[Netherlands] Supply Chain Network Planner (EMEA)

Company Description

As a specialized company dedicated to eye health, Santen aspires to contribute to the realization of “Happiness with Vision” by providing valuable products and services to patients, consumers, and medical professionals around the organization. Since its establishment in Japan in 1890, and guided by its CORE PRINCIPLE, “Tenki ni sanyo suru,” Santen has been committed to helping people maintain and improve their eye health, and is engaged in the global research and development, manufacturing, and sales and marketing of pharmaceutical products in the field of eye care, supporting the eye health of approximately 50 million people worldwide. Our duty is to create a future in which as many patients and consumers as possible can lead happy and fulfilling lives, we will continue to contribute to the realization of better eye care by providing solutions that eliminate bottlenecks in the diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases, thereby revolutionizing the treatment flow.
Each of us is deeply committed to challenging ourselves, building an organization that brings together diverse internal talents and external expertise, and to doing our utmost to realize a society in which people everywhere can feel happy through vision-related experiences. Isn't it exactly the kind of environment you want to belong in?

Job Description

Job’s mission

To ensure the efficient and effective planning, coordination, and optimization of the supply chain network within the EMEA region, ensuring timely replenishment and delivery of pharmaceutical products while maintaining high standards of quality and compliance.

This role is pivotal in ensuring the availability of pharmaceutical products while optimizing inventory levels and maintaining strong partnerships across the supply chain.

Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities

1. Supply Chain Network Planning:

• Supply Chain planning: use demand forecasts and correct set up of parameters to create supply chain plans for FG, SFG and API.
• Capacity Planning: Assess the production capacity of external manufacturing partners and align it with demand forecasts to ensure sufficient supply.
• Scenario Planning: Develop various supply chain scenarios to prepare for potential disruptions or changes in demand.
• Support S&OP process as part of Country IBP meetings being the focal point for demand and supply escalations as well as demand reconciliation, in order to align market demand and financial requirements with manufacturing capabilities.
• Manage SKU demand and supply parameters in the systems to enable correct planning.

2. Coordination:

• Stakeholder Management: establish and maintain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders including external manufacturing partners, Customer Operations, Quality Assurance, EM&S and regulatory affairs.
• Issue Resolution: Act as the primary point of contact for resolving any issues that arise in the supply chain, such as delays or quality concerns.

3. Inventory Management:

• Stock Monitoring: continuously monitor inventory levels across the supply chain to ensure optimal stock levels.
• Replenishment Planning: develop and implement replenishment strategies to avoid stockouts and overstock situations.
• Inventory Optimization: Use data analysis to optimize inventory levels, reducing storage and/or freight costs while ensuring product availability.

4. Risk Management

• Identify potential risks in the supply chain, such as supplier reliability, geopolitical issues, or transportation disruptions.
• Develop and implement strategies to mitigate identified risks, such as diversifying suppliers or increasing safety stock.

5. Continuous Improvement:

• Use data insights to identify areas for improvement and implement changes to enhance supply chain efficiency.
• Analyse historical data to identify trends and patterns that can inform future planning.
• Track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as lead times, OTIF, yield, inventory turnover and inventory quality ratio to assess supply chain performance.

6. Task Management

• Developing plans to meet the forecasted demand, considering production and packaging capacities.
• Prepare regular reports on supply chain performance, highlighting key metrics and any issues or improvements.
• Monitoring inventory levels and keeping track of inventory to avoid shortages or overstock situations.
• Recognizing potential risks in the supply chain, such as delays or disruptions.
• Generate ad hoc reports as needed to address specific questions or concerns from stakeholders.
• Participate in or initiate the periodic Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process.
• Maintaining all operational activities performed in SAP within the Procure-to-Pay framework for FG, SFG, API and primary packaging materials.
• Inventory control of API and primary packaging materials owned by Santen and stored at external contract manufacturing organizations.

KEY CHALLENGES:

• Outsourced Production: Managing relationships and ensuring quality control with multiple external manufacturing partners.
• Regulatory Compliance: Navigating complex regulatory requirements across different countries in the EMEA region.
• Demand Variability: Adapting to fluctuations in demand and ensuring supply chain agility.
• Supply Chain Complexity: Navigating the complexities of a global supply chain, including coordination with multiple suppliers, manufacturers, and distributors.
• Stakeholder Collaboration: Collaborating effectively with cross-functional teams, including Country teams, Marketing, Finance, and Supply Chain Operations, to ensure alignment and support for demand planning initiatives.
• Supply Chain Visibility: Ensuring visibility across the entire supply chain is crucial. This includes tracking raw materials, production processes, and distribution channels.

Qualifications

• Minimum 2-3 years of experience in supply chain planning, preferably in pharmaceutical industry.
• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics or related field. Master’s degree and/or Certification in Supply Chain Management (APICS, CSCP) will be considered as a plus.
• Proficiency in supply chain management software (SAP), advanced Excel skills, GPS or other planning-related software is welcome to have.
• Strong analytical, detail-oriented and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills together with the ability to work collaboratively in a cross-functional and fast-paced environment.

Additional Information

A career at Santen is an opportunity to make a difference. Through our long-term vision outlined in Santen 2030, we are committed to be a Social Innovator - addressing the social and economic needs of people with visual impairments. We have team members around the world using their diverse talents to unlock new modalities and drive innovations for patient outcomes, education and treatment. At Santen, we believe in empowering all our team members with flexible ways of working and a highly inclusive work environment.

The Santen Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to building diverse teams and ensuring a safe and inclusive physical and virtual workplace for every one of our team members. All employment decisions are based on business needs, role requirements and individual qualifications regardless of race, color, ethnicity, national origin/ancestry, religion, gender, gender identity/ expression, age, disability, medical condition, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.