Supply Chain Planning Manager - Imports

Supply Chain Planning Manager - Imports Job Snapshot Role: Supply Chain Planning Manager - Imports Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates Industry: Grocery Function: Supply Chain Experience: Minimum 5 years Job Type: Full-time Position Overview Supply Chain Planning Manager - Imports in Dubai, United Arab Emirates is a Grocery industry opportunity focused on demand forecasting, import shipment planning, inventory control, DC performance, supplier coordination, and S and OP alignment across MENA markets. This role is suitable for an experienced supply chain professional who can manage forward stock pipelines, improve forecast accuracy, reduce clearance delays, optimize inventory cover, and support high availability for grocery and ultra-fresh product portfolios. The position plays an important role in maintaining product availability, improving supply chain efficiency, reducing demurrage and claims, strengthening warehouse performance, and building standardized planning processes across regional markets. Job Details Country: United Arab Emirates City: Dubai Industry: Grocery Function: Supply Chain Salary: 18000-32000 Estimated salary range based on similar jobs in the job city; please confirm the final offer with the employer. Gender: Any Candidate Nationality: Any Job Type: Full-time Role Context The Supply Chain Planning Manager will lead planning activities for import shipments, demand forecasting, inventory management, DC coordination, and cross-functional supply chain projects. The role requires strong analytical capability, retail grocery experience, import process knowledge, and the ability to work closely with finance, commercial, operations, suppliers, and country supply chain teams. This position directly supports business continuity by ensuring the right stock is planned, imported, cleared, stored, and made available on time. The successful candidate will use sales data, promotional inputs, category insights, BI dashboards, and operational KPIs to improve planning accuracy and supply chain reliability across MENA countries. Key Responsibilities Develop accurate demand forecasts for the import shipments portfolio using historical sales data, market trends, promotional plans, category insights, and business inputs. Plan stock, forecasts, and inbound containers across a 3 to 6 month forward pipeline to maintain product availability and adequate stock cover. Coordinate with cross-functional teams to align import shipment planning with commercial priorities, operational capacity, supplier timelines, and country requirements. Act as the subject matter expert for import shipment clearance processes, ensuring strong governance, compliance, and adherence across internal and external stakeholders. Work closely with finance, commercial, and operations teams to avoid demurrage, reduce claims, and ensure time-bound customs clearance and shipment release. Monitor import-related costs and lead continuous improvement actions to improve clearing speed, reduce inefficiencies, and protect margin. Ensure new product sourcing follows internal lead time guidelines and is planned properly before shipment commitments are made. Partner with country supply chain teams on process improvement initiatives, planning standards, system enhancements, and regional supply chain projects. Prepare demand planning reports, supply chain dashboards, inventory reports, and performance updates for business review. Use BI analytics to automate reporting processes and improve visibility of supply chain performance across MENA markets. Implement standardized supply chain metrics, reporting routines, and planning processes across all assigned countries. Plan and drive DOH policy across MENA countries through end-to-end mapping of supply chain processes and stock movement. Work with country teams to improve forecast accuracy, SKU availability, replenishment quality, and store-level product readiness. Monitor inventory processes to reduce shrinkage while optimizing days on hand, product freshness, and working capital efficiency. Collaborate with commercial teams to define supply chain metrics and planning processes for promotions. Monitor daily and weekly DC KPIs, share performance updates with local country heads, and drive operational improvements inside warehouse and distribution center processes. Establish and ensure compliance with warehouse operating procedures, DC standards, and supply chain control processes. Hold structured discussions with suppliers on availability, fill rate, shipment readiness, lead times, and service improvements. Manage supply chain projects with multiple stakeholders, clear timelines, practical milestones, and strong expectation management. Facilitate S and OP discussions by aligning cross-functional teams, identifying gaps against forecasts and business plans, raising key blockers, and resolving issues with country teams. Ideal Profile The ideal candidate should have at least 5 years of hands-on experience in supply chain planning, demand forecasting, import shipments, DC planning, inventory management, and system implementation. Experience in retail grocery is strongly preferred, especially with exposure to ultra-fresh, fresh food, grocery imports, supplier scheduling, and availability planning. The candidate should be confident working with forecasting models, supplier schedules, import shipment planning, Incoterms, inventory controls, and regional supply chain processes. Strong analytical skills are essential, including the ability to manipulate large datasets, work with BI reports, use advanced Excel, and convert planning data into operational decisions. The role suits someone who is highly structured, detail-oriented, proactive, and able to prioritize business-critical supply chain issues without becoming a bottleneck. The successful candidate should have strong stakeholder management skills and the ability to work independently with an entrepreneurial mindset. Excellent communication skills are required to work with country teams, suppliers, commercial teams, operations teams, finance teams, and senior stakeholders. This position is ideal for someone who is comfortable with ambiguity, enjoys solving operational problems, and stays hands-on with planning tools, reporting systems, and performance improvement initiatives. Skills Set Supply Chain Planning Demand Forecasting Import Shipments Inventory Management DC Planning S and OP Forecast Accuracy Stock Cover Planning DOH Management Inbound Container Planning Import Clearance Incoterms Supplier Scheduling Retail Grocery Supply Chain Ultra Fresh Planning SKU Availability Shrinkage Control Promotion Planning Warehouse Operations Distribution Center KPIs BI Analytics Advanced Excel Data Analysis Dashboard Reporting Process Improvement System Implementation Supplier Management Stakeholder Management Project Management Cross-Functional Collaboration Why Join Us This role offers strong exposure to regional grocery supply chain planning, import operations, inventory control, and DC performance across Dubai, United Arab Emirates and wider MENA markets. It is a valuable opportunity for supply chain professionals who want to influence availability, forecasting accuracy, operational efficiency, and cost control within a fast-moving digital grocery and delivery business. As online grocery, Q-commerce, and everyday delivery services continue to grow, supply chain leaders with strong forecasting, import planning, inventory optimization, and regional execution skills are increasingly important for maintaining service reliability and customer satisfaction. About the Company talabat is part of Delivery Hero Group and operates as a leading food delivery, grocery, Q-commerce, and everyday delivery platform across the region. The company supports customers, restaurants, retailers, local shops, suppliers, and riders through technology-led marketplace services focused on speed, convenience, reliability, and operational excellence.