Planning & Supply Chain Executive (International Retail)

Planning & Supply Chain Executive (International Retail) | Cape Town, Western Cape

Sapientis has been retained by a prominent, well-established international retail organisation with an expansive footprint across multiple African markets. We are headhunting a visionary Planning & Supply Chain Executive to join their Cape Town-based Executive Leadership Team.

Reporting directly to the CEO, this pivotal executive role is responsible for the holistic integration of merchandise planning, inventory strategy, and end-to-end supply chain logistics. The mandate is clear: translate high-level commercial planning decisions into highly efficient procurement, international logistics, warehousing, and multi-country distribution activities.

If you are a commercially sophisticated leader who can bridge the gap between financial Open-to-Buy (OTB) structures and resilient physical fulfillment networks, this career-defining opportunity is for you.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Executive Leadership: Serve as a core member of the Executive Leadership Team, aligning Planning and Supply Chain functions with overarching financial objectives while mentoring senior management tiers.
• Merchandise Planning & Inventory Guardrails: Oversee advanced demand forecasting, Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) processes, and complex Open-to-Buy (OTB) frameworks to optimize inventory investment and lifecycle performance.
• Global Supply Chain & Logistics Masterclass: Drive international sourcing logistics, freight forwarding, customs compliance, inbound operations, warehousing, and multi-market distribution networks.
• Cross-Functional Synergy: Partner with Buying, Finance, Operations, and Marketing to establish an agile, data-driven, integrated business planning culture.
• Continuous Improvement: Introduce automation, process optimization, and robust technology to systematically reduce lead times and enhance stock availability.

Minimum Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Commerce, Finance, Statistics, or a highly analytical equivalent.
• Experience Baseline: Minimum of 10 years’ experience inside corporate merchandise planning, inventory control, or retail planning environments.
• Leadership Altitude: At least 5+ years operating at a Senior Management or Executive Committee (Exco) level.
• Commercial Sharpness: Deep expertise in forecasting methodologies, inventory investment strategies, advanced ERP systems, and budget ownership.
• Geographic Scope: Prior exposure to international retail operations, global logistics, or sub-Saharan African markets is highly advantageous.

Apply Today: Please submit your comprehensive CV and an executive overview of your retail planning scale in strict confidence to ***email_hidden*** (Ref: EXEC_PSC_WP).