Customer Facing Supply Chain Manager - Traditional Trade at Nestle

Position Summary 

• With a history spanning over 150 years, Nestlé didn’t become the world’s leading food and beverages brand by chance. Perfection is at the heart of what we do, and our people are always looking for the next big idea to cement our status. We are now looking for a Customer Facing Supply Chain Manager Traditional Trade to be based in Bryanston.  
• In this role you will be responsible for driving end‑to‑end Customer Facing Supply Chain excellence across clusters (EHOA, GZ, SA) in the Traditional Trade channel, by integrating operational customer management with advanced analytics and insight generation. This role Leads customer collaboration, service optimization, and the execution of the O2C strategy. Acts as the analytical backbone for forecasting, pipeline management, inventory health, and customer service KPIs.  Drives transformation and efficiency projects, with GCSS as the key collaborative platform.  Represents the internal voice of the customer while building strong external partnerships.

A day in the life of a Customer Facing Supply Chain Manager Traditional Trade: 

Customer Collaboration & Service Delivery

• Understanding the Customer’s KPIs, agreeing targets with the Customer, and reporting regularly against these targets
• Understanding and raising awareness of the Customer's Supply Chain and its alignment to Nestlé’s Supply Chain to deliver efficiency and on-shelf availability
• Ensure warehouse stocks and quality management is in place with Key customers.
• Own CFR, OSA, DCSA, and service performance for Traditional Trade in EHOA, GZ, SA.
• Lead joint roadmaps, customer engagements, and business reviews with Traditional Trade partners.
• Drive GCSS-related initiatives or efficiency and transparency. Communicate proactively with customers — sharing insights, risks, resolutions, and opportunities.            

Analytical excellence & Insights Leadership

• Provide visibility of Key account Customers' inventories to facilitate discussion in Pre MSR (monthly sales review)/MBPC (Monthly business plan cycle) and confidently challenge in the MBP meetings to ensure being the internal voice of the customer
• Increase quality of the Customer Collaborations to equal the value added for both Customer and Nestle Internally
• Perform continuous pipeline, demand, and supply‑risk analysis to support availability and conversion through partnership with Sales and across the Nestle Supply Chain, define and lead a common customer Supply Chain strategy with Key customers (30-60-90)
• Validate customer signals and enrich statistical forecasts with data‑driven intelligence and work with the Sales to define joint improvement plans with Customers to enhance Nestlé's "ability to win", supported by CFSC methodologies (Joint Business Planning)
• Lead digital enablement for dashboards, visibility tools, and predictive analytics.
• Provide structured insights for internal forums, senior stakeholders, and cluster leadership.
• Run and drive automation projects in Clusters involved with O2C process and Replenishment.

Efficiency, continuous improvement & GCSS

• Be the customers’ point of contact for supply chain and collaborate with High-Level Customer Key Stakeholders to build beneficial relationships (e.g. ensure Supply Chain priorities and measures are followed in joint business plans with key customers), excluding operational order management (CSA)
• Highlight the business opportunities for both Nestlé and the Customer, in creating competitive gaps through supply chain value creation through CLER projects e.g. Cost to Serve, Collaborative Planning, etc. and represent Nestlé in the industry through CLER projects
• Develop and ensure compliance and long-term evolution, in close cross functional collaboration, a Market Service Strategy that considers the different types of customers and their needs, to provide them with the most adequate, cost-effective services.
• Drive the implementation of the Customer Service Plan, monitor and adjust where necessary. (JBP).
• Create workshops, executing plans and ensuring monthly customer meetings integration in the GCSS roadmap and action closures and pulse surveys.  Leveraging GCSS for: Joint forecasting, root-cause analytics, service recovery, inventory and freshness improvement.
• Preparation and completion of LTT negotiations by consolidating calculations with FICO and ensuring payments.

Cross-functional Leadership & Stakeholder management

• Act as nexus between Supply Chain, Sales, Finance, and Regional Teams.
• Provide the consolidated customer view for internal decision‑making (NimCom, CCRs, ICP, etc.).
• Support onboarding and knowledge transfer for TT-focused markets.
• Be involved in closure of Month-end numbers
• Indirect report management for Replenishment Specialists

What will make you successful? 

• Degree in Supply Chain and related
• 3 - 5 years or more experience in at least Customer Service Cross-functional expedience (SC, MS&S, FI)
• Successfully led projects and initiatives that require a Commercial and Supply Chain understanding and knowledge
• Demand & Supply Planning
• Distribution/ Materials Handling
• Sales and/or Marketing
• Working experience in Project management experience to implementation of major project/s or change programme/s
• Working experience Key Account Customer Stakeholder management of 2-3 years
• Strong presentation and intermediate excel skills