Unilever embraces diversity and encourages applicants from all walks of life! This means giving full and fair consideration to all applicants and continuing development of all employees regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity. 

Unilever is an organisation committed to equity, inclusion and diversity to drive our business results and create a better future, every day, for our diverse employees, global consumers, partners, and communities. We believe a diverse workforce allows us to match our growth ambitions and drive inclusion across the business. At Unilever we are interested in every individual bringing their ‘Whole Self’ to work and this includes you! Thus if you require any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at the time of your application so that we can support you through your recruitment journey.