The Role
As a Supply Buyer–Planner, you will support the Head of Supply Chain in ensuring the effective and efficient operation of supply and demand planning activities. This role is accountable for maintaining product availability while optimising inventory levels, managing supplier relationships, and enhancing overall supply chain performance. The successful candidate will play a key role in balancing supply and demand, improving OTIF (On-Time In-Full) performance, maximising stock availability, reducing excess and obsolete inventory, supporting a smooth monthly S&OP cycle, and maintaining accurate ERP data.
Key areas of responsibility:
Supply & Inventory Planning:
- Monitors and manages inventory levels to ensure stock is maintained in line with agreed targets and service levels.
- Analyses product usage trends and compare against demand forecasts to make purchasing decisions.
- Identifies and manages risks related to stock shortages, excess inventory, and obsolescence (E&O).
- Contributes to Material Requirements Planning (MRP), calculating requirements and planning works orders accordingly.
- Uses Capacity Requirements Planning (CRP) to reschedule open and Material Requirements Planning (MRP) generated works orders.
- Uses historical data and sales forecasts to calculate forecasts of demand, effectively calculating, maintaining, and updating safety stock requirements.
Purchasing
- Supports the development and strengthening of strategic partnerships with both new and existing vendors.
- Negotiates with vendors to reduce prices, whilst retaining or improving other aspects of value such as quality, availability, and sustainability.
- Manages and agrees vendor pricing to ensure effective cost control, including pricing schedules and fixed-rate agreements. And contributes to achieving procurement savings targets (PPV).
- Monitors internal and external lead times, taking proactive action to address delays and improve performance.
- Raises and manages purchase and production orders through ERP system.
- Oversees vendor order books to ensure timely delivery and accurate order fulfilment.
- Owns method of tracking supplier performance, including OTIF metrics.
- Manages pricing queries, delivery issues and confirmations: escalate risk promptly where appropriate.
- Conducts vendor visits with new/ existing vendors, with support from the Head of Supply Chain as required.
- Works closely with the Import / Logistics team to ensure delivery schedules are optimised, shipments are aligned to demand requirements, and lead times are effectively managed.
ERP & Data Management
- Maintains and updates ERP supply chain parameters such as lead times, safety stock levels, transit times, SKU data accuracy, stock policy, vendor prices.
- Creates and maintains Bill of Materials (BOMs) to support production planning and supply chain workflows.
- Ensures integrity of data used for planning and procurement activities.
Operational Support
- Investigates and resolves supplier invoice queries in collaboration with finance and vendors.
- Provides reporting and insights on stock performance, supply issues, and trends.
- Supports the implementation of S&OP process in AHP.
- Supports continuous improvement initiatives across supply chain processes.
- Supports the annual stock check, ensuring accuracy of counts and documentation.
Processes & Compliance
- Ensures a constant state of audit readiness across all activities and processes.
- Completes new vendor forms and assist with onboarding.
- Ensures compliance with company policies, legal requirements, and ethical standards in all supply chain activities.
- Owns specific processes / procedures and regularly assesses and renews these procedures to keep them effective.
- Strong understanding of lean principles or continuous improvement methodologies
Communication & Collaboration
- Acts as a primary day-to-day point of contact between AHP and our suppliers, where appropriate.
- Facilitates effective communications channels to ensure alignment on order status, and potential disruptions, keeping all teams updated with clear reporting.
- Ensures customer requirements are understood and delivered on time
Key Skills and Experience
Essential
- 4+ years’ experience in a supply chain, planner, or buyer-planner role (ideally within pharmaceuticals or distribution).
- Proficient using ERP systems for purchase order, planning and inventory management.
- Experience managing vendor open order book and supplier relationships.
- Experience in stock management, including managing stockouts and excess/obsolete inventory.
- Experience working with demand planning or forecasting tools.
- Advanced in Excel and/or similar tools for data analysis.
- Strong understanding of lean principles or continuous improvement methodologies.
- Understanding of international shipping, customs, duties, and trade compliance regulations.
Skills
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- High attention to detail and data accuracy.
- Strong cross-functional collaboration skills.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
- Flexible and committed to continuous learning and improvement.
- Self-motivated with the ability to work unsupervised.
- Good organisational and time management abilities.
Apply for this role
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