Supply Chain Manager – B2B Distribution

EELAF is seeking an experienced and highly hands-on Supply Chain Manager to lead the company’s end-to-end supply chain function across demand planning, procurement, inventory management, warehousing, logistics oversight, and order fulfilment.The role will be responsible for ensuring product availability, controlling inventory investment, improving supplier performance, strengthening planning accuracy, and ensuring effective coordination between Procurement, Logistics, Warehouse, Sales, Product Management, Finance, and Operations.EELAF already has a dedicated Logistics Manager. Therefore, this position will not manage the daily execution of every shipment directly. Instead, the Supply Chain Manager will oversee logistics performance, resolve critical escalations, establish controls, and ensure that the Logistics Manager and logistics team meet agreed cost, service, and delivery targets.This is a demanding role within a fast-paced B2B distribution environment. The successful candidate must be able to manage a high volume of open orders, imported products, changing priorities, operational escalations, and processes that may still require further development and standardisation.Key ResponsibilitiesDemand and Supply PlanningDevelop and manage the company’s demand and supply planning process.Consolidate sales forecasts, project pipelines, stock requirements, open customer orders, supplier lead times, and available inventory.Prepare rolling purchasing and replenishment plans across all business units and product categories.Establish minimum stock, maximum stock, safety stock, reorder points, and stock-coverage policies.Monitor forecast accuracy and take corrective action when actual demand differs significantly from the approved plan.Ensure sufficient product availability while minimising excess, obsolete, and slow-moving inventory.Coordinate stock requirements across warehouses, retail locations, branches, and operational sites.Review expected sales, purchasing plans, inbound shipments, and available working capital regularly.Procurement and Supplier ManagementLead and control local and international procurement activities.Manage the procurement team and ensure timely execution of approved purchasing plans.Review and approve purchase requisitions and purchase orders according to company policies and approved budgets.Negotiate pricing, payment terms, credit terms, lead times, minimum order quantities, and delivery schedules.Monitor supplier performance in terms of price, quality, availability, lead time, delivery reliability, and documentation accuracy.Build and maintain strong relationships with strategic suppliers and manufacturers.Ensure purchase orders are not issued outside the ERP system or without the required approvals.Coordinate vendor payments, down payments, and payment schedules with the Finance Department.Follow up on major supplier delays and resolve commercial or operational escalations.Inventory ManagementOwn the company’s inventory strategy and inventory-performance targets.Monitor stock value, stock ageing, stock turnover, stock coverage, product availability, and inventory accuracy.Identify excess, slow-moving, obsolete, and non-performing inventory.Develop corrective action plans for overstocked and understocked items.Coordinate with Product Managers and Business Unit Managers regarding stock planning and replenishment.Review stock reservations, project allocations, internal transfers, and order priorities.Ensure that unconfirmed or unofficial orders do not block available stock.Coordinate with Finance on inventory valuation, provisions, reconciliations, and landed-cost allocation.Lead periodic inventory reviews and stock optimisation initiatives.Warehouse ManagementOversee warehouse performance, controls, capacity, and operational discipline.Manage the Warehouse Manager or responsible warehouse team.Ensure accurate receiving, storage, location control, picking, packing, transfer, and dispatch operations.Monitor warehouse productivity, inventory accuracy, order preparation time, and delivery readiness.Ensure proper control of project staging, returns, damaged stock, e-commerce packing, and courier handover areas.Lead cycle-counting and physical-stock-counting programmes.Investigate and resolve stock discrepancies, shortages, damage, and system variances.Improve warehouse layout, utilisation, product flow, labelling, barcode controls, and process automation.Logistics OversightOversee the performance of the Logistics Manager and logistics team.Set logistics KPIs covering freight cost, shipment lead time, customs-clearance time, and on-time delivery.Review the status of all critical inbound and outbound shipments.Ensure accurate shipment readiness, departure, arrival, clearance, and delivery dates are maintained in Odoo.Review major freight decisions, service-provider performance, and logistics costs.Approve or review logistics solutions for high-value, urgent, or critical shipments.Support the Logistics Manager in resolving major supplier, carrier, customs, documentation, or delivery issues.Ensure logistics delays and risks are escalated before they affect customer commitments.Evaluate freight forwarders, customs brokers, transportation providers, and shipping partners.Ensure that freight, customs, clearance, handling, and transportation costs remain within approved limits.Order Fulfilment and Cross-Functional CoordinationTake overall ownership of supply chain performance from demand planning through customer delivery.Ensure proper coordination between Procurement, Logistics, Warehouse, Finance, Sales, Product Management, and Operations.Establish clear ownership and deadlines for all open orders and operational actions.Review all delayed, blocked, or high-risk orders and ensure corrective action is taken.Ensure internal teams receive accurate and timely updates on product availability, purchase orders, shipments, and expected deliveries.Resolve bottlenecks that may affect customer commitments, revenue recognition, or project deadlines.Ensure all supply chain activities, costs, documents, and status updates are accurately recorded in Odoo.Establish weekly operational reviews covering open purchase orders, shipments, stock risks, delays, and required escalations.Process Improvement and ControlDevelop and implement standard operating procedures across procurement, inventory, warehousing, and logistics.Identify process gaps, weak controls, unclear responsibilities, and repeated operational failures.Introduce clear documentation, accountability, escalation, and follow-up mechanisms.Improve ERP usage, reporting accuracy, workflow automation, and data discipline.Establish dashboards and management reports for supply chain performance.Continuously improve planning, procurement, inventory, warehouse, and logistics processes.Ensure compliance with company policies, approval controls, and ERP procedures.Team ManagementLead and develop the Procurement, Inventory, Warehouse, and Logistics functions.Define clear responsibilities and reporting lines across the supply chain team.Set KPIs and monitor individual and departmental performance.Conduct regular performance reviews and operational meetings.Build a disciplined, accountable, and results-focused supply chain team.Remain directly involved in critical escalations while ensuring functional managers remain responsible for daily execution.Work Environment and Operational RequirementsAbility to perform effectively under significant operational pressure and tight deadlines.Proven ability to control a large number of open orders, purchase orders, stock requirements, and shipments simultaneously.Comfortable working in a fast-moving environment where priorities may change frequently.Capable of working with processes that may still be manual, developing, or not fully standardised.Able to create structure, accountability, documentation, and control within complex operations.Strong ability to prioritise, make decisions, and take ownership without waiting for detailed instructions.Able to manage supplier delays, stock shortages, operational escalations, and cross-functional conflicts.Highly resilient, organised, analytical, and capable of maintaining accuracy under pressure.Willing to remain hands-on and closely involved in execution when required.Required QualificationsBachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business Administration, Commerce, Engineering, or a related field.Minimum 10 years of experience in supply chain, procurement, planning, inventory management, warehousing, or distribution.Minimum 3 years of experience in a supply chain management role.Strong experience in B2B distribution, trading, or imported-product businesses.Proven experience managing procurement, inventory, warehousing, and logistics teams or functions.Strong knowledge of demand planning, supply planning, stock replenishment, procurement, and inventory control.Experience managing high-value, multi-category inventory.Strong knowledge of international purchasing, supplier lead times, and import operations.Good understanding of logistics, customs clearance, Incoterms, and landed-cost calculations.Strong analytical, negotiation, leadership, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.Advanced Microsoft Excel skills.Strong experience using ERP systems.Odoo experience is strongly preferred.Very good command of written and spoken English.Preferred QualificationsExperience in electrical products, low-voltage systems, UPS, ELV, structured cabling, data centres, IT infrastructure, lighting, electronics, or industrial distribution.Experience managing more than 1,000 SKUs and high-value inventory.Experience dealing with suppliers from China, Europe, and the GCC.Professional certification such as CSCP, CPIM, CIPS, or an equivalent qualification.Experience implementing inventory controls, warehouse barcoding, demand-planning tools, and ERP process automation.