Network Supply Planner

Introduction to role

This above-site planning role, part of Global Supply Chain & Strategy, reporting into the Network Supply Lead, is responsible for planning a group of resources (internal or external). In this capacity, the role builds, develops, and maintains a cross-brand constrained production & capacity plan for assigned resources/products, while facilitating efficient manufacturing operations for the slushy and tactical horizon, according to the monthly planning cycle. As part of these planning responsibilities, the role ensures that relevant resource supply constraints and events are modeled in the system. This role drives the S&OE process by facilitating the relevant meetings and reviews on a weekly basis. The role is a key player in the S&OP process by leading the supply consensus meeting with sites and PETS, supporting decision-making by providing necessary simulations. The role acts as the gatekeeper of the operational plan and liaison between site (mainly governed by S&OE) and market companies via demand planners (or MCAMs). Finally, the role ensures that constrained executable plans are seamlessly handed over to Production Planners.

Accountabilities

Resource Supply Constraint and Event Modelling

Incoming net requirements validation (completeness & accuracy) including month-on-month difference analysis.

Review of resource capacity and relevant production planning data in line with the monthly S&OP cycle (validation of base capacity & exceptions, constraints, shift schedules, review & validation of events (stock builds, projects, etc.), in collaboration with the production planner.

Resource Rough-Cut Capacity Planning and Capacity Requirements Planning (constraining the plan at a resource level across brands)

Crafts, develops, and maintains a cross-brand constrained production & capacity plan for assigned resources/products, while facilitating efficient manufacturing operations for the slushy and tactical horizon, according to the monthly planning cycle taking into account:

The preset requirements

Internal available capacity & exceptions (preventive maintenance, etc.)

Key material availability (bulk/API/device)

Inventory targets & tactical planning parameters

Preferred and approved variants of production flows

Reviews resource utilization, identifies capacity constraints and potential impacts on service levels, evaluates options to mitigate capacity constraints, coordinates & consults with site and other SC customers to increase capacity if needed.

Maintain Intermediates and Finished Goods inventories within target, reviewing and providing insights on actuals/adherence through Stock Tolerance.

Assess respective supply impact for assigned resources/products in conjunction with the Global Brand Planner for proposed manufacturing changes.

Drives Resource S&OE, issue & monitoring

Drives the S&OE process supported by Proactive Planning tool, Supply Network Planning cockpit and in later phase Sophisticated Planning & Scheduling control tower.

Performs initial impact assessment of identified issues, determines appropriate collaborators, makes vital decisions & monitors resolution.

Holds the S&OE meeting & reviews on a weekly basis the critical material constraints, prioritized orders, network resource constraints, brand service & inventory risk which impact the network plan in the operational horizon.

Collects cross-functional supply issues from MCAMs, demand planners, QC Lab, Warehouse & Distribution and production planner.

Raises issues to the Global Brand Planner based on predefined issue rules.

Key Contributor to S&OP cycle

Attend the Network S&OP and Brand S&OP and lead the Supply Consensus meeting with sites and PETs.

Scenario Planning: Responsible for developing & performing scenarios and simulations to support management decisions.

Develop, maintain and publish information on resource/product-specific supply chain management metrics & KPIs.

Responsible for delivery/quality of X-brand production volumes for budget purposes in alignment with Global Brand Planners.

Site Gatekeeper & Intra-Site Planning Interface

Gatekeeper of the operational plan and liaison between site (mainly governed by S&OE) and market companies via demand planners (or MCAMs).

Approves changes to CMI/MTO orders in the customer quoted lead time (CQLT) and approves orders deviating from tolerance/contractual rules.

Works closely with the next upstream and downstream Network Supply Planners to validate and secure robust demand signals and plan alignment between nodes.

Responsible to validate the replenishment plan between sites.

Contribution to manufacturing perfection improvement actions while balancing value stream requirements.

Plan Handover to Production Planners

Ensures that constrained executable plans are seamlessly handed over to Production Planners - filtering, evaluating and prioritizing options upfront (protecting production planners from network noise via weekly handshake).

Essential Skills/Experience

Prior experience in Supply Chain Environment (Manufacturing, Planning)

Advanced supply chain (inventory, capacity and network) planning skills

Digital savvy (data & system minded)

Operational Experience with ERP/APS systems

Experience in leading and developing solutions for supply chain events

Capacity management & modelling

Understanding of supply chain planning parameters, master data and master data integrity & quality

Experience in collaboration with key interfaces within the end-to-end supply chain, with manufacturing and between supply chain and commercial functions - experience working with third-party suppliers would be a bonus

Excellent communications and collaboration skills required to handle a multitude of customers and team members, both internal and external to AZ

Proficient in using key Lean Tools

Desirable Skills/Experience

A degree or equivalent in Business, Logistics, Sciences or Engineering is preferred; equivalent experience will be taken into account

APICS / CSCP or equivalent certification

Lean certification

Robust understanding of and chipping in to an S&OP process

Commercial experience

Leadership experience