Supply Chain Director

A Supply Chain Director oversees the end-to-end supply chain, ensuring products flow from production to retailer or consumer efficiently, cost-effectively and sustainably. Responsibilities typically include forecasting, planning, logistics, warehousing, procurement, S&OP, supplier management, inventory optimisation and risk mitigation. In challenger brands, the role is often hands-on, blending strategy with operational leadership.

Businesses typically look for:

Strong leadership across planning, logistics and operations
Experience managing 3PLs, co-manufacturers and international supply networks
Commercial and financial acumen (cost-to-serve, budgeting, margin impact)
S&OP / IBP process ownership
Experience scaling systems and processes in high-growth environments
Ability to forecast accurately and manage demand volatility
Knowledge of sustainability, packaging, ERP systems and regulatory compliance

Typical salary ranges are:

Supply Chain Director (Challenger / SME): £90,000–£130,000 + bonus
Supply Chain Director (Mid-size FMCG): £110,000–£150,000 + bonus + LTIP
Supply Chain Director (Blue-chip FMCG): £130,000–£180,000 + car + bonus + LTIP
Roles with international complexity or full operational ownership often command higher packages.

Most FMCG supply chain leaders come from:

Food & beverage
Health & wellness
Beauty & personal care
Household goods
Manufacturing and logistics operations
While category experience helps, many skills are highly transferable across consumer goods.

Not always. Some organisations prioritise:

Planning and forecasting strength
ERP or systems capability
Logistics optimisation
Proven experience managing outsourced operations or co-manufacturers
In vertically integrated or highly technical categories, deeper operational or engineering knowledge may be required.

We run a specialist search process tailored to supply chain and operations within FMCG, including:

Market mapping across supply chain, operations, procurement and logistics
Competency-based assessment and technical screening
Salary benchmarking and role scoping
Fully curated shortlists with referencing
Support through offer negotiation and onboarding

Lime Talent has placed Supply Chain Directors for both fast-growth challenger brands and established global FMCG organisations.

Because supply chain in consumer goods requires leaders who can balance cost efficiency, operational resilience and customer service levels — all while supporting rapid growth. Lime Talent understands the unique complexities of FMCG supply chains, from working with co-packers to navigating retailer service requirements.

Most searches take 4–8 weeks, depending on:

Required technical depth (e.g., S&OP, manufacturing, international logistics)
Supply chain complexity
Salary competitiveness
Candidate notice periods
We can also support accelerated or interim searches.

Yes — we frequently place interim:

Supply Chain Directors
Operations Managers / Heads of Operations
S&OP leads
Consultants for transformation or system implementations
Interims are especially useful during growth stages, restructures or maternity cover.

We recruit for:

VC/PE-backed challenger brands
SMEs and founder-led businesses
Mid-size FMCG brands scaling rapidly
Global FMCG groups with complex international footprints

Our strongest niche is supporting high-growth consumer brands building their first senior supply chain leadership layer.

Yes — while the UK is our core market, we support searches across Europe, North America, Australia and the Middle East, particularly for brands expanding internationally or centralising supply chain operations.