Manager Imported Finished Goods and Export Planning

Join us as Manager Imported Finished Goods and Export Planning

About Unilever 

With 3.4 billion people in over 190 countries using our products every day, Unilever is a business that makes a real impact on the world. Work on brands that are loved and improve the lives of our consumers and the communities around us. We are driven by our purpose: to make sustainable living commonplace, and it is our belief that doing business the right way drives superior performance. At the heart of what we do is our people – we believe that when our people work with purpose, we will create a better business and a better world.

At Unilever, your career will be a unique journey, grounded in our inclusive, collaborative, and flexible working environment. We don’t believe in the ‘one size fits all’ approach and instead we will equip you with the tools you need to shape your own future.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Handling the entire process of Import FG/SFG Sourcing for USL from the point of receival of the Demand Plan to availability of stocks for sale

• Place orders for imported finished goods from respective sourcing units as per the plan provided by demand planning team considering MOQ’s, Lead times, regulatory concerns, legal concerns, customer expectations, expiry of the product and any other risks

• Review the Demand Plan monthly and analyze trends of sales, challenge any unrealistic forecast based on trend analysis

• Constrain Demand plan upon requirement and find plans to minimize the loss

• Review Purchase and sales plan on a weekly basis

• Ensure stocks are received as per plan liaising with sourcing unit and relevant cross functional stakeholders- Shipping, Legal, QA, Finance, WH and logistics

• Provide weekly VAS plan for stickering

• Sharing monthly forecast with sourcing country

• SAP PO creation and responsibility in document submission for shipment clearance

• Submit documents for label guarantee & ensure that the label guarantee is released by submitting labelled stocks to the authorities

• Submit for documents clearance for SLS

• Weekly follow ups on shipment dispatches from the sourcing country

• Continuous follow up on shipment clearance, unloading of shipments and QA clearance

• Obtaining correct shipping documents and responsibility in getting amendments if required for clearance

• Expedite orders upon review of business need of the stock

• Maintain and update a database which is reviewed on a weekly basis to monitor stock levels in imported stocks. Managing the DOH and negotiation with sourcing units to come up with ways to manage inventory levels for SKUs with high MOQ.

• Ensure payments are made on time to the suppliers to avoid outstanding

Managing CCFOT for Imported FG

• Ensure minimal in CCFOT due losses of Imported FG issues from areas under purview of Imported FG Manager

• Communication of stock exhaustion and availability of re-launch stocks to relevant stakeholders

• Communicating & finding solutions with cross functional stake holders to ensure the losses are mitigated.

• Supporting the MT team to avoid CCF losses by cutting down on normal lead time for shipment clearance & unloading, QA clearance and the stickering process.

Negotiation and Relationship Management with sourcing units

• Develop and Manage relationships with sourcing units

• Hold regular meetings with regional sourcing units discuss and agree on way forward, resolving of issues- Weekly tele cons with the sourcing counter parts to ensure that the orders are tracked and produced on time.

• Ensure all Inter Company Sourcing agreements and PCP agreements are signed and agreed upon with all relevant sourcing units. Support to resolve any issue delaying the PCP sign off by coordinating & negotiating with the SU team as well as local cross functional teams.

• Negotiate with Sourcing units on optimal lead times and transfer prices as per Unilever Transfer pricing policy with maximum transparency.

• Discuss and resolve any issues on the imported product quality, shipment delay with relevant SU’s.

• Negotiation on products with MOQs to comply with the small business volumes

Managing Innovations & product re-launches for Imported Finished Goods

• Liaise with sourcing unit & local Marketing team on Innovations/ Re - Launches and Order/receive goods for imported Finished Goods innovation to meet launch timings

• Develop Innovations network tracker and follow up on progress.

• Obtain all documents/ information/ transfer prices & samples from sourcing country on time.

• Liaise with local R&D stakeholders to have regulatory procedures in place for imported FG innovations. Continuous follow up with the local regulatory team and hold them accountable for obtaining necessary regulatory clearance on time.

• Discuss & obtain the correct HS code & work landed cost for innovations to meet gate presentation timings.

• Ensure the PCP & LPCA process is completed on time for ordering.

• Laise with relevant local stakeholders and make them accountable for providing necessary information on launch volumes and timings. Highlight concerns on any unrealistic CMPs. Communicating the CMP forecast to the sourcing counter parts on time prior to order placing.

• Communicate any risks of launch delays/issues to relevant stakeholders & find plans to minimize the loss.

• Obtaining necessary information and conducting required analysis to facilitate Make vs. Buy decision

• For re-launches – managing stock covers and SISO to avoid business waste.

Facilitating Obtaining of Optimal Financial gains from Imported Finished Goods

• Maximize on tariff movements arising from free trade agreements and general tariff reductions.

• Drive cost efficiencies in FG sourcing by maximizing on freight savings

• Maintain Imported FG Inventory levels on par with USL inventory levels

• Develop the optimal sourcing model to ensure the best possible option is identified for all brands and SKU’s

• Provide monthly Imported FG landing cost & sub con operation cost to the Supply chain finance department by the required date

• Planning aligned to the rationalization plan & continuous follow up on plans to exhaust the rationalized stocks to reduce the financial impact as a result of write off.

• Finding ways to use damaged/ rejected stocks by communicating with cross functional stake holders – Development, QA, legal to avoid the stocks being accounted as a business waste

• Finding plans for SLOB items to be exhausted without being written off as a business waste

• Damages due to supplier negligence - Ensure product quality reports are circulated to supplier, and necessary action is taken by the SU to avoid damage in future shipments. Discuss & reimbursing the cost incurred on FG or cost incurred to make the goods fit for use.

Planning & Managing Import FG stickering Operation

• Plan and ensure relevant stakeholders conduct the Import FG stickering operation as per the plan circulated weekly & to adhere the required lead times

• Ensure QA clearance on time for the FG in import code & the stickered FG in invoicing code

• Ensure that the required sticker stock covers are maintained with the service provider

• Providing the approved sticker & end label artwork for printing- communicating any changes required in the sticker artwork and managing stock covers to avoid waste

• Ensure the stickering guidelines are adhered by the service provider & cascade any issues pertaining to the stickering operation to relevant stakeholders

• Managing the flexibility with the supplier to complete ad hoc urgent stickering operations outside the plan to ensure that the business needs are met.

• Managing price changes & bar code changes in products

• Creating sub con POs for stock reporting

• BOM & interspec updating- initiation & follow up

• Submission of 3P supplier payments and follow up until the payments are made on time

• Responsibility in getting system related/ master data related issues solved

Exports

• Managing the end-to-end process of export operation via UAPL from order receiving till the order dispatch from port.

• Obtain the quarterly transfer prices from the MA team & circulate to the customer and get the price lot updated locally.

• Driving any new opportunity for exports from Sri Lanka by providing information requested such as TPs, artwork and formulation & coordinating the R&D, QA & shipping team to bring new opportunities to the business.

Managing & Dealing with External Organisations

Handling documentation request & managing and dealing with authorities to get detained consignments cleared.

• SLSI

• Customs

• Consumer Affairs Authority

• NMRA

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCES:

• Degree with relevant experience & a professional qualification

• Influencing skills, integrity, team commitment, leadership

• Negotiation

• Maintaining good relationships with the sourcing counterparts

Unilever is an organisation committed to equity, inclusion and diversity to drive our business results and create a better future, every day, for our diverse employees, global consumers, partners, and communities. We believe a diverse workforce allows us to match our growth ambitions and drive inclusion across the business. At Unilever we are interested in every individual bringing their ‘Whole Self’ to work and this includes you! Thus if you require any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at the time of your application so that we can support you through your recruitment journey.