Supply Chain Management jobs in South Africa

The Supply Chain Optimization Lead plays a pivotal role in driving strategic supply chain decisions through in-depth data analysis and actionable insights. This position requires a seasoned professional with extensive experience in supply chain management, demand management, demand analytics, forecasting, and process optimisation, particularly within the pharmaceutical industry. The role leads efforts to enhance supply chain efficiency, reduce costs, and improve overall performance, ensuring the company remains competitive in a dynamic market environment while delivering ultimate customer service.

• Analyze complex supply chain data to identify trends, patterns, and opportunities for improvement
• Develop and implement advanced analytics models to forecast demand and optimise supply chain operations

• Lead demand planning processes to accurately forecast product demand based on historical data, market trends, and sales insights
• Utilise demand analytics to identify factors affecting demand variability and propose strategies to address them

• Develop and maintain accurate demand forecasts to ensure alignment between supply and customer demand
• Collaborate with sales, marketing, and supply chain teams to integrate business intelligence and market data into demand forecasts

• Create processes and methods to automate information gathering across the value chain
• Maintain and track accurate data to support supply chain decision‑making
• Review, streamline and automate all internal and external supply chain reports
• Constantly review supply chain data and ensure necessary inputs are fed into the planning and production cycle
• Develop and maintain detailed process maps of key value chain processes to assist with optimisation and simulation

• Develop frameworks to identify the value of implementing advanced tools and technologies within the Aspen value chain (IoT, BigData, Blockchain, Machine Learning AI)
• Support the creation of LP/MIP capability within Aspen and create the framework/tools for data engineering, digital twin, optimisation and simulation

• Ensure that supply chain strategies and operations are aligned with the goal of delivering ultimate customer service
• Proactively address any supply chain disruptions to minimise impact on customer satisfaction and product availability

• Create and maintain comprehensive reports and dashboards to provide real‑time visibility into supply chain and demand performance metrics
• Present findings and recommendations to senior leadership and cross‑functional teams

• Identify inefficiencies in supply chain and demand management processes and recommend solutions to enhance productivity and reduce costs
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives to streamline operations and improve service levels

• Provide data‑driven insights to inform strategic supply chain and demand management decisions and long‑term planning
• Collaborate with key stakeholders to align supply chain and demand strategies with overall business objectives

• Work closely with procurement, logistics, demand planning and IT departments to ensure data accuracy and alignment

• Leverage advanced analytics tools and technologies to enhance supply chain visibility and decision‑making capabilities
• Stay current with industry trends and emerging technologies to continuously improve the supply chain analytics functions

• Track key performance indicators (KPIs) to ensure supply chain and demand management operations align with business goals
• Identify potential risks in the supply chain and develop strategies to mitigate them

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Analytics, Operations Research or a related field. Post‑graduate degree in above fields of study advantageous

• Data science certifications and APICS certification preferred

• Minimum of 5–10 years of experience in supply chain, with a strong focus on demand analytics, forecasting, data analytics and process optimisation, particularly in the pharmaceutical industry

• Proven track record of leading supply chain and demand management improvement initiatives and driving tangible results

• Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously and deliver results on time

• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to present complex data in a clear and concise manner to stakeholders at all levels
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with cross‑functional teams
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to interpret complex data sets and translate them into actionable insights
• Excellent problem‑solving skills and the ability to think strategically and innovatively

• Proficiency in data analysis tools and software such as SQL, Python, R and advanced Excel
• Experience with demand planning and supply chain management software (e.g. SAP, Oracle, JDA) and business intelligence tools (e.g. Tableau, Power BI)