Factory Load Planning Lead

About the Role

The Factory Load Planning lead is tasked with directing and harmonizing operational planning processes that include demand forecasting, factory load management, governance of MRP strategies, mitigating operational risks, and overseeing milestone tracking systems. This position ensures cohesive coordination between customer demand, production capacity, material availability, and project execution priorities while fostering operational consistency and ongoing improvement within the planning team.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive planning activities to synchronize demand forecasts, factory capacity, production schedules, and material readiness.
• Manage factory workload distribution and prioritize operations in accordance with project objectives and business goals.
• Identify short, medium, and long-term planning risks and proactively implement mitigation strategies.
• Lead efforts to address operational challenges such as material shortages, engineering delays, production constraints, and limitations from feeder factories.
• Continuously identify, monitor, escalate, and follow-up on critical risk factors with relevant stakeholders.
• Facilitate cross-functional planning reviews aimed at minimizing disruptions and enhancing execution reliability.
• Maintain and enhance tools for operational risk tracking, dashboards, and mitigation plans; contribute to HSE reporting, KPI monitoring, and data analytics improvements.
• Administer and govern MRP strategy and planning parameters to maintain data accuracy and system alignment.
• Optimize SAP planning configurations, including lead times, safety stock levels, reorder points, and planning techniques.
• Ensure consistency between planning master data and ERP system settings to match operational needs.
• Oversee the maintenance and governance of milestone planning and operational tracking databases.
• Keep track of project milestones, operational readiness, and cross-departmental planning coordination.
• Ensure deviations from schedules or missed milestones are reported, tracked, and escalated appropriately.
• Collaborate with Project Management, Engineering, Supply Chain Management, and Production teams to maintain visibility and alignment of milestones and execution.
• Guarantee adherence to all relevant external and internal regulatory requirements, procedures, and guidelines.
• Uphold company core values of safety and integrity by being accountable for own actions and caring for colleagues and business interests.

Candidate Profile

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Industrial Engineering, Production Management, Business Administration, or a related discipline is preferred.
• At least 3 years of professional experience in production planning, material planning, supply chain, or manufacturing operations.
• Relevant professional certifications in Planning or Operations Management are advantageous.
• Deep understanding of ERP systems, with a preference for SAP S/4HANA expertise.
• Strong knowledge of production and material planning, factory load balancing, and operational execution workflows.
• Fluency in both spoken and written English and Arabic is required.