MEA Network Planning Lead

Job Description:

The Network Planning Manager is a critical role responsible for ensuring that our products are available in the right place, at the right time, and in the right quantity.

In the MEA region, this role is uniquely challenging and exciting. You are the "conductor" of the supply chain, synchronizing production schedules with sales requirements to deliver world-class service levels.

Key Responsibilities:

· Supply Orchestration: Convert demand forecasts into robust supply plans. Coordinate with MEA factories to ensure sufficient stock coverage across all Non-MEA markets.

· S&OP+ Leadership: Lead the Step 3 (Supply Review) of the Mars S&OP+ process. Highlight potential supply gaps, labor constraints, or material shortages and propose actionable solutions to the leadership team.

· Inventory Management: Balance the "Golden Triangle": maintaining high service levels (Case Fill Rate) while minimizing inventory holding costs and reducing "Write-Offs" (SLOBs) due to expiry—a critical task in the MEA heat.

· Production & Capacity Planning: Partner with Site Planners to optimize production runs. Ensure the regional network is prepared for seasonal peaks, such as the high-demand periods for Ramadan or Diwali.

· Continuous Improvement: Drive the "Efficiency" principle by identifying ways to reduce lead times and improve agility within the supply chain.

· Cross-Functional Collaboration: Act as the primary point of contact between Demand Planning, Sales, and Logistics to resolve supply-demand imbalances.

· Pipeline Visibility: Drive end-to-end visibility of the "pipeline" for affiliates. This involves communicating clear ETAs for shipments, managing "vessel tracking" expectations, and proactively alerting local teams to potential "Out of Stock" (OOS) risks.

· Standardization of Planning Horizons: Ensure all MEA affiliates adhere to the global Mars S&OP+ calendar. You will coach local supply planners on best practices, ensuring that their 24-month demand signals are accurate enough to drive long-term factory capacity decisions.

· New Activity Management: Partner with Affiliate Marketing and Sales for Innovation & Quitting (I&Q). You will manage the supply side of new product launches (NPI) and old product phase-outs to ensure zero waste and 100% on-time availability for launch dates in each local market.

· KPI Alignment: Hold regular performance check-ins with affiliate supply teams to track CFR (Case Fill Rate) and Inventory Health at a market level, identifying root causes for deviations and driving corrective action plans.

The jobholder will work closely with:

- Dispatch Planner

- Logistics & Clearance

- Commercial Buyers (Raws and Logistics)

- ATLAS inbound FE

- Activity coordinator

- Third party warehouse manager and supervisors

- Production Team

- Q&FS Team

- Finance Team