Head of Supply Chain

Location: India Industry: FMCG trading and distribution Reports to: TBC Languages: English required, French strongly preferred

About the company

Our client is an international FMCG trading and distribution business supplying consumer goods into West Africa. They source and ship product into the region and sell through a network of local distributors. The business is growing and needs a senior supply chain lead to own the flow of goods from supplier to distributor.

The role

You'll run the full supply chain, from sourcing and procurement through shipping, customs, warehousing and delivery to distributors across West Africa. You'll be based in India and work closely with the in-country teams and the distributor network day to day, so you need to be comfortable working across time zones, languages and cultures.

Key responsibilities

Sourcing and procurement

• Manage supplier relationships, pricing and contracts
• Plan purchase orders against demand and stock levels
• Find and qualify new suppliers as the product range grows

Logistics and shipping

• Plan and manage inbound shipments into West African markets, by sea and overland
• Work with freight forwarders, shipping lines and clearing agents
• Track shipments end to end and fix delays before they hit stock
• Keep freight and landed costs under control

Customs and compliance

• Make sure import documentation, product registrations and labelling meet each country's requirements
• Stay on top of changes to import rules, duties and border processes across the region, including ECOWAS trade rules

Inventory and warehousing

• Set stock levels and reorder points across warehouses
• Cut stock-outs, overstock and expired product
• Oversee warehouse operations and stock accuracy

Distributor management

• Be the main supply chain contact for distributors across West Africa
• Agree order cycles, delivery schedules and service levels
• Handle supply issues and complaints quickly

Planning and reporting

• Build demand forecasts with the sales and in-country teams
• Report on KPIs: fill rate, on-time delivery, stock cover, landed cost, inventory days
• Present supply chain performance and risks to leadership

Team

• Lead and develop the supply chain team across India and West Africa
• Put clear processes and systems in place as the business scales

What you'll need

• 10+ years in supply chain, with at least 5 in a senior or head-of role
• FMCG experience, ideally in trading or distribution
• Hands-on experience importing into West Africa. Francophone markets are a big plus
• Strong knowledge of international shipping, Incoterms, customs and freight
• Track record managing distributor networks
• Solid forecasting, inventory planning and cost control skills
• Comfortable with ERP systems and Excel
• Degree in supply chain, logistics, business or similar

Languages

• Fluent English
• French strongly preferred. You'll speak with in-country teams and distributors regularly, and in the Francophone markets much of that happens in French