Intas Pharmaceuticals Hiring for Manager Business Operations – APAC at Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India Full Time

Job Summary:

This is a critical role liaising between APAC team and HQ supply chain as well as coordinating new product process.

As the Business Operations Manager, the employee is responsible for managing and coordinating the supply chain activities between Asia Pacific countries & HQ SCM team ensuring reliable product supply to market consistent with P&L objectives, internal service level and inventory management. This includes demand planning, procurement, logistics readiness and execution.

Product launch coordination involves coordinating all efforts across the Company related to assisting in the release of new products into the market along with the NPL launch team. This employee will be required to keep teams aligned while working towards an end-to-end solution for product launch goals and predefined timelines to ensure all parameters are met, while creating a maximum positive impact in the market.

This person will also take up special business driven projects as & when required.

Specific Job Responsibilities:

Business Operations Manager

Demand Plan Generation & Maintenance

• Collaboration with operations/person in-charge of demand forecast (countries in Asia Pacific), brand, and sales managers to generate and maintain a 4-month rolling forecast with latest assumptions.
• Drive accurate forecast in statistical and consensus forecasting covering both baseline and events planning
• Maintain demand planning systems to reflect latest forecast and alignment with HQ SCM
• Managing and maintaining MDM tool (including but not limited to creating material request, copy action, extending/updating material, maintaining local code, UPID etc, production planning and material control)

Product Launch

• Overall accountability for delivery of assigned products to be launched ensuring that project deliverables are continuously aligned with time of launch
• Facilitates the generation of project plans, ensuring project team executes the delivery of the plan, in line with agreed results, times and budgets
• Maintaining an overview of the project including potential risks to timeline and/or budget and facilitates the team in identifying and troubleshooting of barriers to success
• Identify / coordinate the development of strategies to accelerate projects where possible
• Work with leadership team to ensure the correct project team & resource is in place (including HQ)
• Ensures accurate maintenance of project plans and the generation of project documentation
• Leads the delivery and reporting of projects, within the product launch framework and acts as a role model to adopting new processes and best practices

Forecasting:

Create statistical forecasts

• Analyse historical demand and remove anomalies (including outliers) from the norm using historical information
• Execute statistical modelling to review resulting statistical forecast model
• Apply error analysis techniques to improve forecasting, update best fit statistical model to generate accurate base forecast
• Summarize/aggregate for analysis

Create consensus forecast

• Achieve consensus for operational demand forecast by facilitating monthly forecast meeting with sales, marketing & finance
• Build into the monthly forecast any relevant market intelligence information discussed at the marketing updates on pricing, promotion, market penetration.
• Prepare relevant forecast and performance data as well as research materials to drive discussions on forward forecast adjustments, on both base and events
• Provide insights to past promotional activities through analytics and share recommendations on forecast adjustments or promotion adjustments

Forecasting Performance Tracking

• Monitor forecast trends & errors. Analyse forecast accuracy and bias performance through tracking sales actual and unpacking market insights and various demand drivers
• Monitoring actual sales to drive continuous improvements in consensus forecasting with marketing and sales

Supply Planning & Inventory Management

• Track stock supply point delivery vs actual with data from HQ SCM, follow up to ensure service delivery
• Attend relevant sales and operations execution meetings with countries
• Assess stock prioritisation, pull forward and deferral request based on demand movements
• Alternatively provide scenarios for decision making on proposed stock holding
• Identify and review items with excess inventory and propose action plan
• Minimise write off costs on slow moving stock by proposing change in stock policy or demand shaping actions
• Preparation of supply planning related reports for monthly engagement meetings
• Providing commentary monthly on excess and shortfall stock as well as key drivers to inventory forward

Core Competencies

• Excellent communication skills (Fluent in English given primary source of communication)
• Ability to challenge, influence, contract and drive change
• Building efficient relations with various internal and external stakeholders
• Demonstrated entrepreneurial spirit and orientation towards solutions, challenging the status quo in right way

Functional/Technical Skills or Industry Experience

• Relevant qualification in Business Operations & Supply Chain Management or logistics
• 5+ years of experience in Demand Planning including replenishment forecasting
• 4+ years in project management
• Previous exposure on working with statistical forecast is a plus
• Exposure to supply chain and S&OP is a must
• Experience in the FMCG/Pharmaceutical industries is essential
• Strong knowledge of exports/imports is essential
• Good working knowledge with ERP systems (SAP) and forecasting tools