POSITION DESCRIPTION

Name:TBA

Job title:Inventory and Supply Chain Manager

Date:May 2018

Department:Operations

Reports to:Operations Manager

Basic purpose:

The Inventory and Supply Chain Manager manages the inventory for all divisions within Cengage Learning Australia and New Zealand, encompassing Higher Education (HE), School(Primary and Secondary), Export and Library Reference to agreed turnover levels without impacting revenues, whilst minimising exposure of obsolescence.

The role will also be responsible for the management of the Supply Chain team working with them to ensure efficient movement and accounting of all freight from Suppliers to our third-party warehouse, directly to customers and from the warehouse to the customer. The Inventory and Supply Chain Manager will oversee and collaborate with the Supply Chain team and the Operations Manager to ensure effective administration of all third-party Freight Forwarders, Suppliers and Warehouse functions, to maximize supply chain efficiencies.

Principal accountabilities:

Key Outcome Area / % of
Total
Job / Objectives and Tasks / Core Competencies / Standards
Stock control / 40% / •Work with theOperations Manager to establish company- wide inventory control measures.Develop and implement systems to manage to those measures.
•Monitor stock usage reports and suggested order cycles. Monitor back-order reports and conduct regular inventory analysis.
•Monitor local title inventory and suggest reprint quantities where needed to ensure timely delivery of local inventory.
•Initiate and manage a bi-annual pulping exercise, ensuring only relevant inventory is selected for pulping. Provide the Operations Manager with a report.
•Establish KPIs for measuring accuracy of information as it’s presented from the business units.
•Review and recommend process improvements.
•Manage stakeholders and communicate expectations.
•Ensure daily, weekly and monthly tasks are thoroughly completed in a timely manner.
•Any other duties as requested by the Operations Manager. / •Strong knowledge of existing business processes
•Ability to successfully identify and implement strategic initiatives
•Ability to use forecasting models and inventory management tools
•Clear communicator
•Strong organisation skills and task orientated
•Problem-solving abilities with keen attention to detail and follow through
•Highly developed computer skills with particular emphasis on the Microsoft suite and AS400 experience
•Strong business acumen
•Attentive and active listening to understand internal and external customers / •Accuracy
•Customer-first focus
•Drive for results, meeting deadlines
•Practise industry standard operational excellence
•Professional approach to delivering outcomes
•Friendly, proactive communication
•A positive attitude to problem-solving
•Going the extra mile to achieve the best possible outcome
•Agreed KPI / benchmarks and budgets
•Adherence to processes and procedures
•Reduction of lost inventory
•Cost reduction
•Reduced pulping and bi-annual reports provided
Supply Chain / 20% / •Oversee and monitor the key outcomes and responsibilities of the Supply Chain team ensuring that day to day processes are completed within agreed KPI’s and meet with our compliance requirements.
•Promote a continuous improvement environment identifying area of process improvements
•Meet regularly with the team to ensure all processes are being completed as per established procedures.
•Ensure the team is satisfying the needs and requests of their customers by working with the Operations Manager and other key Operations and business stakeholders.
•Develop close working relationship with our customers by selling a service and being proud of the work and commitment of the Customer Service Inventory and Supply chain team.
•Any other duties as requested by the Operations Manager. / •Ability to follow processes and policies
•Analytical and problem-solving abilities with keen attention to detail and follow through
•Sound working knowledge and experience in import and export shipping procedures and regulations and freight rates
•Experience dealing with third party suppliers
•Sound understanding of warehouse operations and domestic and international distribution
•Ability to manage multiple tasks and deliverables
•Strong interpersonal skills, ability to work collaboratively and effectively communicate with internal and external customers / •Customer-first focus
•Meet target completion dates
•Compliance and KPI standards met
•Proactive problem-solving
•Minimal communication problems due to effective communication
•Improved productivity and costs reductions
Reporting / 10% / •Complete a twice annual full-title forecast for all US publishing.
•Report monthly to Operations Manager detailing activities and reporting on KPIs.
•Design reports for monitoring the consistency and accuracy of information.
•Design and develop templates for the exchange of information.
•Meet all Key Performance Indicators of the department as agreed with the Operations Manager. / •Excellent communication skills, verbal and written
•Analytical abilities with keen attention to detail
•Provides information so that others are able to make accurate decisions
•Business acumen
•Skilled and systematic use of Microsoft Office Suite and system processes
•Intelligent use of the internet / •Timeliness of bi-annual forecasts
•Quality and timeliness of reports generated
•Agreed KPI / benchmarks
•Meeting deadlines
Communication and teamwork / 10% / •Liaise closely with the Operations Manager to improve and manage system, process and organisational change within the department.
•Participate in projects as required.
•Actively participate in organised meetings.
•Anticipate and support internal customers’ needs i.e. Customer Service & Support , sales, marketing, production. publishing and Finance. / •Excellent communication skills, verbal and written
•Analytical abilities with keen attention to detail
•Problem-solving abilities with keen attention to detail and follow through
•Strong organisation and project management skills
•Presentation of business improvement opportunities relating to operations process and cost control efficiencies
•An understanding of change management / •Continuous improvement
•Revised and up to date documentation
•Adherence to CL policies and procedures
•Minimal communication problems due to effective communication
•Cost reduction
Staff Management, training and development / 10% / •Manage an effective team by ensuring staff have appropriate resources to do their job efficiently.
•Recruit, train and facilitate multi-skilling of team.
•Ensure staff have appropriate training to perform their job efficiently.
•Support the Supply Chain Team in all of their functions.
•Follow continuous performance model guidelines and meet regularly with reports.
•Counsel staff and prevent work related problems, escalate to HR when required.
•Support career development and training opportunities for staff.
•Identify, confront, and facilitate prompt resolution of conflict and issues that arise within and across teams.
•Confront issues directly and respectfully to facilitate problem resolution. / •Excellent communication skills
•Provides strong leadership and guidance for staff
•Ability to set standards for performance
•Provides appropriate development training for staff
•Effectively coaches and fosters an environment of continuous improvement by positive role modeling and collaboration / •Open door communication policy
•Yearly performance review and ongoing feedback as requires
•Embraces Cengage’s core competencies and values
•Conflict resolution
Workplace Health and Safety / 10% / •Be aware of duty of care and act in a safe manner.
•Ensure all company WH&S policies and procedures are adhered to.
•Be familiar with property security, first aid and fire emergency procedures.
•Report any hazardous situations, incidents or accidents and take immediate action if applicable to reduce risk of injury.
•Participate in WH&S investigations when required. / •Ability to follow policies and procedures
•Ability to use initiative and take responsibility
•WH&S aware
•Analytical and problem-solving abilities / •Adherence to WH&S policies and procedures
•Increased WH&S awareness
•A positive attitude to WH&S
•Reduction of number of WH&S incidents
Continuous Improvement / 10% / •Ensure that all processes are up to date and are compliant with the documented process map on Inside.
•Help build/contribute to in-house processes and workflows
•Conduct the six monthly process audits.
•Ensure all changes to the processes are updated and documented.
•Ensure that all forms/template/checklists and other associated documents are up to date and consistent with the processes.
•Ensure all processes have at least one critical quantifiable metrics (KPIs) and monitor the metrics using some visual management chart.
•Keep abreast with the continual change in technology developments and share knowledge with manager and team.
•Seek opportunities to enhance documentation, processes and supported systems to improve processes and procedures.
•Actively seek opportunities to extend and enhance personal knowledge and skills in order to better support customers and colleagues. / •Ability to follow policies and procedures
•Ability to use initiative and take responsibility
•Ability to communicate in non-technical language so that others understand
•Analytical and problem-solving abilities
•Knowledge about divisional processes / •Continuous improvement and improved efficiency
•Effectiveness of processes, policies and procedures
•Up to date and compliant processes
•Current documentation, forms/template/ checklists
•Compliance
•Self-initiated training and development of knowledge
•Demonstrated initiative for issue resolution and new ideas to add value to users
•A positive attitude to problem-solving

Direct reports:Supply Chain Team Lead, 2 x Supply Chain Coordinators

Main contacts:

Internal:Operations Manager, Operations supervisors, team leaders and team members, finance, sales and marketing, publishing and editorial, production, IT, Human Resources

External:US sister companies,Third party distributors and our Third Party Warehouse

Education / Qualifications / Experience:

•Appropriate qualifications

•Management, coaching and mentoring experience

•Results oriented

•Proven experience in similar environment and industry

•Police check

Core Cengage Competencies:

•Speed: Proactively gets things done quickly, with a high quality of work. Overcomes barriers and continually finds ways to be more efficient.

•Focus: Identifies core business problems and opportunities; seeks and proposes solutions while avoiding distractions. Persists through achieving deliverables.

•Collaboration: Committed to helping others be successful; partners with key organizational stakeholders, individuals and teams outside own functional area to promote business alignment.

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