At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead inventory planning for materials across Africa, ensuring timely supply for production.
- Company: Join a dynamic FMCG leader with a focus on innovation and collaboration.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, career development, and opportunities to work with diverse teams.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by optimising supply chains and supporting exciting product launches.
- Qualifications: Experience in materials planning and strong leadership skills required.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with excellent growth potential and cross-functional teamwork.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
You will lead inventory supply planning across a portfolio of material categories supporting production and operations across Africa. This role is critical in ensuring the right materials are available at the right time to meet customer and consumer demand, while balancing service, cost, inventory efficiency, and supplier capability. You will lead a team of planners and work across a complex regional network of suppliers, production sites, and stakeholders to deliver strong supply performance. The role covers a broad range of material categories including glass, malt, flavours, spirits, enzymes, cans, labels, grains, and closures, sourced from both major strategic suppliers and a wide network of local partners. You will also play a key role in supporting business change, innovation, and renovation projects across the region. This is a highly collaborative leadership role, partnering with teams across supply chain, demand planning, procurement, brand, innovation, and operations, as well as suppliers and market leadership teams.
Responsibilities
- Lead and develop a team of 4 Materials Planners, setting clear priorities and building a high-performing, engaged team.
- Manage material inventory across your categories to support production and customer service across Africa, balancing service, cost, and working capital.
- Translate production plans into effective material supply plans, ensuring appropriate safety stock and inventory levels are maintained.
- Monitor demand signals and respond proactively to changes across the planning horizon.
- Partner closely with suppliers to align on short- and long-term capacity plans and ensure continuity of supply.
- Collaborate with supply planning, demand planning, and market teams to deliver requirements and manage risks.
- Identify and resolve supply challenges, including negotiating changes to supplier plans where needed.
- Support the S&OP process by providing visibility of material supply risks and opportunities.
- Partner with innovation and brand teams to enable new product launches and business change activity.
- Contribute to inventory optimisation, including obsolescence and provision management.
- Build strong supplier relationships, monitor performance, and support continuous improvement initiatives.
- Use data and insights to improve supplier performance, eliminate repeat issues, and inform planning decisions.
- Drive standardisation, automation, and continuous improvement across planning processes.
- Ensure planning systems and master data (e.g. BOMs, lead times, batch sizes) are accurate and aligned with global standards.
- Partner with data and process teams to strengthen planning effectiveness and ways of working.
Qualifications
- Proven experience in materials planning, supply planning, or inventory management, ideally within FMCG or a manufacturing environment.
- Strong leadership capability, with experience managing and developing high-performing teams.
- Solid understanding of MRP/MPS/DRP methodologies and end-to-end supply chain processes (including planning, inventory, logistics, and customer service).
- Experience working with ERP and supply chain planning systems (e.g. SAP, APO or similar), including master data and replenishment planning.
- Background in distribution, warehousing, or production scheduling environments.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with high attention to detail and the ability to turn data into actionable insights.
- Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to engage stakeholders across functions and markets.
- Collaborative mindset, with experience working cross-functionally across supply chain, procurement, and operations.
- Customer-focused approach, with the ability to balance service, cost, and efficiency.
- Experience in CPG materials planning or procurement, particularly across packaging or raw material categories.
- Exposure to cross-functional roles (e.g. procurement, packaging, or manufacturing).
- Experience with advanced planning tools (e.g. SAP APO).
- Degree (or equivalent experience) in Supply Chain, Engineering, Business, or related field.
- Professional certification such as APICS CPIM or CSCP.
MSM Material Planning Capability Lead in Westminster employer: Diageo
Contact Detail:
Diageo Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land MSM Material Planning Capability Lead in Westminster
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect with professionals on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its supply chain processes. Understand their challenges and think about how your experience in materials planning can help them succeed. Show them you’re not just another candidate!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your communication skills! As a leader, you'll need to influence and engage stakeholders across functions. Mock interviews with friends or mentors can help you articulate your thoughts clearly and confidently.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! We’ve got loads of opportunities that might be perfect for you. Plus, it’s a great way to show your interest in being part of our team at StudySmarter.
We think you need these skills to ace MSM Material Planning Capability Lead in Westminster
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV speaks directly to the job description. Highlight your experience in materials planning and supply chain management, especially in FMCG or manufacturing. We want to see how your skills align with what we're looking for!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to tell us why you're passionate about this role and how your leadership experience can help us build a high-performing team. Be sure to mention any relevant projects or achievements.
Showcase Your Analytical Skills: Since this role involves a lot of data analysis, make sure to highlight your analytical and problem-solving skills. Share examples of how you've turned data into actionable insights in your previous roles. We love a good story backed by numbers!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It helps us keep track of your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates. Plus, it’s super easy!
How to prepare for a job interview at Diageo
✨Know Your Materials Inside Out
Make sure you have a solid understanding of the various material categories mentioned in the job description, like glass, malt, and enzymes. Familiarise yourself with their supply chain dynamics and how they impact production and customer service.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples that highlight your experience in leading teams and developing high-performing planners. Think about specific challenges you've faced and how you motivated your team to overcome them.
✨Demonstrate Analytical Prowess
Be ready to discuss how you've used data to inform planning decisions in the past. Bring examples of how you've turned insights into actionable strategies, especially in managing inventory and supplier performance.
✨Emphasise Collaboration
This role requires working closely with various teams. Prepare to talk about your experience collaborating across functions like procurement, operations, and innovation. Highlight any successful projects where teamwork was key to achieving results.