Independent Demand Planner / Buyer

PRINCIPLE DUTIES Building and maintaining good relationships with suppliers, establishing good working agreements and metrics. Develop dual sources of cGMP compliant suppliers. Generate RFPs, RFQs and negotiating of pricing and supply terms with suppliers. Ordering of requirements as per planned master production schedule. Execute MPS on the ERP System and follow up on Open Orders, expedite, highlight concerns, and update system. Conduct spend analysis and lead cost saving initiatives. Support the endeavours of the New Product Development Team to bring new products to Market. Share negotiated and agreed upon daily plan with the contract manufacturers on a monthly basis. Maintaining said plan according to contract manufacturers ongoing capabilities. Generate stock status report on finished goods, giving visibility on potential stock outs or over stocking. Report findings to the management team on a weekly basis. KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED Supply Chain degree is essential. Post Graduate qualification as a functional specialist (not an MBA) will be an advantage. Computer Literate with advanced knowledge of MS Office package especially Excel. Knowledge of Sage / Xperdyte or similar ERP systems. Active member of an appropriate vocational society. EXPERIENCE REQUIRED Experience with an ERP system. At least 8 years experience in the Planner / Buyer environment essential. Proven experience in Lean Principles / Theory of constraints / Six Sigma is essential. Proven track record of cost savings. Experience in the Pharmaceutical or FMCG environment will be beneficial. SKILLS REQUIRED Strong communication skills Strong negotiation skills Should be very organised Deadline driven Customer Focus Ethical Principles Persistent