Senior Planner and Production Scheduler

About us

Symrise is a global supplier of fragrances and flavors, cosmetic active ingredients, as well as functional ingredients. Its customers include manufacturers of perfumes, cosmetics, food and beverages, the pharmaceutical industry, and producers of nutritional supplements and pet food.

With sales of around €5 billion in the 2024 fiscal year, the company ranks among the leading global suppliers. The Group, headquartered in Holzminden, Germany, operates in more than 100 locations across Europe, Africa and the Middle East, Asia, the United States, and Latin America.

Together with its customers, Symrise develops new ideas and market-ready concepts for products that are an essential part of everyday life. Economic success and corporate responsibility are inextricably linked.

Symrise – always inspiring more…

About the Role

We are looking for a Planning & Scheduling professional to manage and optimize raw material planning, inventory performance, and production scheduling across our manufacturing operations in Egypt. This role plays a key part in ensuring material availability, production continuity, cost efficiency, and service level excellence, while driving continuous improvement and digital transformation within the planning function.

The position requires close collaboration with Production, Procurement, Sales, Supply Chain, and Finance, as well as strong analytical capabilities and hands‑on experience with SAP and data‑driven planning tools.

Key Responsibilities

Planning Activities

• Plan and manage raw material requirements based on annual sales forecasts, ensuring timely availability for production and customer orders.
• Define and maintain safety stock and cycle stock strategies to balance service levels, inventory costs, and risks of stock‑outs or disposals.
• Monitor and analyze inventory performance, including slow‑moving items and planned disposals, and collaborate with stakeholders to repurpose or retest materials when required.
• Ensure accurate and timely forecasting, including annual forecasts for purchased products and monthly make‑to‑stock orders for global customers.
• Use SAP to manage material planning, generate reports, and ensure proper documentation for production orders.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to optimize planning processes, reduce waste, and address root causes of inefficiencies.
• Ensure full compliance with environmental, health, and safety standards throughout all planning activities.
• Collaborate cross‑functionally to meet customer delivery commitments while maintaining operational excellence.

Scheduling Activities

• Develop, manage, and maintain production schedules and priorities for both factories in Egypt.
• Coordinate closely with Production Managers, Planning, Procurement, and Sales to align capacity, material availability, and business priorities.
• Prepare and organize SAP documentation to release production orders accurately and on time.
• Release and confirm production orders based on real‑time shopfloor and warehouse conditions.
• Track delays versus planned production dates, including toll cycle follow‑ups, and proactively resolve issues.
• Identify bottlenecks and drive process improvements to enhance efficiency across the production planning cycle.
• Generate SAP‑based reports and schedules to ensure visibility, control, and adherence to company deadlines.

Planning Process Improvement

• Identify gaps and lead initiatives to streamline S&OP, MRP, and inventory management processes.
• Embed best practices and continuous improvement methodologies across the planning organization.

Governance & Compliance

• Ensure adherence to planning standards and WOW (Ways of Working).
• Drive accountability for forecast accuracy and alignment with financial targets.

Digital Transformation & Analytics

• Design, develop, and maintain Power BI dashboards to monitor supply planning KPIs, inventory performance, and forecast accuracy.
• Automate reporting processes and integrate data sources to enable real‑time insights.
• Support the implementation of digital tools and advanced analytics to improve planning efficiency and decision‑making.

About You

You are an analytical and proactive Planner with a strong end‑to‑end understanding of material planning, production scheduling, and inventory management, and a clear interest in digitalization and continuous improvement within supply chain processes.

Background & Experience

• +3 years of experience in Demand Planning, Supply Planning, Material Requirements Planning (MRP) or other Supply Chain–related roles.
• Experience in the same industry, FMCG, or manufacturing environments is a strong plus.
• Make‑to‑Order (MTO) experience is an advantage.
• Multinational environment exposure is highly valued.
• S&OP experience is considered a plus.
• Experience with capacity to grow into a broader planning scope.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in:
  • • Engineering (preferred, but not mandatory)
    • Supply Chain
    • Business Informatics
    • Business Administration (Supply Chain major)
• University, college, or professional training background accepted.

Technical & Digital Skills

• SAP experience is preferable (material planning, production planning, inventory management).
• Strong data analysis capabilities with hands‑on experience in:
  • • Power BI (dashboards, KPIs, data visualization)
    • Advanced Excel (pivot tables, formulas, macros)
    • Data queries and reporting automation
• Exposure to Business Intelligence tools, data analytics, or basic coding is a plus.

• Professional training background is accepted; CPIM and MITx MicroMasters certifications are considered a strong plus.

Competencies & Mindset

• Strong analytical mindset with excellent problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to lead and support digitalization initiatives to reduce manual work, optimize workflows, and improve planning efficiency.
• Continuous improvement orientation, with the ability to identify gaps and propose practical solutions.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with cross‑functional teams.
• Energetic, proactive, and eager to learn, open‑minded and adaptable to change.
• Team‑oriented, able to collaborate within a structure composed of a Planning Head, two planners, and this new role.

Languages

• Fluent English is mandatory.

Our Offer

At Symrise, you will have the opportunity to grow professionally and enjoy inspiring experiences that contribute to the well‑being of millions of people across more than 160 countries.

People are at the center of everything we do. This approach drives our above‑market growth and makes our company an exceptional place to develop your career.

Committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

At Symrise, we value diversity in all its forms. We believe in equality, respect and inclusion as fundamental pillars of our culture. We welcome individuals of all backgrounds, genders, ages and beliefs, convinced that diversity fuels innovation.
If you want to be part of a team that celebrates collaboration and unique perspectives, we encourage you to apply.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.

Job Reference: EA03843