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Unilever is currently hiring for Mass Balance Support
Function: Supply Chain
Reports to: Engineering Capability Specialist
Scope: Local
Location: Boksburg Factory
Terms & Conditions: Full-Time - Site Based
ABOUT UNILEVER
With 3.4 billion people in over 190 countries using our products every day, Unilever is a business that makes a real impact on the world. Work on brands that are loved and improve the lives of our consumers and the communities around us. We are driven by our purpose: to make sustainable living commonplace, and it is our belief that doing business the right way drives superior performance.
At Unilever, your career will be a unique journey, grounded in our inclusive, collaborative, and flexible working environment. We equip our people with the tools they need to shape their own future while delivering a better business and a better world.
CATEGORY / FUNCTION INTRODUCTION
The Mass Balance Support role sits at the interface of Logistics, Manufacturing, Process Engineering, Planning, Quality, and Finance. The role is designed to strengthen material usage visibility, inventory accuracy, SAP discipline, and shopfloor reconciliation across the Boksburg Powders value chain.
This role does not replace Process Engineering accountability for technical mass balance interpretation. Instead, it provides the structured data, SAP checks, cycle count evidence, COGI follow-up, and reconciliation support required for Process Engineers and Finance to make accurate, controlled, and timely business decisions.
JOB PURPOSE
The Mass Balance Support role will play a key role in strengthening material accuracy, material usage tracking, and process loss visibility across the factory. The role supports the end-to-end mass balance process by maintaining reliable SAP and physical inventory records, preparing daily and weekly material movement analysis, coordinating issue resolution across departments, and ensuring that supporting evidence is available for Process Engineers, Logistics, and Finance.
The purpose of this role is to create a disciplined bridge between physical factory activity and system records, enabling faster root cause identification, improved MUV governance, more accurate stock records, and better financial controls. The role is ideal for individuals pursuing a career in supply chain, logistics, manufacturing, finance, or operations management, with a strong interest in inventory accuracy, SAP, process governance, and continuous improvement.
WHAT WILL YOUR MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES BE
Inventory and Stock Management
Maintain accurate inventory records and support a healthy MB52 book quantity position on SAP.
Conduct daily cycle counts on high-risk and high-value materials to proactively identify material losses, gains, and abnormal movements ahead of formal stock counts.
Support monthly stock takes by preparing count sheets, validating count readiness, consolidating variances, and ensuring evidence is available for review.
Track and report stock accuracy, SRA performance, cycle count closure, and recurring variance themes.
Escalate materials with repeated gains/losses to the Logistics Manager, Process Engineers, and Finance for review & take appropriate actions to control it with the help of process engineers
Ensure control & monitor the rework generation & consumption
Work on digital solutions to control MVA
SAP and System Transaction Support
Verify Goods Receipt Notes (GRNs) by reconciling SAP entries to weighbridge net weight data and physical receipt evidence.
Monitor and clear daily COGI errors, coordinating with DHL, Production, Logistics, and relevant teams to resolve delayed or failed material movements.
Check SAP material movements against actual shopfloor consumption and flag discrepancies for root cause analysis.
Support correction of delayed transfers, wrong storage location postings, archived stock in transit, and abnormal movements impacting inventory accuracy.
Maintain a daily SAP exception tracker covering COGI, GRN gaps, transfer delays, negative stock, unusual movements, and unresolved posting errors.
Production and Process Alignment
Prepare daily process order analysis against Bills of Materials (BOMs), planned consumption, actual consumption, and confirmed finished goods output.
Support Process Engineers by preparing material usage packs that show theoretical versus actual consumption by material, line, process order, and production area.
Support mass balance and waste accounting by tracking material conversion into finished goods, rework, waste, scrap, and other accountable streams.
Provide weekly MUV review inputs by allocating system and physical losses to the appropriate area for technical validation.
Track corrective actions agreed with Process Engineers, Production, and Logistics until closure.
Cross-Functional Collaboration and Continuous Improvement
Participate in Management of Change (MOC) initiatives, especially formulation changes, process changes, trial materials, and new handling requirements.
Collaborate with SUIT Lead, Planning, Process Engineering, Logistics, Quality, and Finance to validate BOM accuracy and perform regular BOM health checks.
Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives that improve inventory accuracy, reduce waste, strengthen SAP discipline, and improve material traceability.
Prepare simple visual dashboards and trackers for daily and weekly reviews, including trend analysis and recurring issue themes.
Support process discipline through coaching and follow-up with material handlers, production teams, and third-party partners where gaps are identified.
Governance, Controls and Escalation
Maintain supporting evidence for material variance investigations, including SAP extracts, weighbridge data, count records, production confirmations, and sign-off records.
Ensure unresolved variances are escalated through the correct governance route and not informally corrected without evidence and approval.
Support Finance and Process Engineering with structured packs for weekly and monthly MUV reviews.
Protect segregation of duties by ensuring that the role supports analysis and evidence gathering, while technical mass balance interpretation remains with Process Engineering and financial sign-off remains with Finance.
WHAT YOU NEED TO SUCCEED
Experience and Qualifications
Currently pursuing or recently completed a degree/diploma in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Industrial Engineering, Finance, Accounting, Operations Management, or a related field.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret data and identify patterns.
Basic knowledge of SAP or another ERP system is advantageous.
Proficiency in MS Excel, including pivot tables, lookups, data cleaning, and basic analysis.
Attention to detail with a strong commitment to accuracy, evidence, and governance.
Strong communication and collaboration skills across shopfloor, office, and third-party teams.
Skills
Analytical problem-solving and attention to detail.
Strong communication and stakeholder management.
Planning, prioritisation, and multitasking in a fast-paced factory environment.
Knowledge of Lean principles, 5S, and basic continuous improvement methodology.
Ability to coach and guide others on system discipline and process compliance.
High ownership, resilience, and comfort working with ambiguity and urgent operational priorities.
LEADERSHIP
You are energised by delivering results and using data to make problems visible.
You are an example to others through discipline, follow-through, and resilience.
You take responsibility for your own wellbeing while delivering high standards of work.
You are humble, curious, and willing to learn from shopfloor teams, process experts, logistics teams, and finance stakeholders.
You interpret evidence and data smartly, spot issues early, and escalate in a way that helps the business make better decisions.
Critical SOL (Standards of Leadership) Behaviors
Care deeply: caring deeply about how consumers experience our brands every day, everywhere; about our people’s growth and development, and our impact on the planet. You care about your performance, to a point where it hurts when you don’t win. Always brings their best self. Has emotional intelligence to take feedback, manage mood and motivations and build empathy for others. Sets high standards for themselves. Has humility, understanding that leadership is service to others, inside and outside of Unilever.
Focus on what counts: We set clear and stretching goals and recognise maximum performance impact. Generates intensity and focus to motivate people to deliver results at speed.
Stay three steps ahead: We think boldly and creatively to make breakthroughs in performance. We are always curious and confident – anticipating and staying ahead of consumer needs and external trends to beat the competition. Approaches delivery with an iterative and incremental, test - do - learn approach. Has an owner’s mindset, using data and insight to make decisions.
Deliver with excellence: We deliver everything we do with excellence and pace. We take personal ownership and hold each other to account – always finding a way to do what we said we will do. Takes personal responsibility and accountability for execution and results.
Unilever is an equal opportunities employer and committed to diversity and inclusivity in the workplace. We are intentional in employing the best talent that reflects the demographics of our country, and which will help build representation of currently under-represented groups. We therefore invite applications from all candidates representing diversity of age, sex, disability, sexual orientation, race, religion or belief. When appointing potential candidates, the South African Employment Equity and Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment Legislation will be considered.
We are required by law to verify your ability to work lawfully in South Africa. If you are applying as a foreign national, please note that you may be requested to provide supporting documents supporting this.
This is an office-based role in Boksburg requires 100% of time attendance on site.
Unilever is an organisation committed to equity, inclusion and diversity to drive our business results and create a better future, every day, for our diverse employees, global consumers, partners, and communities. We believe a diverse workforce allows us to match our growth ambitions and drive inclusion across the business. At Unilever we are interested in every individual bringing their ‘Whole Self’ to work and this includes you! Thus if you require any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at the time of your application so that we can support you through your recruitment journey.
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