Senior Supply Chain Specialist – Northern Ireland

Job Description

About the Role

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Our client, a leading food & drink manufacturing business is seeking an experienced Senior Supply Chain Specialist to join its leadership team.

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This is a pivotal role responsible for overseeing and optimizing the end-to-end supply chain function, ensuring the efficient flow of raw materials, packaging, work-in-progress, and finished goods across the business. The successful candidate will lead planning activities, drive inventory optimization, enhance supplier performance, and deliver operational excellence while supporting business growth and customer service objectives.

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Reporting to senior management, the Senior Supply Chain Specialist will work closely with Production, Procurement, Quality, Warehouse, Logistics, Finance, and Commercial teams to ensure a robust, agile, and cost-effective supply chain operation.

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Key Responsibilities

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Supply Chain Planning & Strategy

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• Lead the end-to-end supply chain planning process to ensure customer demand is met efficiently and effectively.

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• Develop and maintain accurate demand forecasts and production plans.

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• Drive Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) processes to align business objectives with operational capabilities.

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• Monitor supply chain performance and implement strategies to improve service levels and efficiency.

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• Assess potential supply chain risks and develop mitigation and contingency plans.

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• Support strategic growth initiatives and new product introductions.

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Inventory Management

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• Oversee inventory planning and stock control activities across all warehouse locations.

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• Ensure optimal stock levels are maintained while minimising waste, obsolescence, and working capital requirements.

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• Lead cycle counting, stock reconciliation, and inventory accuracy initiatives.

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• Analyse inventory trends and identify opportunities to improve stock turnover and availability.

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• Ensure full traceability of products and materials throughout the supply chain.

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Procurement & Supplier Management

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• Work closely with Procurement teams to ensure continuity of supply for raw materials and packaging.

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• Develop strong relationships with key suppliers to maximise performance and service levels.

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• Monitor supplier KPIs and implement improvement plans where required.

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• Support supplier selection, audits, and performance reviews.

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• Identify opportunities for cost savings, efficiency improvements, and risk reduction.

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Logistics & Distribution

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• Oversee inbound and outbound logistics activities to ensure seamless product movement.

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• Manage relationships with third-party logistics providers and transportation partners.

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• Ensure customer orders are fulfilled accurately and delivered on time.

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• Monitor freight expenditure and identify opportunities to optimise transport and distribution costs.

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• Drive improvements in warehouse and logistics efficiency.

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Data Analysis & Performance Reporting

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• Analyse supply chain data and provide meaningful insights to support business decision-making.

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• Develop and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs), including:

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• Service levels

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• On-time delivery

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• Inventory accuracy

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• Forecast accuracy

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• Supplier performance

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• Stock turnover

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• Waste reduction

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• Supply chain cost performance

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• Prepare regular management reports and supply chain reviews.

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• Maintain accurate ERP and master data records.

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Continuous Improvement & Operational Excellence

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• Lead continuous improvement initiatives across planning, inventory, warehousing, procurement, and logistics functions.

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• Drive Lean and best practice methodologies to improve operational performance.

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• Identify opportunities to streamline processes, reduce costs, and increase supply chain resilience.

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• Participate in cross-functional projects to support business objectives.

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• Champion a culture of efficiency, accountability, and continuous improvement.

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Leadership & Stakeholder Management

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• Act as a key point of contact between Supply Chain, Production, Quality, Finance, Commercial, and Senior Management teams.

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• Mentor and support junior supply chain personnel.

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• Lead cross-functional meetings and planning reviews.

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• Influence decision-making through strong communication and analytical expertise.

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• Build positive relationships with suppliers, customers, and internal stakeholders.

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Compliance & Food Safety

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• Ensure all supply chain activities comply with food safety, quality, and regulatory standards.

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• Support internal and external audits.

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• Maintain full traceability and compliance documentation.

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• Ensure adherence to company policies, quality standards, and health and safety requirements.

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Essential Criteria

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• Minimum 5 years' experience in a Supply Chain, Planning, Logistics, Procurement, or Operations role within a food manufacturing or FMCG environment.

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• Proven experience managing end-to-end supply chain activities.

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• Strong knowledge of production planning, inventory management, logistics, and supplier management.

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• Experience using ERP, MRP, and inventory management systems.

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• Advanced Microsoft Excel and data analysis skills.

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• Strong commercial awareness and business acumen.

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• Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.

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• Strong leadership and team development experience.

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• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

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• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.

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Desirable Criteria

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• Third-level qualification in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business, Operations Management, or a related discipline.

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• APICS, CILT, Lean, Six Sigma, or equivalent professional qualification.

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• Experience with international sourcing and supplier management.

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• Knowledge of food manufacturing compliance, traceability, and regulatory requirements.

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• Experience implementing supply chain improvement projects and systems enhancements.

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• Familiarity with ERP platforms such as SAP, Microsoft Dynamics, Oracle, or similar.

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