Planning Section Head (Agriculture Background)

The Section Head ensures robust planning across the following business units: 1. Supply Chain Integration & S&OPLead the Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) Process: Coordinate demand forecasts from the Sales team with production capacities (Supply Planning) to resolve any supply-demand gaps proactively.End-to-End Planning: Develop and manage a Master Production Schedule (MPS) that links farming harvest schedules, processing plant needs (Concentrate & IQF), and final packing schedules (Packhouse).Inventory Management: Establish and implement safety stock policies for both raw materials and finished goods to minimize waste (a critical factor in the agricultural sector) and ensure product availability. 2. Factory and Processing PlanningConcentrate Factory Planning: Develop weekly and monthly production plans based on sales forecasts, factory capacity, and the availability of fresh raw materials from the farms.IQF Outsourcing Management: Manage the production planning for outsourced Individual Quick Freezing (IQF) operations, including determining required raw material quantities, procurement schedules, and quality review timelines. 3. Farms and Harvesting PlanningHarvest Scheduling: Collaborate closely with Farm Managers to set harvesting schedules that match the processing capabilities of the factories/packhouses and adhere to Just-in-Time (JIT) principles to maximize freshness and minimize spoilage.Raw Material Allocation: Make optimal allocation decisions for harvested goods: (a) direct sale, (b) packhouse processing, or (c) manufacturing (Concentrate/IQF), based on real-time cost and margin analysis. 4. Leadership and AnalysisTeam Development: Lead, mentor, and coach the planning team to enhance their efficiency in using planning tools, data analysis, and predictive modeling.Performance Analysis: Measure and analyze key planning KPIs, including Forecast Accuracy, Production Throughput Rates, and Supply Plan Adherence.Process Improvement: Identify and champion opportunities to improve planning processes to reduce cycle time and lower overall logistics and inventory costs. Bachelor's Degree in Engineering (Industrial, Production, or Agricultural) or Business Administration (Supply Chain Management).A minimum of 7-10 years of experience in planning, with at least 5 years in a leadership or supervisory role, preferably within the Agribusiness, Food Processing, or FMCG sectors.High proficiency with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, or similar advanced planning software). Key Behavioral CompetenciesAnalytical and Systemic Thinking: Ability to handle complex datasets, manage trade-offs, and design robust planning models.Leadership and Influence: Strong ability to lead the planning team and influence key stakeholders across different BUs (Farms, Sales, Operations) to ensure plan adherence.Stakeholder Management: Excellent communication and negotiation skills to manage conflicting priorities between different operational units.Agility and Resilience: Proven ability to adapt quickly and adjust plans in response to unforeseen variables inherent in the agricultural supply chain (e.g., weather changes, unexpected yields, sudden customer demand shifts). Bachelor's Degree in Engineering (Industrial, Production, or Agricultural) or Business Administration (Supply Chain Management).A minimum of 7-10 years of experience in planning, with at least 5 years in a leadership or supervisory role, preferably within the Agribusiness, Food Processing, or FMCG sectors.High proficiency with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, or similar advanced planning software). Key Behavioral CompetenciesAnalytical and Systemic Thinking: Ability to handle complex datasets, manage trade-offs, and design robust planning models.Leadership and Influence: Strong ability to lead the planning team and influence key stakeholders across different BUs (Farms, Sales, Operations) to ensure plan adherence.Stakeholder Management: Excellent communication and negotiation skills to manage conflicting priorities between different operational units.Agility and Resilience: Proven ability to adapt quickly and adjust plans in response to unforeseen variables inherent in the agricultural supply chain (e.g., weather changes, unexpected yields, sudden customer demand shifts).