Supply and Inventory Planner

Arabia.

The planner will create purchase orders, monitor supplier commitments, assess run-out risks, plan parts for new vehicle models, and reduce exposure to excess, aged, dead, and obsolete stock. The position also coordinates shipping documentation, customs requirements, logistics payments, insurance declarations, Letters of Credit, and regulatory approvals.

Success requires strong automotive supply-chain experience, advanced inventory-management knowledge, proficiency in SAP and Microsoft Office, and the ability to translate complex supply information into actionable dashboards and management reports.

What You\'ll Do

Supply Planning and Procurement

* Process daily, weekly, and monthly automotive parts purchase orders.
* Review demand forecasts, stock levels, open orders, and supplier lead times before placing orders.
* Ensure purchase orders are transmitted accurately to approved suppliers.
* Obtain supplier confirmation covering quantities, prices, and expected dispatch dates.
* Follow up on unconfirmed purchase orders and delayed supplier responses.
* Ensure suppliers dispatch orders within agreed lead times.
* Monitor back orders and identify items that could affect parts availability.
* Escalate critical shortages and repeated supplier delays to the appropriate stakeholders.
* Communicate material forecast changes to vendors within the required planning cycle.
* Adjust ordering plans according to sales trends, service demand, seasonal changes, and business priorities.
* Prepare purchasing budgets according to order schedules and approved recommendations.
* Verify that orders remain within authorised budgets and inventory policies.
* Obtain approvals according to the applicable delegation of authority.
* Maintain accurate purchasing records and supporting documentation.
* Coordinate with finance, logistics, aftersales, and supplier teams throughout the purchasing process.
* Support reliable parts availability without creating unnecessary inventory exposure.

Demand Forecasting and Availability

* Analyse historical demand, current consumption, market activity, and future business requirements.
* Develop accurate forecasts for automotive spare parts and aftersales inventory.
* Review changing demand patterns and identify unusual consumption movements.
* Evaluate demand-flier alerts and validate whether increases are temporary or sustainable.
* Monitor forecast accuracy and recommend improvements to planning assumptions.
* Conduct risk-of-run-out analysis across critical and fast-moving parts.
* Prioritise replenishment for items that could affect workshop productivity or customer service.
* Review stock coverage against current demand and supplier lead times.
* Identify supply constraints before they disrupt aftersales operations.
* Coordinate with business teams regarding campaigns, model changes, and expected demand events.
* Incorporate confirmed commercial requirements into supply plans.
* Review service-level performance and investigate recurring availability gaps.
* Prepare alternative supply recommendations when normal replenishment channels are disrupted.
* Maintain an appropriate balance between stock availability and inventory investment.
* Provide management with visibility of critical shortages and recommended corrective actions.

New Model Parts Planning

* Develop initial parts plans for newly introduced vehicle models.
* Coordinate with relevant teams to obtain model launch schedules and expected vehicle volumes.
* Identify maintenance, repair, accident, warranty, and fast-moving parts required for new models.
* Review recommended initial-stock lists provided by manufacturers or principal suppliers.
* Assess expected demand according to the vehicle population and market conditions.
* Place approved initial-stock orders within required launch timelines.
* Monitor early demand after each model introduction.
* Adjust replenishment parameters when actual demand differs from the original forecast.
* Identify model-specific parts with extended lead times or supply constraints.
* Coordinate urgent requirements affecting vehicle launches or aftersales readiness.
* Prevent excessive initial ordering of slow-moving or highly specialised parts.
* Maintain clear records of planning assumptions and post-launch performance.
* Share lessons from previous model launches to improve future inventory planning.

Inventory Policy and Stock Optimisation

* Review inventory policies, service-level targets, and replenishment parameters regularly.
* Assess whether existing stock policies support operational and financial objectives.
* Monitor inventory turnover and recommend actions to improve stock productivity.
* Analyse stock according to movement, age, value, demand, and business importance.
* Identify excess, slow-moving, non-moving, dead, and obsolete inventory.
* Monitor aged stock and prepare regular ageing reports for management.
* Determine the causes of excess inventory, including forecast changes, over-ordering, and model discontinuation.
* Recommend stock transfers, order reductions, supplier returns, promotions, or disposal actions.
* Forecast inventory-provision requirements using accurate ageing and movement data.
* Provide finance teams with reliable information supporting stock-provision calculations.
* Initiate dead-stock disposal according to company policy and approval requirements.
* Follow up until approved disposal activities are completed and documented.
* Monitor supplier return opportunities and applicable commercial conditions.
* Reduce excess and obsolete stock exposure without affecting essential parts availability.
* Review superseded and replaced part numbers to prevent unnecessary duplication.
* Identify opportunities to consolidate inventory across business locations.
* Track the financial results of stock-optimisation activities.
* Produce recommendations that improve turnover, service levels, and working-capital efficiency.

Supplier Performance Management

* Monitor supplier performance against confirmed order and delivery commitments.
* Track order confirmation, dispatch, lead-time, fill-rate, and back-order performance.
* Investigate recurring delays, shortages, or documentation discrepancies.
* Communicate supply risks and required corrective actions to vendors.
* Maintain structured follow-up on unresolved supplier issues.
* Review actual lead times against planning-system parameters.
* Recommend updates when supplier performance patterns change materially.
* Coordinate with internal stakeholders regarding urgent or constrained parts.
* Escalate supplier issues that could affect customers, workshops, or business targets.
* Support supplier-performance reviews with accurate data and evidence.
* Maintain professional relationships with local and international vendors.
* Encourage reliable communication and continuous improvement across the supply network.

Shipping and Inbound Coordination

* Create Advance Shipping Notifications according to approved supplier invoices.
* Ensure shipping notifications are prepared accurately and within required timelines.
* Validate invoice quantities, part numbers, values, and shipment information.
* Provide logistics teams with the information required to manage inbound shipments.
* Coordinate access to invoices, packing lists, certificates, and clearing documentation.
* Track expected shipment dates and monitor changes affecting arrival schedules.
* Support timely customs clearance by resolving documentation gaps promptly.
* Follow up on cargo affected by delayed documents, approvals, or payments.
* Coordinate with logistics providers, freight forwarders, suppliers, and internal teams.
* Maintain visibility of orders from supplier confirmation through final receipt.
* Investigate quantity differences and shipment-document inconsistencies.
* Support corrective action for incomplete, incorrect, or delayed deliveries.
* Help minimise storage, demurrage, detention, and avoidable clearance costs.
* Keep relevant stakeholders informed of important inbound risks and delays.

Logistics Cost and Payment Control

* Monitor freight and logistics charges against agreed commercial terms.
* Review supplier, forwarder, clearing, and logistics invoices for accuracy.
* Identify unexpected charges and request supporting explanations.
* Maintain records of logistics costs associated with inbound inventory.
* Prepare payment information and supporting documentation for finance.
* Update finance teams through relevant payment-clearance reports.
* Follow up on outstanding payments that could delay shipments or services.
* Coordinate resolution of invoice mismatches and payment-blocking issues.
* Ensure logistics payments follow company approval and control procedures.
* Support budget monitoring and logistics-cost forecasting.
* Analyse cost movements and identify opportunities for operational savings.
* Escalate significant cost variances or recurring billing concerns.
* Maintain reliable audit trails for logistics-related financial transactions.

Trade Finance, Customs, and Insurance

* Arrange Letters of Credit when required for approved supply transactions.
* Coordinate the renewal or amendment of existing Letters of Credit.
* Ensure trade-finance documentation meets supplier and banking requirements.
* Follow up with finance and relevant stakeholders on pending approvals.
* Register customs claims accurately and within applicable deadlines.
* Prepare and execute approved customs-related payments.
* Maintain supporting documentation for customs claims and settlements.
* Coordinate ESMA and RFID approvals when required for imported products.
* Follow up on delayed regulatory approvals affecting cargo clearance.
* Declare cargo shipments for insurance coverage according to company procedures.
* Ensure shipment values and cargo information are reported accurately.
* Coordinate insurance documentation for damaged, lost, or affected cargo.
* Support the preparation and follow-up of eligible insurance claims.
* Maintain organised records for trade-finance, customs, regulatory, and insurance activities.
* Escalate compliance or documentation risks that could disrupt supply operations.

Business Intelligence and Reporting

* Create dashboards for monitoring procurement, stock, logistics, and supplier performance.
* Present inventory information in a clear and decision-focused format.
* Track service levels, run-out risks, stock ageing, back orders, and inventory turnover.
* Develop management reporting packs covering critical supply-chain indicators.
* Highlight trends, exceptions, financial risks, and operational priorities.
* Validate report data before circulation to management and stakeholders.
* Maintain consistent definitions and calculations across inventory reports.
* Automate repetitive reports where practical and appropriately controlled.
* Improve reporting visibility through charts, summaries, and exception-based analysis.
* Prepare recommendations based on dashboard findings.
* Support senior leadership reviews with accurate data and concise explanations.
* Respond to authorised ad-hoc reporting and analytical requirements.
* Maintain confidentiality when handling commercial and financial information.
* Document report sources, calculations, assumptions, and refresh procedures.

Continuous Improvement

* Conduct kaizen activities focused on inventory and supply-chain performance.
* Identify process gaps that increase cost, delay replenishment, or reduce service levels.
* Analyse root causes rather than treating recurring operational symptoms.
* Develop practical improvement plans with measurable targets.
* Lead or support projects designed to reduce operational costs.
* Monitor project milestones, budgets, risks, and expected benefits.
* Ensure assigned projects are delivered on time and within approved budgets.
* Measure results after implementation and report realised improvements.
* Recommend effective inventory-control actions to business stakeholders.
* Escalate situations where supply or inventory processes are not under control.
* Standardise successful improvements across applicable operations.
* Encourage collaboration among supply, logistics, finance, and aftersales teams.
* Apply agile working practices to planning and improvement projects.
* Support a culture of accountability, innovation, and evidence-based decision-making.

SAP and Planning-System Management

* Use SAP to manage purchase orders, inventory information, and planning activities.
* Review planning-system parameters and recommend appropriate adjustments.
* Ensure lead times, order quantities, service levels, and replenishment settings remain current.
* Investigate system alerts covering demand fliers, lead times, and forecast changes.
* Review exceptions that indicate potential shortages or excessive stock.
* Assess run-out alerts and determine the appropriate replenishment response.
* Validate system recommendations before converting them into purchasing actions.
* Identify inaccurate master data affecting inventory-planning results.
* Coordinate correction of part, supplier, lead-time, or planning information.
* Test the impact of parameter changes before wider implementation.
* Monitor results after changes are introduced.
* Develop a strong understanding of system processes relevant to business needs.
* Use available system capabilities to improve efficiency and productivity.
* Maintain accurate, complete, and reliable transactional records.

Cross-Functional Coordination

* Work closely with Global Aftersales, procurement, logistics, finance, and operations teams.
* Coordinate supply priorities with stakeholders responsible for customer and workshop requirements.
* Explain stock risks, forecast movements, and ordering recommendations clearly.
* Provide timely updates regarding delayed shipments and critical back orders.
* Work with finance on budgets, provisions, Letters of Credit, and outstanding payments.
* Coordinate with logistics teams on shipping documentation and customs clearance.
* Engage suppliers regarding orders, dispatch commitments, and performance concerns.
* Support management reviews with accurate reports and practical recommendations.
* Record agreed actions, owners, and completion dates.
* Follow up consistently until important actions are closed.
* Build productive working relationships across different markets and departments.
* Maintain professional communication during urgent or complex supply situations.

Ideal Profile

Education

* Bachelor\'s or master\'s degree in Supply Chain Management.
* A degree in Industrial Engineering or an equivalent discipline is acceptable.
* Additional qualifications in procurement, logistics, inventory planning, or business analytics are advantageous.
* Professional supply-chain certification is beneficial but not mandatory.

Professional Experience

* Approximately five years of relevant supply-chain experience.
* Automotive industry experience is strongly preferred.
* Practical experience in inventory planning and stock optimisation.
* Experience managing procurement and replenishment activities.
* Previous responsibility for supplier orders, lead times, and back orders.
* Experience analysing excess, aged, dead, or obsolete stock.
* Exposure to international logistics and inbound shipment coordination.
* Experience supporting customs, trade-finance, or insurance processes is advantageous.
* Proven ability to prepare management reporting packs.
* Experience presenting operational findings to senior leadership.
* Familiarity with regional automotive aftersales operations is beneficial.

Inventory and Supply-Chain Knowledge

* Extensive knowledge of inventory-management principles and systems.
* Strong understanding of demand forecasting and replenishment planning.
* Knowledge of safety stock, service levels, lead times, and run-out analysis.
* Understanding of inventory turnover and working-capital management.
* Ability to analyse stock ageing and provision requirements.
* Knowledge of supplier-performance and back-order management.
* Understanding of excess and obsolete inventory controls.
* Familiarity with automotive spare-parts planning is strongly preferred.
* Knowledge of logistics documentation and inbound cargo processes.
* Understanding of continuous-improvement methodologies.
* Ability to balance customer-service requirements with inventory cost control.

Systems and Analytical Skills

* Strong proficiency in SAP or a comparable ERP platform.
* Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel.
* Proficiency in Microsoft Word and PowerPoint.
* Working knowledge of Microsoft Project.
* Ability to work with large and complex datasets.
* Experience producing dashboards and management reports.
* Strong numerical analysis and data-validation capabilities.
* Ability to interpret planning alerts and system-generated recommendations.
* Confidence using data to develop practical business actions.
* Strong attention to reporting accuracy and transactional detail.

Professional Competencies

* Excellent planning and organisational abilities.
* Strong problem-solving and root-cause analysis skills.
* Ability to manage several priorities and deadlines simultaneously.
* Effective supplier and stakeholder communication.
* Confidence engaging with senior leadership.
* Strong process-improvement and project-management capabilities.
* Commercial awareness and understanding of inventory costs.
* Ability to make timely decisions using incomplete or changing information.
* High level of ownership, integrity, and accountability.
* Collaborative approach to cross-functional work.
* Ability to escalate significant risks clearly and appropriately.
* Commitment to continuous learning and operational improvement.

Skills Set

* Automotive supply-chain planning
* Inventory management
* Spare-parts procurement
* Demand forecasting
* Purchase-order management
* Supplier coordination
* Back-order monitoring
* Stock availability
* Risk-of-run-out analysis
* Safety-stock planning
* New-model parts planning
* Inventory turnover
* Stock optimisation
* Aged-stock analysis
* Excess inventory control
* Obsolete-stock reduction
* Dead-stock disposal
* Inventory provisioning
* Logistics coordination
* Advance Shipping Notifications
* Inbound shipment control
* Customs claims
* Letters of Credit
* Cargo insurance
* ESMA approvals
* RFID approvals
* Logistics payment management
* SAP
* ERP systems
* Microsoft Excel
* Management dashboards
* Business intelligence
* Management reporting
* Kaizen
* Agile working
* Process improvement
* Cost reduction
* Project management

Benefits

* Join a major regional automotive and mobility organisation.
* Manage a substantial and strategically important aftersales inventory portfolio.
* Gain exposure to international suppliers, logistics operations, and regional markets.
* Work across procurement, inventory planning, finance, customs, and business intelligence.
* Contribute directly to parts availability, customer service, and working-capital performance.
* Develop advanced experience using SAP and data-driven inventory controls.
* Participate in kaizen projects and operational cost-reduction initiatives.
* Collaborate with experienced automotive aftersales and supply-chain professionals.
* Access learning and career-development opportunities across Al-Futtaim Automotive.
* Build a potential career path in supply planning, procurement, logistics, or supply-chain leadership.
* Join an organisation guided by respect, excellence, collaboration, and integrity.

About the Company

Al-Futtaim Automotive is a major division of Al-Futtaim, a diversified regional organisation headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Its automotive operations span vehicle distribution, manufacturing, leasing, aftersales services, fleet solutions, and integrated mobility activities across the Middle East, Asia, and Africa.

The division represents internationally recognised automotive brands and supports customers through vehicle sales, maintenance, repairs, genuine parts, and comprehensive ownership services. Its Global Aftersales supply-chain teams coordinate inventory, procurement, logistics, and parts availability to support workshops, service operations, and customers across regional markets.

Al-Futtaim Automotive combines international brand standards, regional market knowledge, modern planning systems, and continuous-improvement practices to deliver reliable mobility and aftersales solutions.