Supply Chain Director - Food Manufacturing

CSG Talent are recruiting a Supply Chain Director role on behalf of a food manufacturing client who have an excellent reputation within their niche. We require candidates to be able to relocate to California for this role.

Role Overview

The Supply Chain Director is responsible for leading all aspects of supply chain activities at a manufacturing location, including demand and materials planning, production scheduling, inventory management, warehousing, and order fulfillment. The role ensures the site consistently delivers high levels of service, operational efficiency, product quality, and customer satisfaction.

This position converts demand plans generated through the company's planning process into a practical and reliable supply plan that supports production and distribution. The leader will focus on maintaining service reliability while effectively managing inventory investment, reducing product loss, and ensuring adherence to food safety standards and regulatory requirements.

The successful candidate will bring strong leadership experience in warehouse and distribution operations, a deep understanding of MRP-driven planning, discipline in ERP system use (experience with Microsoft Dynamics 365 is beneficial), and the ability to operate effectively in a fast-moving manufacturing environment where product shelf life is a key consideration.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership

• Lead site-level planning activities for raw materials and production scheduling to maintain consistent product availability while maximizing operational efficiency.

• Convert forecast and demand planning outputs into executable production and supply plans using MRP and planning systems.

• Oversee order management and shipping performance to ensure customer orders are fulfilled accurately and on time.

• Direct all warehouse operations including receiving, storage, and distribution activities, while ensuring strong inventory control and cost management.

• Develop policies and operational practices that improve inventory accuracy, warehouse productivity, and cost performance.

Warehouse and Production Support

• Manage warehouse functions that interface with production such as batching, material kitting, and product returns.

• Ensure warehouse operations effectively support manufacturing while operating with clear processes and accountability.

• Monitor warehouse performance, identify improvement opportunities, and implement process enhancements to improve service and efficiency.

Systems and Planning Excellence

• Ensure supply chain teams use ERP planning systems effectively, particularly MRP functionality, to maintain accurate planning data and system integrity.

• Review planning parameters regularly and recommend improvements that support better supply chain decision making.

• Support the development and use of analytical tools and reporting that enable better operational visibility and planning accuracy.

Continuous Improvement

• Evaluate current operational processes to identify opportunities for improvement across receiving, storage, shipping, sanitation, safety, and inventory management.

• Implement initiatives that improve product availability, optimize storage capacity, and enhance operational productivity.

• Lead initiatives to reduce inventory losses caused by expiration or obsolescence.

Inventory and Financial Performance

• Manage working capital related to both raw materials and finished goods inventory.

• Monitor inventory levels to reduce excess stock while preventing material shortages.

• Generate and distribute inventory and operational performance reports for cross-functional stakeholders.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Maintain strong communication and collaboration with departments such as Sales, Product Development, Quality, Customer Service, Procurement, and Operations.

• Ensure alignment between supply planning activities and broader organizational objectives.

Leadership and Administrative Responsibilities

• Establish the strategic direction and operational goals for supply chain activities at the manufacturing site.

• Ensure alignment between site-level objectives and broader organizational strategies.

• Track progress against key performance indicators and implement corrective actions where necessary.

• Lead, coach, and develop supply chain team members including training, performance management, and career development.

• Support recruitment and selection of new team members in accordance with company policies.

• Contribute to annual budgeting processes including inventory investment, operational expenses, and capital requirements.

• Develop and communicate performance metrics and operational insights to leadership.

• Perform additional responsibilities as required to support the business.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Finance, Operations, or a related discipline.

• Professional supply chain certifications such as APICS/ASCM CPIM are considered an advantage.

Experience

• Approximately 7-15 years of progressive experience in supply chain leadership roles.

• Strong experience within food manufacturing environments, particularly in planning, scheduling, and warehouse operations.

• Demonstrated experience working with MRP-based planning systems and enterprise ERP platforms (Microsoft Dynamics 365 experience preferred).

• Proven ability to manage inventory investment and working capital in environments where product shelf life is a critical factor.

• Experience in 200+ SKU Environments.