Senior Specialist Planning & Scheduling

Job Requisition ID

12127

Closing Date

19 May 2026 

OME

MSA: Energy Marketing & Sales

Location

Sasol Place, Sandton 

Purpose of Job

Sustainably maximize Sasol’s profitability through structured planning and scheduling. Provide and certify information required for the development of the One Sasol Schedule framework, including feedstock requirement, plant capacities and availability, operating parameters, expected operational changes, and logistic constraints. Contribute and evaluate the Long term schedule outputs against production and logistic constraints and provide recommendations for optimization. Lead the business inputs and direction to develop daily and weekly schedules from the Sales and Operations Plans (S&OPs) for the Natural Gas and Fuels business. Provide strategic, tactical and operation input into the development of the schedule for Natural Gas and Fuels operations.  Identify any deviations and risk to the production, logistics and customers during execution, and take corrective measures when needed in the Fuels and Natural Gas business.

Key Accountabilities

• Cross-functional collaboration within the SBU to balance market requirement with supply resources taking into account agreements, capacity, availability, efficiency, service level and to ultimately maximise SBU profitability sustainably.
• Align the SBU and P&O functional strategies in developing rolling weekly schedules for Natural Gas and Fuels .
• Implement the SBU plan by interfacing with HUBS, OBU's, Marketing and Sales, Supply Chain and Supply and Trading.
• Support the Snr Manager in administering waiver management and actively manage deviations from plan. Use scenario analyses to assess and manage risk.
• Participate in development and implementation of planning and scheduling tools
• Participate in the co-creation of the One Sasol Framework Plan for the rolling monthly plans.
• Inventory planning subject to target setting in collaboration with the HUBs, Finance, Marketing and Sales and Supply Chain.
• Co-operate with HUBs and optimise working capital, revenue and costs to support P/L and ROIC for the SBU.
• Provide backup support to the rest of the team.
• Challenge and articulate the production hubs operational flexibility, constraints, and cost of production.
• Ensure communication and handover of production and dispatch plans to responsible parties for execution.
• Apply a proper risk management process to identify and mitigate risks and threats to acceptable levels. Manage any identified deviations in revenue, costs, operational policies, and trends
• Build and maintain positive relationships with internal and external stakeholders to optimise the effectiveness of planning and scheduling activities and meet business objectives.
• Identify and activate learning as required based on individual and collective needs. Nurture a team spirit and openness towards feedback, collaboration, knowledge sharing, and innovation.
• Develop annual budgets, as well as short-term and medium-term plans for the SBU.
• Identify opportunities to optimize the profitability and business performance.
• Monitor progress against plan using scenario studies; manage deviations in revenue, costs, operational policies, trends.
• Direct and lead the broader teams and apply governance.
• Ad hoc studies

Formal Education

• Relevant University Bachelor’s Degree  (preference to Chemical/Process Engineering or Science)

Min Experience

• 9+ relevant years

Major Skills And Competency Requirement

• The incumbent should have a good understanding of the SBU value chain and business drivers.  Moreover, the incumbent should have a sound understanding of integrated global planning and scheduling philosophy.
• The position requires high levels of competence in communication, presentation and interpersonal skills to present and communicate the developed schedules to Operations etc.
• The incumbent should be able to work under pressure without the loss of output accuracy or consistency. 
• The incumbent should be able to lead the ERP in times of uncertainty.
• A high degree of computer literacy is required and the incumbent must be able to use and interpret planning LP outputs.
• Knowledge regarding the market for fuels and natural gas products and pricing is a further attribute but not necessarily required.
• Continuous Process Improvement: The methodology followed for increasing the effectiveness and/or efficiency of a business process, often through automation.
• Financial Management: Demonstrated knowledge and application of Financial Management, the strategic and functional management of the set of processes, customs, policies, laws, and institutions affecting the way the company's finances are directed, administered, and controlled.
• Partnership Leadership: Persuades and influences stakeholders; builds relationships and partnerships for win-win outcomes. Builds teams and creates synergies through working across boundaries.
• People Leadership: Authentically and inclusively engages people to follow; leads culture transformation. Builds capability and leverages diversity for competitive advantage.
• Relationship Management: The conscious aim to develop and manage long-term and/or trusting relationships with internal or external customers, distributors, suppliers, or other parties in an environment which can include marketing, selling, servicing and other areas where a relationship is crucial to on-going success.  At a senior level, it includes C-level relationships with senior management such as CEO [Chief Executive Officer], CIO [Chief Information Officer], and CFO [Chief Financial Officer].
• Talent Management: The methodologies by which an organization identifies talent and develops it. It normally includes skills and competency management, recruitment, succession planning, career development, rewards programs, and more.