Supply Planners

Purpose of the role:

A Supply Planner plays a crucial role in ensuring that a company’s products or services are available to customers in a timely and efficient manner, while also minimizing costs and mitigating risk. The Supply Planner is responsible for taking the demand forecast from the Demand Planner, reviewing it, and then working with suppliers that the procurement team have established to create purchasing plans.

The Supply Planner is a key liaison between the company and its suppliers. By working closely with suppliers, the Supply Planner can anticipate purchasing requirements and help suppliers prepare their supply chain to supply customers on time. This benefits the company by achieving high levels of serviceability to customers’ demands and higher levels of DIFOT (Delivered In Full, On Time).

In a larger organisation, the Supply Planner’s responsibilities are more defined. Typically, the Supply Planner works with established suppliers to make purchasing plans. Smaller companies may incorporate additional responsibilities within a Supply Planner’s role, such as basic forecasting and the purchase order raising/tracking and tracing the movement of goods. Some medium-sized businesses may integrate the role of Demand Planner and Supply Planner.

Qualifications:

• Gain work experience within a supply chain: starting from an entry-level role and working your way up. Do your best to get experience in working with suppliers even if it is from transactional purchase order raising.
• Develop technical skills: Supply Planners must be proficient in using software and tools such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, inventory management systems and Excel
• Hone in on analytical skills.
• Be solutions orientated, quick to troubleshoot, and a good team player as there are many stakeholders to liaise with around the movements of goods.

Career prospects:

Supply Planners typically come from a background in Purchasing or Supply Chain Coordinator roles. Future career opportunities after working as a Supply Planner can lead to roles such as a Demand Planner, which could then lead to Planning Manager roles, Sales & Operations Planning roles (S&OP), Integrated Business Planning roles (IBP), or a different route could be in Procurement where you would be doing strategic sourcing and supplier relationship management.

Recommended qualifications:

Those already working often opt to study and upskill themselves through NZPICS, an organisation who pride themselves on learning and development opportunities that bring out the best in supply chain professionals in New Zealand.

Gaining a qualification demonstrates a commitment to higher learning that is acknowledged by many employers and will give candidates an additional edge as they have more knowledge and an academic understanding of the supply chain.

Salary guide?

Junior: $80,000-$85,000

Intermediate: $85,000-$95,000

Advanced: $90,000-$100,000

Salaries of Supply Planners vary depending on the level of experience and the responsibilities within a role. A Supply Planner who is moving from the likes of a purchasing office role could expect $80,000-$85,000p/a. A Supply Planner with experience seeking a step up and more ownership of the supply planning function or category could expect $85,000 -$95,000. Supply Planners with direct reports and wider responsibilities that go beyond creating purchasing plans with supplier can expect $90,000-$100,000.

These salaries will vary depending on the industry, company size and levels of responsibility.

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