Senior Supply Chain Officer

Job description

Position: Senior Supply Chain Officer Department : Supply Chain Reports to: Supply Chain Director POSITION SUMMARY The Senior Supply Chain role is a senior operational position responsible for coordinating and executing complex procurement, expediting, logistics, customs clearance, supplier management, inventory coordination and ERP activities. The role manages assigned workstreams and suppliers, supports junior team members, and ensures purchase orders and shipments progress from sourcing through final delivery with accurate documentation, timely escalation and strong compliance. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Procurement & Sourcing Execution · Manage assigned procurement packages from requisition through RFQ/RFP, commercial evaluation, negotiation, award, purchase order and delivery. · Conduct market checks, obtain competitive quotations and prepare complete procurement files in line with company procedures and approval requirements. · Negotiate supplier pricing, payment terms, lead times, delivery terms and other commercial conditions within delegated authority; escalate strategic or high-risk negotiations. · Support annual and project procurement planning based on demand forecasts, project timelines and inventory requirements. · Create and maintain suppliers, vendors and items in Dynamics 365 / ERP and ensure procurement records remain complete and current. · Coordinate with the global supply chain team and local stakeholders as required. 2. Expediting & Order Management · Track assigned purchase orders from issuance through production, shipment, customs clearance and delivery. · Maintain accurate PO trackers and compare actual supply, production and shipment progress against planned dates and targets. · Follow up suppliers proactively, identify delays early and agree practical recovery actions. · Coordinate delivery schedules with Projects, Operations, Warehouse and other internal stakeholders. · Escalate critical delays, constraints or supplier failures with clear facts, impact and recommended actions. 3. Traffic, Logistics & Freight Coordination · Plan and coordinate domestic and international shipments by air, sea and land for assigned orders. · Obtain and compare freight quotations and coordinate bookings with approved freight forwarders, transporters and 3PL providers. · Prepare and check shipping instructions and documentation and track shipments through to receipt. · Resolve day-to-day traffic and logistics issues such as delayed departures, route changes, documentation gaps, damaged cargo, short shipments and delivery coordination. · Monitor freight-related charges and support control of avoidable demurrage, detention, storage and re-delivery costs. 4. Customs Clearance & Trade Documentation · Coordinate end-to-end customs clearance for assigned shipments and maintain close follow-up with customs brokers, freight forwarders and relevant authorities. · Prepare, collect and validate commercial invoices, packing lists, HS codes/classifications, certificates of origin, permits and other clearance documents. · Check shipment documentation for consistency with purchase orders, Incoterms and import/export requirements before submission. · Follow up customs queries, inspections, holds and documentation discrepancies and escalate complex cases promptly. · Maintain complete and traceable customs/import/export files and support audits and compliance reviews. · Stay current on applicable customs and trade procedures and apply guidance from the Supply Chain Director/Manager and Compliance functions. 5. Supplier Performance & Quality · Maintain effective day-to-day supplier relationships and follow up commitments, documentation, quality and delivery performance. · Support supplier qualification, audits and technical/commercial assessments. · Prepare supplier performance evaluations and follow up non-conformances and corrective actions. · Coordinate with QA/QC and technical teams on supplier quality issues, inspections and acceptance requirements. · Support contract administration and track supplier obligations, expiries and outstanding actions. 6. Inventory, Warehouse & ERP Coordination · Coordinate with warehouse and inventory teams to confirm receipt priorities, stock availability and material requirements. · Support demand and replenishment planning and flag potential stockouts, excess stock or supply gaps. · Ensure receipt, delivery and status information is reflected accurately in the ERP and supporting trackers. · Investigate stock or transaction discrepancies within the assigned scope and coordinate corrective action. 7. Finance, Documentation & Compliance · Support timely resolution of supplier invoices and procurement/supply chain/stock queries raised by Finance. · Maintain complete procurement, shipping, customs and supplier documentation in accordance with company controls and audit requirements. · Follow procurement ethics, approval limits, segregation-of-duties requirements and applicable donor/regulatory requirements. · Provide accurate supporting data for budget, cost, savings and logistics reporting. 8. Team Support, Coordination & Reporting · Act as a senior operational resource for junior supply chain staff; provide guidance, review work where assigned and help resolve execution issues. · Manage assigned workstreams independently, prioritise competing tasks and meet agreed deadlines and deliverables. · Participate in supply chain review meetings and provide concise updates on open POs, shipments, customs cases, supplier issues and risks. · Maintain action logs and ensure assigned actions are closed on time or escalated before deadlines are missed. · Support continuous improvement of trackers, templates, procedures and supply chain workflows. QUALIFICATIONS Education · Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, Logistics, Business, Engineering or a related field · Master's degree preferred. Experience · 5–8 years of progressive supply chain experience covering procurement and logistics, with meaningful exposure to international shipping and customs clearance. · Demonstrated experience managing purchase orders, suppliers, freight forwarders and customs-clearance activities. · Working knowledge of Incoterms, shipping documents, HS codes/classification principles and import/export requirements. · Experience with ERP systems such as Dynamics 365. CORE COMPETENCIES · Strong hands-on procurement, expediting and order-management capability. · Practical knowledge of international logistics, freight forwarding and traffic coordination. · Strong working knowledge of customs clearance processes and import/export documentation. · Supplier negotiation and relationship-management skills. · Attention to detail and strong documentation discipline. · Ability to priorities multiple orders, shipments and deadlines and escalate risks early. · Analytical problem-solving and strong follow-through. · Clear communication and cross-functional coordination. · ERP proficiency, preferably Dynamics 365 or comparable systems. · High integrity, compliance awareness and procurement ethics. · Ability to guide and support junior team members without requiring formal line-management authority.