Head - Supply Chain Management

Head - Supply Chain Management

Description:

The Head of Supply Chain will lead and manage end-to-end supply chain operations for a fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) environment, covering procurement, production planning, inventory, warehousing, and distribution. The role is responsible for building a resilient, cost-efficient, and scalable supply chain that supports high service levels, rapid product movement, and multi-channel distribution.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership:

- Develop and execute the overall FMCG supply chain strategy aligned with business growth, demand volatility, and channel expansion

- Lead transformation initiatives focused on cost optimization, process standardization, automation, and scalability

- Partner closely with Sales, Marketing, Finance, and Production teams for S&OP, new product launches, and expansion planning

Procurement & Supplier Management:

- Oversee strategic sourcing of raw materials, packaging, and indirect spend

- Lead supplier negotiations, contracting, and cost optimization initiatives

- Build strong supplier partnerships to ensure quality, continuity of supply, and risk mitigation

- Monitor supplier performance through structured scorecards and compliance metrics

Demand Planning & Inventory Management:

- Drive robust demand forecasting and S&OP processes across regions and channels

- Optimize inventory levels to balance service levels, freshness, and working capital efficiency

- Reduce stock-outs, excess inventory, slow-moving SKUs, and expiry-related losses

Warehousing & Distribution:

- Manage multi-location warehouses, depots, and distribution centers

- Oversee primary and secondary logistics, including distributor and last-mile operations

- Improve logistics efficiency through network optimization, route planning, and transporter management

- Ensure high service levels with strong OTIF (On-Time-In-Full) and SLA performance

Process Excellence & Technology Enablement:

- Drive adoption and optimization of ERP, WMS, TMS, and demand planning tools

- Standardize SOPs across supply chain functions to ensure consistency and scalability

- Use data, dashboards, and analytics to track performance and drive continuous improvement

Team Leadership:

- Build, develop, and lead high-performing supply chain teams across procurement, planning, warehousing, and logistics

- Define KPIs, conduct regular performance reviews, and develop leadership pipelines

- Foster a culture of ownership, accountability, and cross-functional collaboration

Compliance & Risk Management:

- Ensure adherence to statutory, regulatory, quality, and safety requirements relevant to FMCG operations

- Develop contingency plans for supply disruptions, demand shocks, and operational risks

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):

- Supply chain cost as a percentage of revenue

- Inventory turns, freshness, and working capital efficiency

- OTIF and customer service levels

- Forecast accuracy and demand-supply alignment

- Supplier performance, cost savings, and risk metrics

Qualifications & Experience:

- Bachelors degree in Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, or a related discipline

- MBA / PGDM in Operations or Supply Chain preferred

- 12 to 18 years of experience in FMCG or consumer-focused supply chain roles, with significant leadership exposure

- Proven experience managing high-volume, multi-location supply chain operations

Skills & Competencies:

- Strong strategic, analytical, and problem-solving capabilities

- Excellent negotiation and stakeholder management skills

- Deep understanding of FMCG supply chain systems, planning, and analytics

- Ability to lead large teams in fast-paced, high-growth environments

- Strong communication skills with executive-level presence