L'Oréal SA| Supply Chain Manager: Luxury Division

Job Title: Demand & Supply Chain Manager

Location: Woodmead, Johannesburg

Reporting to: Head of Supply & Network Planning

Role Purpose

The Demand & Supply Chain Manager is responsible for the synchronisation of the entire value chain. This role oversees the statistical forecasting of consumer demand and translates those insights into a seamless supply plan. In South Africa, this involves navigating a volatile currency (ZAR), managing complex import timelines, and ensuring product availability across a vast geographical landscape to service both major retailers and growing e-commerce channels.

Key Responsibilities

1. Demand Planning & S&OP Leadership

• Statistical Forecasting: Lead the monthly demand planning cycle, using historical data and market intelligence to create a baseline forecast.
• S&OP Facilitation: Chair the Sales & Operations Planning meetings, acting as the neutral arbiter between Marketing’s ambitions, Sales’ targets, and Finance’s budgets.
• Promotional Planning: Specifically manage "Peak Periods" unique to the SA retail calendar, such as Black Friday, Back-to-School, and the festive season, ensuring stock builds are timed correctly.
• New Product Introductions (NPI): Coordinate with Brand Managers to forecast demand for new launches, ensuring "Pipe Fill" reaches stores like Clicks, Dis-Chem, or Woolworths and others on time.

2. Supply Planning & Inventory Optimization

• Replenishment Strategy: Convert the demand forecast into supply requirements, managing orders with international factories or local contract manufacturers.
• Inventory Health: Monitor Stock on Hand (SOH) and manage "Slow Moving and Obsolete Stock" (SLOBs) to protect the balance sheet.
• Lead Time Management: Factor in the specific lead times for South Africa, including sea freight durations to Durban or Cape Town and potential port congestion delays.

3. Logistics, Distribution & Local Context

• 3PL Management: Oversee the performance of local warehousing and transport partners, ensuring high "On-Time In-Full" (OTIF) delivery rates.
• Risk Mitigation: Develop strategies to maintain supply continuity during South African-specific challenges, such as load shedding (impacting warehouse automation/cold chain) or transport strikes.

Requirements: Experience & Skills

• Educational Background: A University Degree in Supply Chain, Commerce, or Statistics. A post-graduate qualification (Honours/Masters) is preferred.
• Professional Experience: 7–10 years in a supply chain environment, with at least 3 years specifically in Demand Planning/Forecasting. Experience in the FMCG, Cosmetics, or Pharmaceutical sectors is highly valued.

Systems Expertise:

• Advanced proficiency in SAP (or similar ERP) and specialized Demand Planning software (e.g., FuturMaster, APO, or Anaplan).
• Expert-level Excel skills for complex data modeling.
• Analytical Mindset: The ability to find the "story" behind the numbers—understanding why a specific region in the Eastern Cape is underperforming or why a certain product line is spiking in Gauteng.
• Communication: Strong negotiation skills to manage the tension between Sales (who want more stock) and Finance (who want less inventory).

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Forecast Accuracy (FA): Measuring the variance between planned demand and actual sales.
• Bias: Ensuring the forecast isn't consistently too high or too low.
• Inventory Days/Weeks of Cover: Maintaining lean stock levels without risking out-of-stocks.
• Service Level (OTIF): Ensuring the end customer (Retailer or Consumer) receives their order perfectly.
• Total Landed Cost: Monitoring the cost of getting goods from the factory to the South African shelf.

Why Join L'Oréal South Africa? 

At L'Oréal, we offer a dynamic environment where innovation meets operational excellence. As a Customer Care Co-ordinator, you are not just managing orders; you are ensuring that our world-class beauty products reach our consumers, fulfilling our purpose to "Create the beauty that moves the world.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and take pride in a diverse environment. We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, medical condition or disability. We adhere to all local Labour Relations legislation.