Supply Chain Planning Manager - Imports
Posted date [2026-05-25]
(ID: 45665)
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Talabat is the MENA region’s leading on-demand delivery platform, headquartered in Dubai and operating across eight markets. We leverage a tech-driven flywheel model to connect millions of users with food, groceries, and essential services. By bridging the gap between people and local businesses, we continue to scale our ecosystem and simplify everyday life through innovation. |
Job Description and Requirements
Supply Chain Planning Manager - ImportsJob Snapshot
Role: Supply Chain Planning Manager - Imports
Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Industry: Grocery
Function: Supply Chain
Experience: Minimum 5 years
Job Type: Full-time
Position Overview
Supply Chain Planning Manager - Imports in Dubai, United Arab Emirates is a Grocery industry role focused on demand forecasting, import shipment planning, inventory optimization, DC performance, supplier coordination, and S and OP alignment across MENA markets. This opportunity is suitable for an experienced supply chain professional who can manage forward stock pipelines, improve SKU availability, reduce clearance delays, strengthen forecasting accuracy, and support efficient grocery supply operations.
The role supports regional product availability by planning inbound containers, monitoring stock cover, coordinating import clearance, improving warehouse KPIs, and working closely with commercial, finance, operations, suppliers, and country supply chain teams.
Job Details
Country: United Arab Emirates
City: Dubai
Industry: Grocery
Function: Supply Chain
Salary: 18000-32000
Estimated salary range based on similar jobs in the job city; please confirm the final offer with the employer.
Gender: Any
Candidate Nationality: Any
Job Type: Full-time
Role Context
The Supply Chain Planning Manager will oversee planning activities for imported grocery products, ensuring the right stock reaches the right markets at the right time. The role combines demand forecasting, import shipment planning, inventory control, supplier scheduling, reporting automation, DC performance tracking, and regional process standardization.
This position is important for maintaining availability, reducing shrinkage, controlling days on hand, improving import clearance timelines, and supporting business continuity across fast-moving grocery and ultra-fresh operations. The successful candidate will use historical sales data, promotions, category insights, BI dashboards, and market inputs to improve supply chain decisions and operational performance.
Key Responsibilities
Develop accurate demand forecasts for the import shipments portfolio using past sales data, promotional inputs, market trends, category insights, and business assumptions.
Plan forecasts, stock levels, inbound containers, and shipment pipelines across a 3 to 6 month forward view to maintain availability and adequate stock cover.
Coordinate with commercial, operations, finance, and country supply chain teams to align import planning with demand, supplier lead times, storage capacity, and market priorities.
Act as the subject matter expert for import shipment clearance processes, ensuring process governance, stakeholder alignment, and timely execution.
Work with finance, commercial, and operations teams to avoid demurrage, reduce claims, and maintain an expedited clearance process.
Monitor shipment-related costs and recommend continuous improvement actions to reduce inefficiencies and improve clearing performance.
Ensure new product sourcing follows internal planning guidelines, lead time requirements, and shipment readiness standards.
Partner with country supply chain teams on regional projects, system improvements, process upgrades, and operational initiatives.
Prepare and present demand planning reports, inventory updates, shipment dashboards, and supply chain performance insights.
Use BI analytics to automate reporting and improve visibility across markets, categories, SKUs, and supply chain workflows.
Implement standardized supply chain metrics, operating routines, and planning processes across all MENA countries.
Plan and drive DOH policy by mapping end-to-end supply chain processes and aligning stock cover with market needs.
Work with country teams to improve forecast accuracy, SKU availability, store readiness, and replenishment effectiveness.
Monitor inventory practices to reduce shrinkage while optimizing days on hand, freshness, working capital, and product flow.
Coordinate with commercial teams to define supply chain metrics and operating processes for promotional planning.
Track daily and weekly DC KPIs, share performance updates with local country heads, and support improvement actions in warehouse operations.
Ensure warehouse and DC processes are followed consistently, including compliance with operating standards and process controls.
Hold structured discussions with suppliers on availability, fill rate, shipment readiness, scheduling, lead times, and service performance.
Manage supply chain projects involving multiple stakeholders, clear timelines, dependencies, risks, and expectations.
Facilitate S and OP routines by aligning cross-functional teams, identifying gaps between forecasts and business plans, raising blockers, and resolving issues with country teams.
Ideal Profile
The ideal candidate should have at least 5 years of hands-on experience in supply chain planning, demand forecasting, import shipments, DC planning, inventory management, and system implementation.
Experience in retail groceries is strongly preferred, especially with exposure to ultra-fresh categories, grocery availability planning, supplier scheduling, and high-volume inventory movement.
The candidate should have practical knowledge of forecasting models, stock cover planning, import shipments, Incoterms, inbound container planning, and supplier coordination.
Strong analytical ability is essential, including advanced Excel skills, large data manipulation, BI reporting, dashboard interpretation, and the ability to convert data into planning decisions.
The role suits someone who is structured, detail-oriented, proactive, and able to prioritize critical business issues without creating bottlenecks.
The successful candidate should have strong stakeholder management skills and the confidence to work independently with an entrepreneurial mindset.
Excellent communication skills are required for working with country teams, suppliers, finance, commercial, operations, warehouse teams, and senior stakeholders.
This position is suitable for someone who enjoys solving uncertain supply chain challenges, learning quickly, and staying hands-on with tools, reports, projects, and daily planning decisions.
Skills Set
Supply Chain Planning
Demand Forecasting
Import Shipments
Inventory Management
DC Planning
S and OP
Forecast Accuracy
Stock Cover Planning
DOH Management
Inbound Container Planning
Import Clearance
Incoterms
Supplier Scheduling
Retail Grocery Supply Chain
Ultra Fresh Planning
SKU Availability
Shrinkage Control
Promotion Planning
Warehouse Operations
Distribution Center KPIs
BI Analytics
Advanced Excel
Data Analysis
Dashboard Reporting
Process Improvement
System Implementation
Supplier Management
Stakeholder Management
Project Management
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Why Join Us
This role offers strong exposure to regional grocery supply chain planning, import operations, inventory control, and DC performance in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is a valuable opportunity for supply chain professionals who want to influence availability, forecasting accuracy, cost control, warehouse efficiency, and operational reliability across MENA markets.
As online grocery, Q-commerce, and everyday delivery services continue to expand, professionals with strong import planning, forecasting, inventory optimization, and supplier management skills remain essential for maintaining product availability and customer satisfaction.
About the Company
talabat is part of Delivery Hero Group and operates as a leading food delivery, grocery, Q-commerce, and everyday delivery platform across the region. The company supports customers, restaurants, retailers, local shops, suppliers, and riders through technology-led marketplace services focused on speed, convenience, availability, and operational excellence.
