Planning Section Manager

About the role

The Planning Section Manager leads and integrates demand planning, material planning and distribution planning to ensure optimal availability of materials and finished goods while balancing service levels, inventory, cost and capacity. The role supports business objectives and customer commitments through accurate planning, cross-functional alignment and disciplined execution.

Key responsibilities

• Demand planning and forecasting: consolidate inputs from sales, projects and commercial teams, validate forecasts against business assumptions and market trends, run demand reviews and reduce forecast volatility
• Material planning: ensure timely availability of raw materials, components and packaging, align demand, production and procurement plans, and manage shortages, excess and obsolescence
• Distribution planning: allocate finished goods across warehouses and channels, balance service levels and logistics cost, and oversee inventory levels, stock aging and redistribution
• Cross-functional coordination: align planning with production, procurement and logistics, take part in S&OP or integrated planning forums, and escalate planning risks with options
• Governance and performance: enforce approved planning policies and system standards, maintain planning data accuracy, define and monitor KPIs on forecast accuracy, service level and inventory, and improve planning efficiency and data quality
• Team leadership: lead, coach and develop the planning team, set objectives, monitor performance and promote accountability and collaboration
• HR and management: recruit and develop high performers, guide underperformers, ensure delegation of authority, and take full responsibility for the operation's results

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering
• 10 to 15 years of experience
• Ability to recruit, coach and manage people, and to take timely decisions and control budgets and expenses
• Adaptability to new techniques, technologies and business models, and commitment to quality

Required skills

• Demand forecasting and demand management
• Materials flow analysis and continuous flow production
• Distribution Resource Planning (DRP)
• Material Requirements Planning (MRP/MRPII)