Stock Availability Specialist

Please Note: The deadline for applying is 23.59 the day before the job posting end date.

JOB TITLE: Stock Availability Specialist                              

LOCATION: Kingston

FUNCTION: Customer Operations

WORK LEVEL:  WL1C

REPORTS TO: Order to Deliver Manager

JOB PURPOSE

The Stock Availability Specialist role is to ensure the effective management and supply of all SKUs within a designated business group. This role works closely with the business group planning team, sales, and order fulfilment to ensure that forecasted quantities are supplied in alignment with the phased forecast. The Stock Availability Specialist plays a critical role in coordinating supply chain activities to optimize inventory levels, minimize stockouts, and maximize service levels for customers.

The Stock Availability Specialist proactively engages in order fulfilment activities, collaborating with the order fulfilment team to address demand changes and ensure timely deliveries. Additionally, this role identifies and implements process improvement opportunities to enhance the efficiency of stock management and overall supply chain performance. By ensuring product availability, the specialist supports business goals and contributes to an exceptional customer experience.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Key Metrics

Fulfilment Rate – Dispatch Rate %, CCF / Customer Measure of Service, OSA/OLA

Customer Service - AGS

Forecast Bias – 4w FB, 1w FB

Forecast Accuracy – 4w FA, 1w FA

Stock Availability

Operations & Systems

Stock Availability Specialists typically operate on a 0-14 day horizon.

S&OP

• Stock Availability Specialists work closely with planners to understand inventory levels and stock locations for SKUs in their portfolio.

• Active involvement in governance of AATP system. Responsible for working with CSP & Planning to determine business rules for their portfolio.

• The SAS is responsible for communicating decisions on business rules to relevant stakeholders in the business, and for transacting these rules in the system.

• Communicate 0-14 day supply risks to relevant stakeholders in CD and supply chain.

• Point of contact for third parties (such as Elida) to administer business constraints in Unilever’s ERP systems, and to communicate this to relevant supply chain stakeholders in Unilever as required by service level agreements.

• Upload reason codes for service losses into AATP

Order to Deliver

• Short-term decision maker on whether to override AATP business rules for live orders. The SAS will use business insights and inventory / warehouse / demand data to make decisions on whether to release stock to an order or short a customer.

• Responsible for running the Back Office Process (BOP) runs three times per day to ensure AATP information is live and contemporary.

Systems that a role holder would be expected to use or interpret includes but is not limited to – SAP, RTVA, PowerBI, MS Office, AATP.

Continuous Improvement & Problem Solving

• Expected to review service loss reason code allocation from planning and to hold them to account on accuracy of these allocations, such that accurate information is fed into continuous improvement processes.

• Work with CD and Supply Chain colleagues to tackle repeat service problems for which they get visibility.

• Proactively communicate with CESs to ensure that AATP business rules are properly integrated with customer ordering behaviours, and to push for resolutions whereby this is not the case.

• Continuously monitor KPIs such as stock availability rate and order cycle time to identify areas for improvement.

Third Party Communications & Relations

• Liaise regularly with planning, sales, and order fulfilment teams to ensure alignment on stock availability and demand fulfilment.

• Maintain open lines of communication with planning and sales partners to ensure timely replenishment and mitigate risks.

• Engage with the customer service team to address stock-related issues that affect customer orders and satisfaction.

• Provide regular updates to relevant stakeholders on inventory performance and improvement initiatives.

• Point of contact for third parties such as Elida / Ice Cream to ensure that their business supply decisions are understood and managed as per TSA, maintaining the right level of confidentiality as per SLA.

Line Management & Coaching

• Training & coaching for new SAS starters may be an expectation of this role. 

• This role may be expected to coach / educate others on AATP fundamentals.

WHAT YOU NEED TO SUCCEED

Minimum Requirements

• Proficiency in English & Maths.

• Strong internal and external stakeholder management.

• Excellent quantitative analytical skills.

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with ability to adapt style to influence stakeholders.

• Strong problem-solving skills and an ability to think logically.

• The ability to stay calm & focused in fast-paced, high-pressure situations.

• Ability to manage time effectively and to plan workload.

• A proactive mindset, seeking to avoid problems before they arise.

• Comfortable holding others to account and in having challenging conversations.

• Willing and able to travel to meet customers.

• A customer-focused mindset, seeking to exceed their expectations where possible.

Ideal Requirements

• Advanced skillset in Microsoft Excel.

• Experience working with retail customers.

• Experience with SAP or other ERP software.

• Experience working in logistics, planning or commercial roles.

• An understanding of basic financial / commercial measures and how supply chain roles can influence them.

• A solid grasp of supply chain fundamentals.

KEY INTERACTIONS

• Customer – Commercial & Supply contacts

• CD - Customer Account Managers & Customer Business Managers

• Customer Experience - Customer Execution Specialists, OFCLs

• Planning - Demand and Supply Planning Teams

• Customer Planners & Customer Experience Analysts

• Subject Matter Experts

• Logistics

• Pricing Teams

• 3rd Party Planners & Commercial Contacts i.e. Elida, Ice Cream

NOTES

About Unilever

Unilever is one of the world’s leading suppliers of Food, Home and Personal Care products with sales in over 190 countries and reaching 2 billion consumers a day. Unilever has more than 400 brands found in homes around the world, including Dove, Tresemme, Lynx, Lifebuoy, Shea Moisture, Persil, Domestos, Ben & Jerry’s, Magnum, Marmite, The Vegetarian Butcher, Graze and Pot Noodle.

Faced with the challenge of climate change and the need for human development, we want to move towards a world where everyone can live well and within the natural limits of the planet. That’s why our purpose is ‘to make sustainable living commonplace’.

What We Offer

Not only do we offer a competitive salary and pension scheme, we also offer an annual bonus, subsidised gym membership, a discounted staff shop and shares. You’ll have the opportunity to work directly with our renowned and exciting brands in a flexible and hybrid working environment.

Whilst the role is advertised on a full-time basis, we would be happy to discuss possible flexible working options and what this may look like for you. We are a key advocate of wellbeing and offer a variety of support for our people including hubs, programmes and development opportunities. We strive to achieve a family-friendly and inclusive workplace and to, above all, create possibilities for all.

Diversity at Unilever is about inclusion, embracing differences, creating possibilities, and growing together for better business performance. We want to push boundaries, and have the flexibility needed to keep adapting in an ever-changing, more dynamic world. This means giving full and fair consideration to all applicants, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity. 

As part of your hiring journey, we are happy to support requests for reasonable adjustments, to improve your recruitment experience.

To find out more, including more information about our Employee Resource Groups, please click here.

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How is Unilever tackling this?

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