At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead supply chain planning and transformation in a dynamic retail environment.
- Company: Join a leading retail business focused on customer satisfaction and innovation.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, car allowance, bonus, and comprehensive benefits package.
- Other info: Opportunity for significant career growth and to inspire high-performance teams.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by shaping the future of supply chain operations.
- Qualifications: Experience in supply chain leadership within complex retail or product-led environments.
The predicted salary is between 95000 - 100000 £ per year.
A leading retail business is looking for a senior supply chain leader to join its leadership team and play a key role in shaping the next stage of its planning, forecasting, inventory and transformation agenda. This is a high-profile role within a large, complex, customer-focused retail environment. The business is looking for someone with strong technical supply chain capability, but just as importantly, a people-first leader who can engage teams, influence senior stakeholders and lead meaningful change through others.
The ideal background would be from a retail product environment rather than fashion or clothing. Experience with physical products, hard goods, automotive, DIY, home, garden, electrical, consumer durables, leisure, trade, parts, accessories or similar product-led retail categories would be highly relevant.
The Role
- Lead and develop supply chain planning, forecasting and inventory capability across a complex retail operation.
- Improve availability, forecast accuracy, stock flow and operational performance across a broad product range.
- Lead transformation and continuous improvement activity across planning, systems, processes and ways of working.
- Engage, inspire and develop teams, creating a positive, high-performance culture.
- Influence senior stakeholders across Supply Chain, Commercial, Retail, Finance, Operations and HR.
- Use data and insight to support decision-making, while adapting your influencing style to different audiences.
- Build strong relationships across the business to ensure change is understood, embedded and sustained.
- Lead through others, providing clarity, direction, coaching and accountability.
What We’re Looking For
- A senior supply chain, planning or transformation leader with experience operating in a large, complex retail, consumer products or product-led distribution environment.
- Strong experience across supply chain planning, forecasting, inventory management, transformation and operational improvement.
- Experience working with physical retail products rather than clothing-led categories. Backgrounds in automotive, DIY, home, garden, electrical, consumer durables, trade, leisure, parts, accessories or other hard goods/product-led retail environments would be highly suitable.
- A people-first leadership style, with clear evidence of engaging, inspiring and developing teams.
- Strong EQ and a natural influencing style, with the ability to build trust and credibility quickly.
- Experience leading change through others, not just personally driving delivery.
- The ability to balance technical supply chain expertise with commercial awareness, stakeholder management and cultural leadership.
- A structured, data-led approach, combined with the ability to adapt communication style and bring people on the journey.
Why Apply?
This is an opportunity to join a well-known retail business at an important stage of its supply chain development. The business has a clear strategy and a strong appetite to improve how planning, forecasting, inventory and transformation are delivered. For the right person, this role offers the chance to make a visible impact, lead meaningful change and shape a key area of the supply chain function.
Package
£95,000 – £100,000 basic salary, car allowance, bonus, strong wider benefits package.
Head of Supply Chain - Retail in Birmingham employer: Distinct | B Corp
Distinct | B Corp is an exceptional employer that fosters a collaborative and innovative work culture in Leeds, where employees are empowered to shape tax strategies on a global scale. With competitive benefits such as a 25% annual bonus and a generous pension contribution, along with ample opportunities for professional growth, this role is perfect for those seeking meaningful and rewarding employment in the field of international tax.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Supply Chain - Retail in Birmingham
✨Join Supply Chain Meetups
Get yourself out there by attending supply chain meetups and industry events. It's a great way to meet fellow professionals, learn about trends, and maybe even hear about job openings before they’re posted online.
✨Show Off Your Skills on LinkedIn
Don’t just sit back and wait for opportunities! Post insights or articles on LinkedIn about supply chain challenges or solutions you’re passionate about. This not only showcases your expertise but can catch the eye of recruiters looking for someone like you.
✨Engage with Supply Chain Communities
Dive into online communities related to supply chain operations like forums or groups on Reddit and LinkedIn. Engaging in discussions can help you network, get advice, and you might even stumble upon some hidden job opportunities.
✨Apply through Our Website
When you spot a position at Distinct | B Corp, make sure to apply through our website directly. It's often the quickest way to get your application in front of the right people and show that you’re genuinely interested in the role of Head of Supply Chain - Retail.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Supply Chain - Retail in Birmingham
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Supply Chain Savvy:Make sure to highlight your relevant experience in supply chain operations. Whether it’s managing logistics or coordinating with suppliers, we want to see examples of how you've navigated the complexities of the supply chain. Concrete achievements, like reducing costs or improving delivery times, will definitely catch our eye!
Quantify Your Impact:When listing your previous roles on your CV, go for numbers! Mention percentages or actual figures where possible—like how much you've improved efficiency or reduced waste. It's all about showing us the tangible impact you've made in your past positions in supply chain operations.
Tailor Your Cover Letter:In your cover letter, don’t just regurgitate your CV. Instead, connect your experiences specifically to the role at Distinct | B Corp. Share why you're passionate about supply chain operations and how this full-time role aligns with your career goals—I mean, who wouldn’t want to hear that!
Research and Reflect:Before you apply, take some time to research Distinct | B Corp and its supply chain operations. Reflect on how your skills and experiences can fit into their operations. Being able to discuss their challenges and how you can contribute to solving them in your application will really make you stand out!
How to prepare for a job interview at Distinct | B Corp
✨Know Your Basics in Supply Chain Management
Make sure you've got a solid grasp of key supply chain concepts like demand forecasting, inventory management, and logistics. We could be quizzed on these during technical rounds, so brush up on any software tools commonly used in the industry like SAP or Oracle. This knowledge will help us show we can hit the ground running!
✨Show Off Your Analytical Skills
Prepare to discuss real-world scenarios where you've used data analysis to solve supply chain challenges. If you've got experience with tools like Excel or Tableau, get ready to talk about how you've used these to optimise processes or improve efficiencies. Employers love seeing that we can turn data into actionable insights!
✨Highlight Your Teamwork and Project Management Skills
In a full-time role, collaboration is key. Think of examples where you've worked on cross-functional teams or managed projects. Sharing how you navigated challenges while working with diverse groups will show that we can thrive in a dynamic environment like at Distinct | B Corp.
✨Research Specific Challenges Faced by Distinct | B Corp
Look into any unique supply chain challenges Distinct | B Corp might be facing, whether it's sustainability, supplier relationships, or global disruptions. Being prepared to discuss these topics shows that we're not only informed but also genuinely interested in how we can contribute to their success. That’s a big plus in any interview!
