Listing reference: 021057
Listing status: Online
Apply by: 26 August 2025
Position summary
Industry: Wholesale & Retail Trade
Job category: FMCG, Retail, Wholesale and Supply Chain
Location: Cape Town
Contract: Permanent
Remuneration: Market Related
EE position: Yes
About our company
Clicks Group
Introduction
We are seeking to employ a Supply Chain Executive to be responsible for the Supply Chain & Logistics division of the business. This role will be based at Clicks Head Office and report into the Head of Supply Chain & Logistics.
Job description
Job Purpose
To drive and optimise Clicks' end-to-end supply chain operations, including sourcing, demand and replenishment planning, import management, supplier collaboration, efficiency and cost negotiations, financial and pharmacy planning. The role is pivotal in delivering best-in-class in-store availability while achieving working capital and service level objectives.
To continually enhance integrated business planning (S&OP) and cross-functional collaboration, supported by fit-for-purpose systems, to ensure the right products are available at the right time — enabling Clicks to consistently deliver on its promise as South Africa’s leading health and beauty retailer.
Job Objectives
- Develop and lead the annual strategic plan and budget for sales, margin, and inventory, ensuring full alignment with the business unit’s financial and growth objectives.
- Champion the evolution and execution of Integrated Business Planning (S&OP) to drive alignment across demand, supply, and financial planning, enhancing cross-functional decision-making and accountability.
- Drive a world-class demand forecasting capability, leveraging accurate demand signals and analytics to align forecasts with financial targets at product, category, and store levels.
- Design and optimise inventory strategies across the product portfolio and logistics network to ensure product availability, service level excellence, and optimal working capital utilisation.
- Ensure forward-looking capacity planning across Distribution Centres, including stockholding, throughput, and inbound/outbound flow to support business growth and avoid operational bottlenecks.
- Manage end-to-end new product introductions, ensuring seamless forecasting, sourcing, and post-launch execution to maximise speed-to-shelf and product availability.
- Collaborate with the Private Label team to define sourcing strategies that deliver margin improvement, secure reliable supply and support the business's brand ambitions.
- Lead supplier collaboration, commercial efficiency negotiations, and gain-share agreements to unlock value, reduce cost-to-serve, and drive incremental group profit from the supply chain.
- Create and maintain robust, insight-led reporting and performance metrics, enabling real-time visibility and data-driven decision-making across all supply chain touchpoints.
- Continuously evaluate and implement leading-edge supply chain technologies and tools, ensuring digital readiness, scalability, and alignment with future strategic objectives.
- Lead the deployment and integration of next-generation supply chain solutions, ensuring seamless cross-functional adoption, productivity gains, and end-to-end efficiency.
- Establish and nurture strong cross-functional partnerships with key stakeholders across buying, product development, operations and logistics to ensure integrated high-impact execution.
- Proactively identify risks, operational challenges, and emerging issues, develop mitigation plans, and maintain transparent, solution-oriented communication across the organisation.
- Build, lead, and inspire a high-performing team of demand planning and replenishment professionals, fostering a culture of excellence, ownership, agility, and service.
- Embed a culture of continuous improvement across all supply chain disciplines, driving innovation, agility, and best-in-class product availability while optimising cost and capital.
Minimum requirements
Job related knowledge
- Sourcing & Imports Management
Expertise in product sourcing, supplier coordination, and inbound logistics.
- Warehouse & Distribution
Strong capability in understanding warehouse operations and outbound logistics efficiently.
- FMCG Supply Chain
Broad knowledge of end-to-end supply chain processes within FMCG environments.
- Data Analysis
Skilled in using data models to drive insights and performance improvements.
- Forecasting & Planning
Proficient in demand forecasting tools, trends, and technologies.
- Customer & Market Insight
Clear understanding of customer needs, market trends, and the competitive landscape.
- Supplier & Lifecycle Management
Experienced in supplier performance, promotional planning, product lifecycles, and supply chain optimisation.
- Financial Planning
Job related skills
Essential
- Financial planning and management in Retail
- Buying and planning processes in Retail
- FMCG demand planning and forecasting
- Category management, sales and operations planning way of working (matrix organisations)
- Vendor management (including negotiation and contract management)
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, to build relationships and drive consensus and collaboration across functional groups
- Business math acumen and analysis to comprehend financial information and reporting to make business decisions
- Forecasting consumer trends and buying habits 9 – 36 months in the future
- Complex decision making based on statistics, trends and opinions
- Requires proficiency on MS Office Excel, Word, Outlook and Power Point
- Complex Problem solving
- Retail mathematical and financial calculations/analysis (e.g. GMROI, CAGR, variance to last year, percentage of total, stock turn)
Desirable
- Familiarity with demand and fulfilment planning software (e.g., SAP IBP, Blue Yonder, Anaplan, Relex)
- Exposure to inventory optimisation models balancing service levels and working capital
- Awareness of Incoterms and their practical application in contract negotiations
- Awareness of emerging technologies shaping supply chain best practices (e.g., blockchain, IoT, AI-driven and ML optimisation)
- Understanding of end-to-end supply chain visibility tools and analytics dashboards
Job experience
- A minimum of 10-15 years merchandise planning and financial/business analysis, modeling and forecasting experience
- A minimum of 10 years of experience in a retail environment 5 Years functional experience – FMCG Supply Chain or Retail Planning
- 5 Years People Management experience
- 5 Years vendor management experience including contract negotiation
- 5 Years commercial experience including accountability for large budgets
- Strong planning and buying experience with solid understanding of financial and statistical analysis of both
- Strategic leadership experience applying business and financial analysis skills and knowledge to solve business problems and influence decision making
Education
Essential: Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce/Science/Engineering/Supply ChainLogistics
Desirable: Honours/Master’s degree
Essential Competencies
- Deciding and Initiating Action
- Leading and Supervising
- Persuading and Influencing
- Presenting and Communicating Information
- Analysing
- Planning and Organising
- Delivering Results & Meeting Customer Expectations
- Formulating Strategies and Concepts
- Coping with Pressures and Setbacks
- Entrepreneurial and Commercial Thinking