Key Accountabilities and Objectives:Support the S&OP (Sales and Operations Planning) process to ensure efficient and effective business planning – from demand planning through operational planning to financial forecasting. This includes aligning local and regional demand forecasts with financial targets and operational constraints to create a unified “consensus plan”
Responsibility for end-to-end planning cycles in the supply chain using ERP/CRM and integrated planning systems to synchronize local and regional production and replenishment plans with inventory checks and customer demand. This also includes operational and transactional processing in the planning systems
Ensuring business success through the proactive use of “what-if” scenarios and strategic data analysis to optimize the customer experience and financial results – including, and especially, during exceptional events such as turnarounds, sales controls, and special market or product transitions
Prepare, analyze, and maintain demand forecasts based on various aspects such as historical data, sell out and inventory trends and consensus of bottom-up and top-down forecasts
Actively monitor and manage inventory levels and sell-out by keeping stock levels healthy
In charge of keeping demand forecast fluctuations low and avoiding shortages or overstocks
Prepare and facilitate S&OP meetings including data preparation, scenario simulation, alignment with Sales and SCM and the documentation of decisions
Management of regional distribution networks and inventory levels, including external logistics providers and terminal/warehouse partners in the areas of truck, rail, and ocean transport for all products and deliveries
Use of data to monitor, analyze, and communicate performance metrics with a focus on continuous improvement and cost optimization in relation to:
S&OP and related processes for managing planning, inventory control, risk management, and distribution network optimization
Cost-to-serve management to optimize expenses and cash flow through clear goal setting, cost-benefit analysis, and implementation
Customer service standards to optimize key performance indicators (e.g., OTIF) to ensure high customer satisfaction and delivery reliability
Expert in process and automation improvements, master data management, system upgrades, and the associated data flow between the existing ERP/CRM system and integrated planning tools
Identify and mitigate supply risks related to long lead times, capacity constraints, or supplier dependencies
Support with any root‑cause analysis (RCA) for delivery misses and planning deviations
Act as a key interface between local/regional commercial teams, customer service, logistics, quality, and production units
Skills, Experience and Qualifications:Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, or Data Science. Six Sigma Green Belt is a major plus
Several years of professional experience in supply chain planning, with a proven track record of success in a regional or multiple-site-covering role the Life Sciences and/or the manufacturing industries
In-depth knowledge of ERP/CRM as well as practical experience with integrated planning tools and systems
Strong knowledge of Power BI is desirable, as is the ability to tell stories using data
Potential to quickly learn and acquire new skills in order to adapt flexibly to change
Strong organizational skills to ensure that daily tasks and projects are completed on time
Application of problem-solving skills with the goal of accelerating decision-making processes and achieving sustainable results
Ability to thrive in a performance- and results-oriented, fast-paced environment
Strong communication skills for collaboration and influencing across organizational levels and functional areas, considering regional/global diversity and multicultural backgrounds
Able to build close relationships and networks with external 3PL/4PL service providers
Strong proficiency in the MS Office suite
Fluent in German and English, both written and spoken; any additional European language is seen as an advantage
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