Supply Chain & Operations Manager

SF recruitment are working with a fledgling clothing manufacturer to recruit a supply chain manager. An exciting role to assume responsibility for the warehouse, inventory, planning within the business as well as the 3rd party manufacturing operation. This is a great role for somebody who has a good operations background in apparel or a proven supply chain professional with experience dealing with global supply chains. We are not necessarily looking for the finished article but rather someone with a good blend of relevant skills that could take to the role well. Ambitious & driven personality would suit the business very well 

This role bridges production execution, quality assurance, logistics, and warehousing — ensuring all goods move efficiently from factory to customer with accuracy, discipline, and cost efficiency. Working closely with the COO and procurement , the Supply Chain Manager ensures all orders are fulfilled to  required standards of delivery performance, quality, and commercial alignment.

Key responsibilities:

• Manage and monitor all production schedules from order placement through to shipment, ensuring adherence to agreed metrics.
• Maintain weekly production tracking with all vendors, escalating risk areas to relevant stakeholders.
• Collaborate closely with vendors and factory partners to ensure proactive resolution of potential delays or capacity issues.
• Oversee QA activities in line with the defined QA process
• Work with third-party inspection companies and  in-country QA teams to validate factory-reported progress and quality standards.
• Lead and manage the warehouse and logistics function to ensure goods are received, stored, and dispatched accurately and efficiently.
• Oversee warehouse performance on accuracy, timeliness, and housekeeping standards aligned with business expectations.
• Manage allocation of inbound goods to customer orders, prioritising key customers and ensuring fairness and transparency
• Lead visibility and decision-making on inventory requirements across all product categories, ensuring balance between availability, working capital, and warehouse capacity.
• Direct stocking decisions in partnership with stakeholders and buying team, aligning purchasing and replenishment to sales trends and forecast accuracy.
• Provide regular reporting to the SLT on inventory health, aged stock, and service-level KPIs.
• Monitor and report monthly on debit and credit notes, analysing root causes and agreeing remedial actions.
• Provide structured performance reporting to the COO and SLT, highlighting trends, risks, and corrective measures.
• Work in close partnership with the buying team to ensure end-to-end alignment between planning and execution.
• Contribute to SLT discussions on supply chain performance, resource planning, and continuous improvement.
• Promote a culture of accountability, operational discipline, and data integrity across all supply chain activities.

Skillset Required:

• Proven experience in supply chain or operations management within apparel or related manufacturing industries.
• Strong understanding of international logistics, freight, and production timelines (Asia, Europe).
• Experience managing QA and inspection processes across multiple geographies.
• Excellent organisational and analytical skills; able to manage complex delivery schedules and data systems.
• Strong leadership, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills at SLT level.
• High attention to detail with a focus on accuracy, process control, and continuous improvement.