Role Overview The Planning Solution Architect is the technical and functional visionary for the global supply chain planning landscape. This role is responsible for designing a seamless, end-to-end planning architecture that integrates Demand, Supply, Inventory, and S&OP processes. You will lead the strategic transition from legacy SAP APO environments to modern platforms like Kinaxis Maestro, ensuring that the organization achieves "Concurrent Planning" capabilities and real-time visibility.

Key Responsibilities

• Architectural Strategy: Design the target-state architecture for global planning, defining the co-existence or migration strategy between SAP APO, SAP IBP, and Kinaxis.

  
  

• End-to-End Planning Integration: Ensure seamless data and process flow between Demand Planning (DP), Supply Network Planning (SNP), and Production Planning/Detailed Scheduling (PP/DS) within the planning hub.

  
  

• Concurrent Planning Excellence: Configure Kinaxis to enable instant "what-if" scenario analysis, ensuring that a change in demand is immediately reflected across the entire supply network.

  
  

• Algorithm & Solver Optimization: Lead the selection and configuration of planning engines, including Heuristics, Optimizers (Linear Programming), and Statistical Forecasting models.

  
  

• S&OP Transformation: Architect the Integrated Business Planning (IBP) process to align financial targets with operational capabilities, facilitating executive-level decision-making.

  
  

• Data Orchestration: Define the Master Data strategy (Material, Location, Resource, BOM, and Routing) required to sustain high-fidelity planning models across multiple tools.

  
  

• Demand Management: Mastery of statistical forecasting, demand sensing, and collaborative forecasting.

  
  

• Supply & Capacity Planning: Deep understanding of Rough Cut Capacity Planning (RCCP), constrained vs. unconstrained supply plans, and multi-level pegging.

  
  

• Inventory Optimization (IO): Experience in Multi-Echelon Inventory Optimization (MEIO) to balance service levels against working capital.

  
  

• Response & Resupply: Designing logic for prioritized demand fulfillment and automated supply re-balancing during disruptions.

  
  

• Kinaxis Maestro (RapidResponse): Expert-level knowledge of Authoring (Resources, Attributes, Workbooks), Task Flows, and Integration .

  
  

• SAP IBP: Hands-on experience with IBP Demand, IBP Supply & Response, and IBP Inventory modules, including configuration of Planning Areas and Key Figures.

  
  

• SAP APO: Deep legacy knowledge of DP and SNP; ability to extract business logic from APO to migrate to modern cloud platforms.

  
  

• Integration Technologies: Proficiency in integrating planning hubs with ERP backbones (e.g., SAP S/4HANA or ECC) using SAP CPI-DS, SDI, or flat-file interfaces.

  
  

• Experience: 10+ years in Supply Chain Planning IT, with at least 5 years as a Solution Architect.

  
  

• Implementation Track Record: Proven experience leading at least two global implementations involving the integration of Kinaxis or SAP IBP with a legacy SAP landscape.

  
  

• Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations Research, Industrial Engineering, or Information Technology.

  
  

• Certifications: Kinaxis Certified Author/Architect and/or SAP IBP Professional Certification.

  
  

• Strategic Communication: Ability to translate complex algorithmic logic (like Optimizer costs or Kinaxis heuristics) into clear business outcomes for stakeholders.

  
  

• Analytical Problem Solving: A "systems-thinking" mindset to identify how a planning configuration in one node affects the global network.

  
  
• Change Leadership: Experience guiding planning teams through the mindset shift from "Batch Processing" (APO) to "Continuous/Concurrent Planning" (Kinaxis/IBP).