Chakr Innovation - Head - Supply Chain Management

Role:

• The Head of SCM will be responsible for building and managing a strong vendor ecosystem across India and other countries, driving vendor development, securing competitive commercial terms, and ensuring strict SAP-driven process governance.
• The role requires strategic direction, operational oversight, and cross-functional leadership with the company's growth and working capital goals.

Responsibilities:

• Manage and strengthen vendor relationships across India while onboarding and developing new suppliers to ensure reliable and diversified sourcing.
• Lead strategic sourcing and cost-optimization initiatives through competitive benchmarking, alternate sourcing, and process efficiencies.
• Negotiate pricing, payment terms, and contracts with domestic and international vendors to improve cash flow and working capital.
• Oversee end-to-end supply chain process discipline in SAP, driving system-based controls, automation, and cross-module integration.
• Collaborate with Production, Finance, Quality, R&D, and Sales to align planning, forecasting, and execution across the supply chain.
• Travel internationally, including to China, to build offshore vendor relationships and negotiate supply agreements.
• Track market trends and build risk-mitigation strategies through contingency planning, alternate vendors, and inventory buffers.

Skills/ Attributes/ Experience Required:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (any discipline) OR Supply Chain / Operations / Production / Industrial Management OR Commerce with strong SCM exposure.
• MBA/PGDM in Supply Chain, Operations, or General Management preferred.
• 15-20 years of progressive supply chain experience in manufacturing, hardware, or vendor-driven production environments.
• Proven expertise in vendor development, outsourced manufacturing, negotiation, and supplier performance management.
• Experience managing overseas vendors, especially China, with willingness to travel.
• Strong hands-on exposure to SAP (MM, PP, QM) and driving large teams to comply with ERP-driven processes.
• Experience leading teams of 10-15+ members across procurement, planning, and logistics.
• Strong understanding of procurement, production planning, inventory management, logistics, and quality systems.
• Ability to set up and enforce SOPs, process audits, and control frameworks.
• Expertise in commercial negotiations, payment term structuring, and cost optimization.
• Data-driven decision-maker with strong analytical capabilities.

Key Competencies:

• Ability to challenge legacy practices and enforce a culture of process discipline and transparency.
• Strong influencing skills to align cross-functional teams toward common supply chain objectives.
• Problem solving, conflict resolution, and stakeholder management at senior levels.
• Ability to operate in a fast-growth, dynamic environment where structure needs to be built continuously.