Supply Chain Operations Specialist

Supply Chain Operations Specialist – Palladium: Make It Possible

Are you a supply chain professional with experience in humanitarian settings, complex supply chain planning and implementation? Reporting to the Supply Chain Operations and Resilience Manager, you will lead the development and execution of emergency supply chain plans, manage two Logistics Officers, and collaborate across teams to embed localisation and resilience.

The Humanitarian and Stabilisation Operations Team (HSOT) is contracted by Palladium to deliver the Humanitarian Emergency Response Operations and Stabilisation Programme (HEROS), working with FCDO’s HCRD and MCD, and partners in 130 countries. The team provides operational and advisory support to meet humanitarian needs and restore stability in sudden-onset disasters, protracted crises and complex emergencies.

Primary Duties And Responsibilities

• Anticipatory & Rapid Response Supply Chain Planning: Design and develop operational supply chain plans for priority geographies, including contingency options, incorporating localisation, environmental improvements and resilience where feasible.
• Coordinate research from the supply chain network, partners and suppliers to feed into planning.
• Identify and enact opportunities for improvements to stockholdings and supply chain operations through the planning process.
• Work with freight forwarders to identify and mitigate safeguarding risks during responses, in collaboration outside of responses.
• Freight Operations: Scope, plan, contract and manage freight for HSOT according to internal process. Oversee freight operations, identify risks and implement mitigations. Oversee all freight tasks within the Supply Chain Team. Draft and implement load plans for FCDO’s stockpiled Core Relief Items (CRIs) and Response Enabling Capabilities (RECs).
• Systems, Compliance and Reporting: Ensure compliance with relevant legislation (GDP and other requirements such as Dual Use, DG for multimodal movements). Support after action reviews and lessons learned. Develop and maintain SOPs for SC operations (Delivery, Response, Replenishment) as required.
• Response Delivery and Reporting: Support and create supply chains during responses, including contracting for goods and services, inspections, optimising freight movements and integrating local/regional sources with international supply chains where viable. Engage with deployed teams, FCDO Country offices and in-country partners to plan and manage supply chains during response. Proactively capture response data to inform preparedness and planning, and support lessons learned.
• Surge Capability: Surge into other operational, procurement, logistics or programmatic tasks within and outside of response as required by Supply Chain management.
• Stockholdings: Manage stockholdings in London and Kemble for deployment equipment and assets, ensuring capacity for HCRD and MCD. Issue, track and monitor equipment issued to contractors and staff as needed, acting as a conduit between the Supply Chain team and the Advisory and Surge team.
• Collaboration & Risk Management: Work constructively with colleagues, share knowledge, support others, adapt to feedback, participate in risk management procedures, contribute to risk assessments and mitigation improvements.
• Other Duties: Deploy at short notice to support an FCDO response for a minimum of 4 weeks for up to 30% of time. Participate in HEST training and mitigate safety and security threats. Fulfil role of Duty Officer on rotation with week-long out-of-hours surveillance. Contribute to HEROS contractual reporting and support results-based reporting. Engage with Palladium UKEA regional teams as appropriate. Transition and Exit planning to adapt to system upgrades and organizational changes.

Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in anticipatory and rapid response supply chain planning.
• Proven ability to translate scenarios into actionable supply chain strategies.
• Strong understanding of supply chain risk mitigation approaches.
• Expertise in stock strategy and inventory management.
• Ability to assess and implement in-kind assistance through local or regional partners.
• Analytical and data-informed decision-making skills.
• Ability to work across teams and develop and maintain SOPs and planning tools.
• Experience advising on supply chain aspects of humanitarian policy or donor-funded programmes.
• Integrity, reliability, respect in all interactions; positive representation of Palladium in professional settings; taking ownership of tasks.
• Right to work in the UK.
• Demonstrated ability to issue clear expectations and meet deadlines; follow through on commitments and raise concerns early when issues arise.
• Closing date: 20 October 2025.

Employment type: Full-time • Seniority level: Mid-Senior level • Location: UK (London area and/or remote flexibility as applicable).