Variation Planning Process Manager

The Variation Planning Process Manager will provide specialist expertise to design, develop, and implement Variation Planning processes and supporting S/4HANA capabilities within the ERP Evolution Programme.

The role is responsible for driving a harmonised, end-to-end process solution across Rx and Vx, supporting both interim and future-state operating models.

Working closely with cross-functional stakeholders, the role holder will contribute to the development of the Variation Planning process framework and S/4HANA solution blueprint, ensuring alignment with approved programme scope, business requirements, and deployment strategies.

The position will play a key role in enabling successful implementation across planned deployment waves while supporting standardisation, operational efficiency, and sustainable process adoption across the network.

Key Responsibilities:

• Understand and articulate business requirements for Variation Planning (including pedigree management for Rx and Vx, API/Bulk planning and regulatory events) as captured by the ERP Evolution programme, analyse design options and provide proposals and recommendations.
• Lead the design of the Variation Planning process in S/4, including integration with PLM, Veeva, RIMS and related reporting.
• Act as a key member of ERP Evolution and PLM / Planning workshops, ensuring Variation Planning nuances and requirements (suppliable status, projected suppliable dates, country/product impacts, intermediates and pack variations) are discussed and captured in process and solution design.
• Work closely with the PLM & Technical teams within S4 to define and embed an end-to-end Variation Planning process across Rx and Vx, covering both end-state (S/4 solution in Rx Wave 2 and Vx Wave 7) and interim ways of working.
• Ensure that the Variation Planning process design remains aligned with broader ERP Evolution architecture and dependencies, including Global Batch Traceability, Batch Release Hub, Quality Core Design and OMP/APO (Advanced Planning and Optimization) integration, where batch genealogy and variation information are required for compliance and supply planning.
• Define and maintain the Variation Planning process and system design, ensuring documentation of business processes, functional specifications, integrations, data requirements and reporting solutions.
• Lead or support the update of relevant ERP Evolution and PLM documentation (e.g. BPSDs, GSOPs, change impact materials) to reflect Variation Planning design decisions, interims and future-wave scope.
• Define and create test scenarios and test scripts for Variation Planning across Informal Testing, UAT and DIL. Also support and execute UAT and DIL testing for Variation Planning, including defect triage, resolution tracking and alignment with programme test governance.
• Ensure that interim processes (e.g. continued use of Vx ECC Variation Planning and reports, manual processes in Rx) are clearly defined, documented and governed, with clear transition plans into S/4 Waves 2 and 7.
• Work closely with site planning teams and cluster functions to ensure Variation Planning process design is understood, that local ways of working are assessed and change impacts are captured in the Local Change Action Plans.
• Work with system integration partners and business representatives to translate agreed requirements and design decisions into solution development and implementation.
• Ensure that the governance process for global process and solution design is adhered to, including preparation of materials for DRB/CCB/SteerCo, and that Variation Planning-related change requests and actions are correctly managed.
• Collaborate with Deployment teams and Global Process Owners to support the consistent implementation of Variation Planning processes and system designs across sites and programme waves, ensuring changes are managed through established governance processes.

Basic qualifications:

• Experience in Variation Planning processes, including pedigree management, and their interaction with Supply Chain, Planning, Quality, Regulatory and PLM functions.
• Experience managing API (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient) and bulk planning activities, including multiple pedigrees and genealogy requirements.
• Experience supporting regulatory change processes and assessing their impact on supply planning and product availability.
• Experience working on business transformation programmes, ideally involving SAP ECC (ERP Central Component) and/or S/4HANA within Planning, PLM or Supply Chain environments.
• Experience defining business requirements, process documentation, testing activities and process improvements.
• Experience facilitating workshops and collaborating with cross-functional stakeholders to support process and solution design.
• Experience managing multiple priorities and adapting to changing business and programme requirements.
• Experience translating business requirements into technical specifications and working collaboratively across business and technology teams.

Work Arrangements

• Primary Location: GSK HQ
• Additional locations may be considered: Belgium-Wavre, UK - Angus - Montrose, UK - County Durham - Barnard Castle, UK - Hertfordshire - Stevenage, UK - Hertfordshire - Ware
• This role follows GSK's hybrid working model, combining on-site collaboration with remote working flexibility.