Job Overview
alfanar Electric is offering a career opportunity for an experienced Planning Section Manager in Dubai, UAE. This position is suitable for professionals with a strong background in supply chain planning, demand forecasting, material requirements planning, inventory optimization, and distribution planning.
The Planning Section Manager will lead integrated planning activities to ensure the timely availability of raw materials, components, and finished products while maintaining optimal inventory levels, controlling costs, and meeting customer commitments. The role requires strong analytical, leadership, and cross-functional coordination skills to improve planning accuracy and operational efficiency.
Candidates with a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering and 6–10 years of relevant professional experience are encouraged to review the official vacancy requirements.
Job Purpose
The Planning Section Manager is responsible for leading and coordinating demand planning, material planning, and distribution planning activities. The primary objective is to maintain optimal material and product availability while balancing customer service levels, inventory investment, production capacity, and logistics costs.
The role also ensures accurate forecasts, effective planning processes, cross-functional collaboration, and timely execution in support of business objectives.
Key Responsibilities
1. Demand Planning and Forecast Management
- Lead the demand planning process by consolidating information from sales, project, and commercial teams.
- Develop, review, and validate demand forecasts in line with market trends, customer requirements, and business objectives.
- Coordinate regular demand review meetings and manage forecast changes to reduce uncertainty and supply disruptions.
- Monitor forecast accuracy and implement improvement measures to enhance demand visibility.
- Collaborate with relevant departments to align forecasts with customer orders, sales targets, and project commitments.
2. Material Planning and Supply Readiness
- Oversee material planning to ensure the timely availability of raw materials, components, and packaging materials.
- Align material requirements with demand forecasts, production schedules, and procurement plans.
- Monitor material shortages, excess inventory, and potential obsolescence risks.
- Coordinate with procurement, production, and warehouse teams to resolve material availability issues.
- Review planning parameters, supplier lead times, and inventory policies to improve material availability.
- Implement corrective actions to minimize production interruptions and maintain supply continuity.
3. Distribution Planning and Inventory Optimization
- Lead distribution planning to ensure the effective allocation of finished goods across warehouses and distribution channels.
- Optimize inventory levels while maintaining product availability and agreed customer service standards.
- Monitor stock aging, inventory movements, and excess stock across different locations.
- Coordinate stock transfers and redistribution activities to balance inventory and reduce unnecessary costs.
- Work with logistics and warehouse teams to improve product flow and distribution efficiency.
- Identify opportunities to reduce inventory holding costs while protecting service levels.
4. Integrated Planning and Cross-Functional Coordination
- Coordinate demand planning, material planning, production planning, procurement, and logistics activities.
- Ensure planning decisions reflect sales commitments, project requirements, production capacity, and operational constraints.
- Participate in Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) or integrated business planning meetings.
- Identify supply chain risks, material constraints, and potential delivery delays.
- Present planning challenges with clear recommendations and corrective action plans.
- Maintain effective communication between internal departments to support timely decision-making.
5. Planning Systems, Governance, and Performance Monitoring
- Ensure planning activities follow approved company policies, procedures, and system standards.
- Maintain accurate planning data and promote effective use of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.
- Define and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) related to forecast accuracy, inventory levels, customer service, and planning adherence.
- Prepare regular performance reports and recommend actions to address planning gaps.
- Improve planning processes, reporting accuracy, data quality, and operational visibility.
- Identify opportunities for process automation and continuous improvement.
6. Team Leadership and Development
- Lead, supervise, and develop the planning team to strengthen analytical skills and execution capabilities.
- Establish clear objectives, responsibilities, and performance expectations for team members.
- Monitor employee performance and provide coaching, guidance, and professional development opportunities.
- Identify high-performing employees and support succession planning for key responsibilities.
- Address performance gaps through appropriate feedback and improvement measures.
- Promote accountability, collaboration, fairness, and a culture of continuous improvement.
7. Business Planning and Operational Excellence
- Translate corporate objectives into actionable planning strategies and operational targets.
- Monitor business plan execution and implement corrective actions when necessary.
- Track planning-related expenses and resource utilization to support cost efficiency.
- Develop and maintain clear work procedures, planning policies, and reporting systems.
- Adapt planning practices to changing business requirements, technologies, and market conditions.
- Ensure compliance with applicable quality, health, safety, and environmental requirements.
Academic Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering.
Work Experience
- 6–10 years of relevant professional experience in planning, supply chain management, material planning, demand forecasting, or distribution planning.
- Experience coordinating planning activities across procurement, production, logistics, and inventory management is beneficial.
- Previous experience in a supervisory or managerial planning position is an advantage.
Technical and Functional Skills
Candidates should have knowledge or experience in the following areas:
- Materials flow analysis.
- Materials and parts management.
- Continuous-flow production processes.
- Demand management and demand forecasting.
- Workforce demand analysis.
- Distribution Requirements Planning (DRP).
- Material Requirements Planning (MRP/MRPII).
- Inventory optimization and stock management.
- Supply chain coordination and production planning.
- ERP systems and planning data management.
- Forecast accuracy measurement and planning KPI reporting.
- Process improvement and operational performance management.
Key Competencies
- Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
- Effective planning, coordination, and organizational skills.
- Leadership and team development capabilities.
- Sound decision-making and risk management.
- Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
- Focus on inventory efficiency, cost control, and customer service.
- Commitment to quality, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Job Location
Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Company
alfanar Electric