Position Overview

We are seeking a strategic and operationally excellent Supply Chain Manager to lead end-to-end supply chain operations across East Africa. This senior leadership role demands exceptional expertise in inventory management, strategic sourcing, logistics coordination, and regional market dynamics. The Supply Chain Manager will lead teams, set operational standards, manage budgets with local decision-making authority, and drive cross-functional coordination to ensure seamless flow of materials and finished goods.

Key Responsibilities

Managing Materials and Finished Goods Inventory

Goods Receiving

• Lead the receiving team, planning workflows and delegating responsibilities to ensure efficient, accurate intake operations
• Develop staffing plans and resource allocation for peak receiving periods

Storage & Location Management

• Set standards for warehouse organization, bin location systems, and storage optimization
• Monitor performance against space utilization, retrieval efficiency, and safety metrics
• Drive continuous improvement in warehouse layout and material handling processes

Inventory Control

• Coordinate cross-functionally with production planning, procurement, and finance on inventory strategy
• Optimize stock levels, reduce carrying costs, and minimize obsolescence risk
• Lead cycle count programs and inventory accuracy initiatives

Materials Issuance

• Exercise budget responsibility with authority for local decision-making on inventory investments and operational expenditures
• Approve material allocations and prioritize issuance based on production criticality

Finished Goods Dispatch

• Apply deep East Africa market awareness to optimize dispatch scheduling, route planning, and customer prioritization
• Ensure seamless coordination between production completion and customer delivery

Sourcing Materials at Optimal Cost and Quality

Local Sourcing

• Lead the sourcing team, planning category strategies and delegating supplier management responsibilities
• Build robust local supplier networks to reduce lead times and import dependency

Import Procurement

• Set standards for international procurement processes, Incoterms application, and import documentation
• Monitor performance of import suppliers against cost, quality, and delivery KPIs

Supplier Evaluation & Development

• Coordinate cross-functionally with quality, R&D, and finance on supplier score carding and development programs
• Lead strategic supplier relationships and negotiate framework agreements

Purchase Order Management

• Hold budget responsibility with local decision-making authority for procurement expenditures and payment terms
• Approve high-value purchase orders and exception handling

Cost Control

• Leverage East Africa market awareness to identify cost optimization opportunities, alternative suppliers, and regional sourcing advantages
• Drive year-over-year cost reduction while maintaining quality standards

Delivering Products to Customers Across East Africa

Transport Coordination

• Lead the logistics team, planning transport capacity and delegating route optimization and carrier management
• Oversee fleet utilization, third-party logistics relationships, and transport cost management

Export Logistics

• Set standards for cross-border documentation, EAC compliance, and international shipping protocols
• Monitor performance of clearing agents, freight forwarders, and regional carriers

Delivery Performance

• Coordinate cross-functionally with sales, customer service, and production on delivery scheduling and priority management
• Drive on-time delivery performance and customer satisfaction metrics

Customer Communication

• Exercise budget responsibility with local authority for service recovery expenditures and customer accommodation decisions
• Approve compensation, expedited shipping, or special handling for critical customer situations

Returns & Reverse Logistics

• Apply East Africa market awareness to design efficient returns processes, managing regulatory requirements and customer expectations
• Optimize reverse logistics for product returns, recycling, and waste management

Understanding Kenyan/EAC Business Environment, Regulations, and Cultural Context

• Leverage regional knowledge for competitive advantage in supply chain design, sourcing strategies, and logistics network optimization
• Manage regulatory relationships with KRA, EAC customs authorities, standards bodies, and trade associations
• Navigate complex compliance requirements and influence policy developments affecting supply chain operations

Using ERP, MIS and Digital Tools Effectively

• Serve as system administrator for supply chain modules within ERP (inventory, procurement, logistics)
• Lead workflow design for supply chain processes, ensuring system-enabled efficiency and control
• Manage integration between ERP, WMS, TMS, and business intelligence platforms
• Act as primary vendor liaison for supply chain technology providers, driving system enhancements and support

Clear Communication Across Diverse Stakeholders in Multicultural Environment

• Apply complex problem-solving to supply chain disruptions, capacity constraints, and strategic challenges
• Make data-driven decisions using analytics, forecasting tools, and performance dashboards
• Effectively manage uncertainty in volatile markets, currency fluctuations, and supply disruptions
• Coach others in supply chain principles, decision-making frameworks, and professional development

Core Competencies & Leadership Levels

• Inventory management
• Strategic sourcing
• Logistics and distribution
• Regional business acumen
• Digital systems
• Leadership and communication

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Engineering, Business Administration, or related field; MBA or Master's preferred
• 6+ years of supply chain experience with minimum 3 years in leadership roles within manufacturing, packaging, or FMCG sectors
• Demonstrated experience leading teams, planning and delegating work, and setting operational standards
• Proven budget responsibility with P&L or cost center management in supply chain functions
• Deep East Africa market awareness including Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, and DRC markets
• Experience managing regulatory relationships with customs, tax authorities, and trade bodies
• System administration experience with ERP platforms (SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, or similar)
• Track record of coaching and developing supply chain professionals
• Exceptional cross-functional coordination and stakeholder management capabilities

• Lead the receiving team, planning workflows and delegating responsibilities to ensure efficient, accurate intake operations
• Develop staffing plans and resource allocation for peak receiving periods
• Set standards for warehouse organization, bin location systems, and storage optimization
• Monitor performance against space utilization, retrieval efficiency, and safety metrics
• Drive continuous improvement in warehouse layout and material handling processes
• Coordinate cross-functionally with production planning, procurement, and finance on inventory strategy
• Optimize stock levels, reduce carrying costs, and minimize obsolescence risk
• Lead cycle count programs and inventory accuracy initiatives
• Exercise budget responsibility with authority for local decision-making on inventory investments and operational expenditures
• Approve material allocations and prioritize issuance based on production criticality
• Apply deep East Africa market awareness to optimize dispatch scheduling, route planning, and customer prioritization
• Ensure seamless coordination between production completion and customer delivery
• Lead the sourcing team, planning category strategies and delegating supplier management responsibilities
• Build robust local supplier networks to reduce lead times and import dependency
• Set standards for international procurement processes, Incoterms application, and import documentation
• Monitor performance of import suppliers against cost, quality, and delivery KPIs
• Coordinate cross-functionally with quality, R&D, and finance on supplier score carding and development programs
• Lead strategic supplier relationships and negotiate framework agreements
• Hold budget responsibility with local decision-making authority for procurement expenditures and payment terms
• Approve high-value purchase orders and exception handling
• Leverage East Africa market awareness to identify cost optimization opportunities, alternative suppliers, and regional sourcing advantages
• Drive year-over-year cost reduction while maintaining quality standards
• Lead the logistics team, planning transport capacity and delegating route optimization and carrier management
• Oversee fleet utilization, third-party logistics relationships, and transport cost management
• Set standards for cross-border documentation, EAC compliance, and international shipping protocols
• Monitor performance of clearing agents, freight forwarders, and regional carriers
• Coordinate cross-functionally with sales, customer service, and production on delivery scheduling and priority management
• Drive on-time delivery performance and customer satisfaction metrics
• Exercise budget responsibility with local authority for service recovery expenditures and customer accommodation decisions
• Approve compensation, expedited shipping, or special handling for critical customer situations
• Apply East Africa market awareness to design efficient returns processes, managing regulatory requirements and customer expectations
• Optimize reverse logistics for product returns, recycling, and waste management
• Leverage regional knowledge for competitive advantage in supply chain design, sourcing strategies, and logistics network optimization
• Manage regulatory relationships with KRA, EAC customs authorities, standards bodies, and trade associations
• Navigate complex compliance requirements and influence policy developments affecting supply chain operations
• Serve as system administrator for supply chain modules within ERP (inventory, procurement, logistics)
• Lead workflow design for supply chain processes, ensuring system-enabled efficiency and control
• Manage integration between ERP, WMS, TMS, and business intelligence platforms
• Act as primary vendor liaison for supply chain technology providers, driving system enhancements and support
• Apply complex problem-solving to supply chain disruptions, capacity constraints, and strategic challenges
• Make data-driven decisions using analytics, forecasting tools, and performance dashboards
• Effectively manage uncertainty in volatile markets, currency fluctuations, and supply disruptions
• Coach others in supply chain principles, decision-making frameworks, and professional development

• Inventory management
• Strategic sourcing
• Logistics and distribution
• Regional business acumen
• Digital systems
• Leadership and communication

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Engineering, Business Administration, or related field; MBA or Master's preferred
• 6+ years of supply chain experience with minimum 3 years in leadership roles within manufacturing, packaging, or FMCG sectors
• Demonstrated experience leading teams, planning and delegating work, and setting operational standards
• Proven budget responsibility with P&L or cost center management in supply chain functions
• Deep East Africa market awareness including Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, and DRC markets
• Experience managing regulatory relationships with customs, tax authorities, and trade bodies
• System administration experience with ERP platforms (SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, or similar)
• Track record of coaching and developing supply chain professionals
• Exceptional cross-functional coordination and stakeholder management capabilities