Head - Supply Chain - Consumer Food - IIM/IIT/XLRI/ISB/FMS

Head of Supply Chain
Fast-Growing Consumer Food Brand - India
Reporting To: Co-Founder
Location: Mumbai
Experience: Minimum 10 Years
Education: Tier 1 Institution (IIM / IIT or equivalent)
ABOUT THE ROLE:
We are a high-growth consumer food brand scaling rapidly across D2C, quick commerce (Zepto, Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart), and horizontal e-commerce platforms (Flipkart, Amazon). As we expand our product portfolio and geographic footprint, we are looking for a sharp, execution-driven Head of Supply Chain to own the end-to-end supply chain function - from demand forecasting and inventory strategy to last-mile logistics.
This is a high-impact leadership role that sits at the intersection of data, operations, and customer experience. You will build and scale a resilient, cost-efficient supply chain capable of supporting hypergrowth across both offline and online channels.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Forecasting & Demand Planning:
- Lead statistical and commercial demand forecasting across all SKUs, channels, and geographies
- Build and continuously refine demand planning models integrating sell-through data, marketing calendars, seasonality, and platform trends
- Drive S&OP (Sales & Operations Planning) cadence with commercial and category teams
- Develop scenario-based planning for new product launches, festive peaks, and platform-specific promotions
2. Supply & Production Planning:
- Translate demand plans into procurement and manufacturing schedules aligned with supplier lead times and capacity
- Manage procurement of raw materials and packaging in coordination with R&D and sourcing teams
- Establish buffer stock norms and replenishment triggers to ensure zero stockout on top-moving SKUs
- Work with co-manufacturers and in-house production to optimize batch planning and minimize waste
3. Inventory Management:
- Own inventory health across all nodes: factory, 3PL warehouses, dark stores, and platform FCs
- Set and govern inventory norms for each channel - e-com, qcom, modern trade, and general trade
- Drive reduction of dead stock, aging inventory, and write-offs through proactive monitoring and clearance protocols
- Build real-time inventory visibility dashboards across the network
- Manage platform-level inventory allocations for Zepto, Blinkit, Flipkart, Amazon, Swiggy Instamart, and others
4. Logistics & Distribution:
- Design and manage the logistics network - primary (factory to warehouse) and secondary (warehouse to channel/customer)
- Manage 3PL partnerships: SLA governance, cost benchmarking, and continuous performance improvement
- Optimize freight costs through lane consolidation, mode mix, and carrier negotiations
- Ensure compliance with cold chain / temperature-controlled logistics wherever applicable
- Drive on-time-in-full (OTIF) metrics and proactively resolve bottlenecks affecting serviceability
5. E-Commerce & Quick Commerce Operations:
- Lead supply chain strategy for qcom platforms (Zepto, Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart) - from replenishment to dark store allocation
- Manage seller/account-level operational KPIs on Flipkart, Amazon (FBA/FBF), and other marketplaces
- Partner with key account managers to align supply with platform promotional calendars
- Resolve operational escalations related to in-stock rates, returns, and claim management
6. Team & Systems:
- Build and mentor a high-performing supply chain team across planning, logistics, and operations
- Evaluate and implement supply chain tools/ERP - WMS, TMS, demand planning software
- Define and track supply chain KPIs: forecast accuracy, fill rate, OTIF, inventory turns, freight cost as % of revenue
- Present supply chain performance, risks, and opportunities to the leadership team monthly
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR:
Qualifications & Experience:
- MBA / PGDM from a Tier 1 institution (IIM A/B/C/L/K/M, IIT, XLRI, ISB, FMS, or equivalent)
- Minimum 10 years of progressive supply chain experience, with at least 3 years in a leadership role
- Prior experience at a high-growth consumer food, FMCG, or D2C brand strongly preferred
- Hands-on experience managing supply chain for quick commerce platforms (Zepto, Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart) and e-commerce (Flipkart, Amazon) is mandatory
Technical & Functional Skills:
- Strong command of demand forecasting methodologies and S&OP processes
- Deep understanding of inventory optimization - safety stock, reorder points, EOQ, ABC/XYZ classification
- Proficiency in supply chain tools: SAP / Oracle / NetSuite / Unicommerce / Increff or equivalent
- Data-driven mindset - comfortable with Excel, SQL, Power BI / Tableau for operational analysis
- Knowledge of platform operations: Seller Central (Amazon), Flipkart Seller Hub, Zepto/Blinkit supplier portals
- Understanding of food safety, shelf-life management, and FSSAI compliance in supply chain context
Leadership & Soft Skills:
- Entrepreneurial energy - ability to operate with ambiguity and build from scratch
- Strong cross-functional stakeholder management - comfortable working with sales, marketing, finance, and operations
- Analytical rigour combined with executional hustle
- Excellent communication and presentation skills for CXO-level reporting
- Bias for process-building and scalable systems thinking
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS:
- Forecast Accuracy (WMAPE) > 85%
- OTIF (On-Time In-Full) > 95%
- In-Stock Rate - Qcom Platforms > 98%
- Inventory Turns Category-appropriate; improve YoY
- Dead Stock / Write-off % < 1% of revenue
- Freight Cost as % of Net Revenue Defined target per channel
- Fill Rate (Orders Fulfilled vs Received) > 97%
WHY JOIN US:
- High-ownership role at the leadership table of a fast-scaling food brand
- Opportunity to build and shape the supply chain function from the ground up
- Competitive compensation with performance-linked incentives and ESOPs
- Work alongside a passionate, execution-focused founding team
- Exposure to the full complexity of modern omnichannel supply chain - offline, e-com, and qcom