Product Owner - Supply Chain

Job description

About Vilgain We are Vilgain — on a mission to change how people think about food. With 300+ people across EU, UK and US, we develop high-quality, minimally processed products that make uncompromising nutrition accessible. Everything we do is driven by our values: leading by example, striving for excellence, creating outstanding products, and taking care of our customers and team. Learn more about our story and join us on our journey. About the Role Vilgain’s supply chain should run on models, not spreadsheets. We’re looking for a Product Owner to own the systems that decide what we buy and produce, how much, when, and where it goes. It’s a genuinely hard planning problem. We sell across multiple channels (D2C, B2B and our own retail stores), each with its own demand pattern, and all competing for the same stock. On the supply side we combine in-house production with contract manufacturing, which means one forecast has to drive two quite different sourcing processes. And we’re growing fast, so whatever you build has to hold up as volumes, SKU count and our fulfillment footprint all keep expanding. You’ll own that chain end to end: Demand forecasting: models that predict what we’ll sell, by SKU, by channel, by horizon. Distribution and allocation: how stock is allocated across channels and pushed out to individual locations, so the right products are in the right place, in the right quantity, at the right time. Automated ordering: replenishment and input planning driven by those forecasts, lead times, MOQs and other limiting factors. The goal is ambitious: get the vast majority of orders placed automatically, with no humans in the loop. People should be handling exceptions, not typing in order quantities. This is not a backlog-grooming role. You’ll be reasoning about forecast accuracy, service levels, safety stock, lead time variability and shelf life, while working shoulder to shoulder with software developers and data engineers/scientists to ship it. What you will do Own the demand forecasting capability — model quality, accuracy tracking, and channel-level forecasting reconciled into a single plan the business can act on. Own allocation and distribution logic — how stock is split across channels when it’s short, and how individual locations get replenished. Own the automated ordering and replenishment algorithm — driving the share of fully automated orders up and manual intervention down. Own input and material planning for what we produce ourselves — translating demand forecasts into upstream requirements that respect lead times, MOQs and shelf life. Build for scale — design data models and logic that hold up as our channel mix, SKU range and fulfillment network grow. Define the vision and roadmap for supply chain planning systems, and prioritise the backlog by business and technical impact. Partner closely with the Supply Chain team to translate operational reality — supplier lead times, capacity, seasonality, promotions — into logic the systems can act on. Work daily with software developers, data engineers/scientists, and architects on approach, data models, and delivery. Instrument everything: define the metrics that tell us whether the models are actually working, and make them visible. Analyse and improve the underlying systems (ERP, WMS, and their integrations) where they serve planning — for scalability and reliability. What we are looking for Strong quantitative and data background — you’re comfortable with forecasting methods, statistics, and reasoning about model performance. A background in data science, analytics, or operations research is a big plus. Hands-on comfort with data — SQL as a minimum; Python or similar for exploring and validating model behaviour is welcome. Solid understanding of supply chain fundamentals: demand planning, replenishment, MRP and BOM logic, safety stock, service levels, inventory turns. Experience with multi-channel demand is an advantage — you understand why a D2C forecast and a B2B forecast are not the same animal. Working knowledge of ERP systems, API integrations, and data models. Experience in product management or Product Ownership — or a strong desire to grow into it from a data or technical foundation. Ability to work effectively with engineers — you understand their mindset, their language, and their constraints. Proactive, ownership-driven approach — you don’t wait to be told what to fix. What’s in it for you Product: Europe’s fastest-growing food brands that change how people think about food. Growth: We work in a fast-paced, transparent, and no-nonsense environment that supports professional growth and focuses on outcomes. Flexibility: Flexible working hours and a hybrid setup that supports autonomy and work-life balance. Team: Close collaboration with a tight, global team that’s hands-on and gets things done. Benefits: Competitive compensation, plus monthly credits and employee discounts on Vilgain products.