Department: Supply Chain & Planning
Location: Thika Factory, Kenya
Reports To: Supply Chain Manager
Direct Reports: None (Individual Contributor)
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Key Responsibilities****1. Production Planning & Scheduling• Develop weekly and monthly production plans based on demand forecasts, sales orders, inventory levels, and capacity constraints.• Create and maintain detailed production schedules by product category and production line.• Balance production capacity against customer demand requirements.• Monitor production order progress and adjust schedules as required.• Ensure efficient utilization of labour, machinery, utilities, and factory resources.• Prioritize production based on customer requirements and business objectives.• Coordinate production sequencing to reduce changeovers and improve line efficiency.2. Material Requirements Planning (MRP)• Run MRP within SAP Business One.• Convert production plans into raw material, packaging, and consumable requirements.• Ensure production materials are available to meet manufacturing schedules.• Coordinate closely with Procurement regarding purchase requirements and supplier lead times.• Monitor shortages and proactively escalate risks that may impact production.3. Inventory Optimization• Maintain optimum levels of:o Raw materialso Packaging materialso Work-in-progress inventoryo Finished goods inventory• Develop production plans that minimize:o Excess inventoryo Obsolescenceo Product expiry riskso Stock-outs• Review inventory ageing and recommend corrective actions4. Capacity & Resource Planning• Analyse:o Machine capacitieso Labour availabilityo Maintenance scheduleso Production constraints• Develop capacity plans to support business growth.• Identify bottlenecks and recommend solutions.• Support capital expenditure planning by providing production capacity analyses.5. Demand & Supply Alignment• Participate in monthly S&OP meetings.• Review forecast changes and translate them into production requirements.• Conduct supply-demand gap analysis.• Recommend strategies to mitigate supply shortages or excess inventory.• Support new product launches and promotional planning.6. Production Monitoring & Control• Track daily production performance against plan.• Investigate deviations and identify root causes.• Recommend corrective actions to improve plan adherence.• Monitor manufacturing KPI trends.• Ensure production orders are closed accurately and timely within SAP.7. Cross Functional CoordinationWork closely with:Sales & Commercial Team• Demand forecasts• PromotionsProcurement• Material availability• Supplier lead times• Procurement prioritiesProduction• Daily schedules• Capacity utilization• Production challengesQuality Assurance• Product release schedules• Non-conformance impactsWarehouse & Logistics• Finished goods availability• Dispatch planning8. Reporting & AnalyticsPrepare and publish:• Daily Production Planning Report• Weekly Capacity Utilization Report• Monthly Inventory Planning Report• Forecast Accuracy Analysis• Production Variance Report• Material Shortage Report• S&OP Planning PackDevelop dashboards in Excel, Power BI, or SAP.Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)Production Plan Adherence ≥95%OTIF Production Orders ≥95%Forecast Consumption Accuracy ≥85%Material Availability ≥98%Production Schedule Stability ≥90%Inventory Days Cover Within TargetInventory Write-Offs MinimizedStock-Out Occurrences <2 per monthCapacity Utilization >85%SAP Transaction Accuracy ≥99%Qualifications****Education• Bachelor's Degree in:o Supply Chain Managemento Industrial Engineeringo Manufacturing Engineeringo Operations Managemento Business AdministrationProfessional Certifications (Preferred)• APICS CPIM• APICS CSCP• CIPS• Six Sigma Green Belt• Lean Manufacturing Certification** Experience• 3-5 years for Production Planner level.• FMCG manufacturing experience is essential.• Experience planning:o Food manufacturingo Packaging operationso High-volume production environments• Strong SAP Business One or ERP planning experience.• Experience with MRP, inventory management, and production scheduling.**Competencies**Technical Competencies**• Production Planning• MRP Management• Capacity Planning• Inventory Management• Supply Planning• Forecast Interpretation• SAP Business One• Advanced Excel• Power BI Reporting** Behavioural Competencies**• Analytical Thinking• Attention to Detail• Planning & Organizing• Problem Solving• Communication Skills• Decision Making• Stakeholder Management• Continuous Improvement Mindset