Purchase & Planning Supervisor needed at H.B. Fuller

PRIMARY DUTIES
Purchasing

• Implement robust procurement processes to ensure on-time delivery of Finished Goods (FG) in alignment with the demand plan and confirmed Sales Orders.
• Sustain business process implementation in the Supply Chain with strict adherence to global and local quality standards.
• Collaborate with Global Sourcing and S&OP teams for centrally purchased products to ensure supply alignment and availability.
• Manage FG supply (both imported and local) in compliance with customs, excise, import regulations, and H.B. Fuller global policies, including coordination with the EIMEA Sourcing team.
• Oversee customs clearance and logistics coordination for both import and local shipments.
• Ensure timely processing of purchase invoices and submission of all necessary documents to the Accounts department.
• Follow up on vendor payments while ensuring full compliance with the defined payment processes.
• Implement EXIM processes in the Purchasing function, ensuring adherence to all applicable Excise, Customs, and Import laws.
• Coordinate with vendors to ensure timely deliveries, address material quality issues, and handle supplier claims as needed.
• Prepare and maintain key MIS reports such as Open Purchase Orders and EXIM reports for internal and external stakeholders.

Planning

• Develop optimal procurement plans based on customer orders, safety stock levels (MTO/MTS), batch size requirements, and delivery timelines.
• Monitor end-to-end order movement from entry to actual dispatch from the source location.
• Operate in alignment with defined Service Level Agreements (SLAs) to maintain customer satisfaction.
• Utilize MRP systems to optimize inventory levels and meet targeted Days on Hand (DOH) inventory goals.
• Generate demand forecasts using statistical methods and ensure alignment of supply to meet forecasted demand.
• Regularly review and act upon slow-moving and obsolete inventory to minimize financial impact.
• Support South Africa site’s Inventory and SIFOT (Shipped In-Full On-Time) targets by deploying best-in-class planning practices.
• Take personal accountability for skill development through participation in internal training programs.
• Ensure ISO documentation related to the Purchase function is updated and maintained as per standards.

ACCOUNTABILITY

• Cooperation with customer service, quality control, production planners, warehouse & purchasing, to ensure in-time availability of material; communication above interfaces to follow up on customer orders proactively.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• In-depth knowledge of the production planning process, Procurement process & Inventory management.
• Min. 5-8 years job experience in procurement, S&OP, customer service, EXIM process, or similar.
• Language skills English fluently spoken and in writing.
• Computer skills: familiar with SAP, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook.
• Personal skills: teamwork, reliability, persistence, good communicator, customer focused, very good sense of time; ability to work under time pressure, priority & managerial courage.