Integrated Planning Specialist

About Unilever

Unilever is a global business impacting 3.4 billion people daily across more than 190 countries. We are passionate about creating brands that are loved by consumers and positively affecting communities. Guided by our purpose to make sustainable living commonplace, we believe that conducting business responsibly leads to superior performance. Our people are central to our success, and when they work with purpose, we create a stronger business and a better world.

At Unilever, your career path is unique, supported by an inclusive, collaborative, and flexible work culture. We avoid 'one size fits all' approaches and empower you with the tools to shape your future.

Role Overview

As the Integrated Planning Specialist at the Indonsa Factory in Durban, you represent planning from a production management perspective. Your responsibility is to coordinate the procurement (call-off) of all packaging materials aligned with the production schedule to maximize plant efficiency and achieve outstanding customer service. You will balance adequate material coverage for production while managing inventory within Working Capital targets.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate material call-offs to ensure the production plan is met promptly, managing both raw and packaging materials in advance.
• Maintain stock levels adhering to Working Capital constraints.
• Collaborate closely with production planners to integrate any supply limitations into forward planning.
• Review all Material Requirements Planning (MRP) exceptions weekly via SAP and ensure orders conform to lead-time requirements.
• Validate that MRP orders reflect the most current production plans in SAP.
• Ensure Purchase Requisitions convert seamlessly into Purchase Orders without manual intervention; escalate manual PO needs to Supply Management immediately.
• Generate shortage reports and expedite procurement of critical materials to meet production.
• Preserve forecast accuracy in SAP and collaborate with suppliers to confirm capacity and object availability.
• Place Purchase Orders per agreed procurement lead times and lot sizes.
• Manage delivery schedules in coordination with warehouse staff and monitor consumption versus contract limits.
• Coordinate material planning for both internal and third-party packers.
• Oversee shelf-life protocols and enforce FIFO stock rotation in warehousing.
• Manage obsolete stock write-offs promptly to maintain material integrity.
• Evaluate exceptions for impact on continuous supply and viability.

Supplier Relationship Management

• Regularly engage with suppliers to identify and solve potential constraints.
• Support procurement in monitoring Supplier On-Time-In-Full and Vendor Rating performances.
• Participate in supplier meetings alongside procurement as needed.
• Contribute to stock holding policies at supplier sites based on demand forecasts and variance.
• Report any supplier quality issues to internal teams.
• Ensure timely collection of all returnable materials by suppliers.
• Encourage Just-In-Time delivery from suppliers to optimize warehouse space.

Procurement Coordination

• Ensure timely stock deliveries; escalate issues to Procurement when necessary.
• Track packaging and raw material working capital weekly.
• Proactively address production shortages by liaising with warehouse and planners.
• Manage overdue deliveries and coordinate optimal delivery schedules with suppliers and warehouse.
• Handle returns of rejected materials with suppliers.
• Resolve Goods Received Note (GRN) queries within a 5-day timeframe.

SAP System Maintenance

• Maintain all SAP master data related to Materials Planning, including MRP interface for raw, packaging, and returnable materials.
• Ensure new materials and product changes are reflected timely in SAP.
• Support monthly stock audits.
• Keep vendor lead times and Minimum Order Quantities updated in master data.
• Clean outdated purchase orders and maintain overall master data health through regular reviews.
• Promptly mark discontinued materials as "No Demand" in SAP.

Working Capital Management

• Collaborate with Procurement and suppliers to maintain optimal on-site and supplier inventory aligning with service levels.
• Apply inventory planning models to set appropriate safety stock targets.
• Manage supplier call-offs to balance working capital and cash flow requirements through order sizing and frequency management.
• Identify and implement strategies to reduce stock-in-transit by shortening lead times.
• Analyze working capital monthly to flag key focus areas and potential stock-day reductions.
• Manage slow-moving and obsolete raw and packaging materials, ensuring timely provisions.

Project Involvement

• Oversee material write-offs related to new launches, SKU rationalization, and VIP projects, coordinating with factory schedulers for optimized plans and run-outs.
• Estimate packaging and raw material bleed-outs during project initiation to identify risks and include write-off provisions.
• Update suppliers on stock holding policy changes to ensure proper stock management.
• Work with R&D and innovation teams to manage new packaging orders per project sign-offs.
• Ensure accurate disposal and SAP removal of written-off materials.

Reporting

• Produce weekly plant shortage reports.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• A tertiary degree is preferred, ideally in Supply Chain or Business Management.
• 3 to 5 years of experience within general supply chain operations is advantageous.
• Advanced qualifications such as APICS/SAPICS will be beneficial.
• Strong understanding of planning processes and business functions.
• Developed business acumen and experience in business partnering.
• Familiarity with Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) processes.
• Experience interacting across various organizational layers.
• FMCG sector experience is favorable.

Skills

• Proficiency in supply chain planning principles and tools.
• Knowledge of SAP Material Requirements Planning.
• Strong analytical and forecasting capabilities.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder influencing skills.
• Adaptability with a strong service and change-oriented mindset.
• Accountability and ownership over assigned responsibilities.
• Competence in inventory and working capital management.

Key Internal and External Contacts

• Internal: Factory management, operational teams, inbound stores, Level 1 Planning team, Procurement teams.
• External: Level 2 Planning Hub, material suppliers.

Leadership Attributes

• Driven to deliver excellent results and set an example through resilience and commitment.
• Proactive in identifying improvements by analyzing data and collaborating effectively.
• Accountable for personal wellbeing and work quality, with a consumer-focused perspective.
• Exhibits humility while maintaining awareness to spot opportunities and challenges.

Unilever’s Core Behaviors

• Care Deeply: Devotion to consumer experience, people development, and sustainable impact.
• Focus on What Counts: Prioritize critical tasks and recognize team contributions for significant impact.
• Stay Three Steps Ahead: Embrace bold, creative thinking to anticipate consumer needs and market trends.
• Deliver with Excellence: Uphold personal ownership, accountability, and consistent high-quality performance.

Additional Information

This position is factory-based at the Indonsa site in Durban and requires full on-site presence throughout working hours.

Unilever promotes diversity and inclusivity, welcoming applications regardless of age, gender, disability, race, religion, sexual orientation, or other identity factors. Employment equity and local legislation considerations will apply during hiring.

Applicants must have lawful authorization to work in South Africa and may need to provide supporting documentation if foreign nationals.

Applicants who require accommodations or support during recruitment are encouraged to notify the company at application.