Job Title: Supply Planner
Department: Supply Chain & Operations
Reports To: Supply Planning Manager
Job Purpose
To oversee end-to-end material requirements planning (MRP), raw material and packaging purchasing, and inventory control. This role ensures all ingredients (eg. Surfactants, fragrances, active botanicals) and packaging components (eg. Bottles, pumps, cartons) arrive on time to meet production schedules without creating excess inventory or obsolete stock. Additionally, this role will cover for short term production planning during absence.
Key Responsibilities
1. Material Requirements Planning (MRP) & Ordering
- Run and maintain the Material Requirements Planning (MRP) plan based on the production schedule and master demand plan.
- Issue Purchase Orders (POs) to suppliers for raw materials and packaging components.
- Manage lead-time variations, order frequency, and Minimum Order Quantities (MOQs) to secure continuous production.
- Track order confirmations, ship dates, and expected deliveries; proactively address supplier delays to prevent production downtime.
2. Inventory Control & Optimization
- Maintain optimal inventory levels for Raw Materials (RM) and Packaging Materials (PM) across internal facilities and 3rd party.
- Establish and continuously review safety stock levels, reorder points, and lead times for high-volume or critical materials.
- Lead regular physical stock audits, inventory reconciliations, and scrap/obsolescence tracking.
3. Supplier Management & Coordination
- Act as the primary operational contact for suppliers of packaging components and raw ingredients.
- Track supplier performance metrics, focusing on On-Time In-Full (OTIF) delivery, quality defect rates, and lead-time adherence.
- Work with Quality Assurance (QA) to resolve non-conformance issues or rejected component shipments quickly.
4. New Product Launches & Packaging Changes
- Order and manage initial runs of new packaging materials and liquid ingredients for new product introductions or seasonal range refreshes.
- Manage component transitions (e.g., label redesigns) to minimise write-offs of old stock.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- Material Availability / OTIF: Delivering components to production lines on time and in full.
- Inventory Days of Supply (DOS): Keeping raw and packaging material inventory optimised while avoiding stock-outs.
- Material Scrap & Obsolete Rate: Minimising expired ingredients or scrapped obsolete packaging.
- Purchase Order Accuracy: Ensuring accurate quantities, costs, and delivery dates on all purchase orders.
Candidate Profile & Qualifications
Requirement Category
Specifics
Experience
2–4 years as a Materials Planner, Buyer/Planner, or MRP Specialist in personal care, cosmetics, food/beverage, or FMCG.
Technical Expertise
• Direct hands-on experience with MRP/ERP systems (e.g., SAP, NetSuite, Dynamics 365, or similar).
• Advanced Excel skills (data manipulation, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, pivot tables).
Domain Knowledge
• Deep understanding of component lead times (especially long-lead pumps, far east suppliers and custom packaging).
• Familiarity with chemical/batching shelf-life and lot control in a regulated environment.
Key Attributes
Detail-oriented, highly organized, strong negotiation and communication skills, and resilient in fast-paced operational environments.