Materials Requirements Planning Officer

Job Title: Materials Requirements Planning Officer (MRP)
Industry: Manufacturing
Location: Thika
Gross Salary: Competitive
Our client is a leading FMCG food manufacturing company operating a large-scale production facility in Kenya.
The organisation specialises in high-volume biscuit and bakery products serving both local and regional markets. The company is driven by strong operational discipline, food safety excellence, and data-driven planning to ensure consistent product availability, cost efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
The MRP Officer is responsible for ensuring uninterrupted production by translating demand forecasts and confirmed sales orders into accurate material requirements and timely procurement actions.
The role focuses on maintaining optimal inventory levels, supporting production scheduling, minimising stock-outs and excess inventory, and ensuring materials availability in a fast-paced food manufacturing environment.
Key Responsibilities:

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• Daily / Operational Responsibilities
  
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  • Run the MRP process daily or as per agreed planning cycles and analyse exception reports, including shortages, overdue orders, and surplus recommendations.
    
  • Generate material requisitions and purchase requests for raw materials (e.g. flour, sugar, fats, additives), packaging materials (wrappers, cartons), and MRO items based on MRP outputs, safety stock policies, and production plans.
    
  • Monitor stock movements and ensure system balances are accurately updated following receipts, issues, adjustments, and returns.
    
  • Liaise closely with the Procurement team to expedite critical materials and confirm supplier delivery schedules and ETAs.
    
  • Support the Production Planner with real-time material availability checks, constraints analysis, and clip-off or rescheduling decisions.
    
  • Maintain accurate master data in the ERP system, including Bills of Materials (BOMs), routings, lead times, scrap factors, pack sizes, and material descriptions.
    
  
  
• Weekly Responsibilities
  
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  • Reconcile physical stock against system balances for key SKUs; investigate discrepancies and prepare variance reports.
    
  • Prepare and present short-term material availability and risk reports for weekly production and operations meetings.
    
  • Review supplier lead-time performance and highlight delivery or capacity risks to the Supply Chain Manager.
    
  • Update ABC/FSN classifications and recommend adjustments to reorder points and safety stock levels where necessary.
    
  
  
• Monthly / Periodic Responsibilities
  
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  • Support preparation of the MRP-driven monthly procurement plan aligned with demand forecasts and confirmed sales orders.
    
  • Assist with month-end inventory close processes, including cycle counts, adjustments, and root-cause analysis in collaboration with the Stores and Finance teams.
    
  • Review and update planning parameters such as lead times, lot sizes, minimum order quantities, and safety stocks based on consumption trends and supplier performance.
    
  • Support new SKU introductions by setting up BOMs, packaging codes, and initial MRP parameters; validate trial consumption and buffer levels.
    
  • Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives aimed at reducing inventory carrying costs, improving forecast accuracy, and optimising order quantities.
    
  
  
• Strategic & Cross-Functional Collaboration
  
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  • Work closely with Demand Planning and Sales teams to reconcile forecasts against actual consumption and adjust MRP inputs accordingly.
    
  • Partner with Quality Assurance, Production, and Procurement to resolve material rejects, quarantines, and returns that impact availability.
    
  • Support supplier development and alternate sourcing initiatives by providing consumption data, forecasts, and planning insights.
    
  • Participate in ERP implementations, upgrades, and system testing related to planning, inventory, and procurement modules.
    
  
  

Technical Skills & Tools

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• Strong hands-on experience with ERP systems such as SAP (MM/PP or Business One), Oracle NetSuite, Odoo, Microsoft Dynamics, or equivalent.
  
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, and basic macros.
  
• Solid understanding of MRP concepts, including BOM structures, lead-time offsetting, pegging logic, safety stock calculation, and lot-sizing techniques (EOQ, min–max).
  
• Working knowledge of GMP, food safety traceability, FIFO/FEFO practices, and shelf-life management for perishable ingredients.
  
• Ability to interpret production schedules and Master Production Schedules (MPS) and translate them into executable material plans.
  

Qualifications & Experience

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• Diploma or Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Industrial Engineering, Business Administration, Food Technology, or a related field.
  
• 2–5 years’ hands-on experience in MRP or production planning within an FMCG manufacturing environment.
  
• Experience in bakery, biscuit, or snack manufacturing is highly desirable.
  
• Demonstrated experience working with ERP planning modules and material planning best practices.
  
• Knowledge of Kenyan procurement processes, local supplier markets, and import documentation (including SAD forms and clearing procedures) is an added advantage.
  

Core Competencies & Behaviours

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• Highly analytical and detail-oriented with strong data validation and problem-solving skills.
  
• Well-organised, deadline-driven, and capable of prioritising in a high-speed production environment.
  
• Effective communicator with the ability to collaborate across Procurement, Stores, Production, Quality, and Sales teams.
  
• Proactive and solution-oriented, able to identify risks early and recommend mitigation actions such as expediting, alternate sourcing, or substitutions.
  
• Ethical, compliant, and committed to maintaining accurate records and food safety standards.
  

How to Apply
If you are up to the challenge and possess the necessary qualifications and experience; please send your CV only quoting the job title on the email subject (MRP Officer) to vacancies@corporatestaffing.co.ke before 16th January 2026.