Head of Retail Supply Chain | Drinks | Manchester
Are you a supply chain leader who thrives on ownership, not just oversight?
We’re partnering exclusively and confidentially with a fast-scaling FMCG drinks business based in Manchester to find their first Head of Retail Supply Chain. This is a genuine opportunity to build and shape a function from the ground up, not inherit someone else’s playbook.
What you’ll own:
You’ll take end-to-end responsibility for the retail supply chain, from S&OP and demand planning through to co-manufacturer relationships, 3PL performance and the full retail order book. You’ll own the critical KPIs that matter: forecast accuracy, OTIF, on-shelf availability, stock health and service levels.
Key areas of focus include:
– Strengthening S&OP frameworks that align commercial, operational and financial plans
– Leading demand and supply planning across the product range
– Managing the critical path from listing won to first shipment on NPD launches
– Holding co-manufacturers and 3PL partners to account on performance, cost and capacity
– Driving a cost reduction pipeline with quantified savings to the P&L
– Overseeing retail order book operations including EDI, compliance and deductions resolution
– Building and leading a high-performing retail supply chain team as the business scales
What you’ll bring:
– A track record as a Head Of within Retail FMCG, ideally food, drink or consumer goods
– Experience scaling a Retail channel and building the structures needed to support it
– Exposure to gold standard supply chain environments, with the ability to translate best practice into a scaling business
– Strong S&OP and supplier management experience, particularly with co-manufacturers
– Familiarity with ERP and planning systems and practical EDI implementation experience
Who you are:
Hands-on and commercially sharp, you know when to get into the detail and when to step back and design the bigger picture. You challenge the status quo, bring data-led recommendations rather than just problems, and want to make this function genuinely your own.
If you’re ready to build something rather than maintain it, we’d love to hear from you.
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