Head of Operations & Inventory

Key Responsibilities :

1. Ops & Inventory Integration — Ensure material and information flows between Inventory (forecasting, POs, stock allocation) and Operations (goods receipt, warehousing, fulfilment, dispatch) run without friction — define clear handoff points and resolve cross-functional priority conflicts.
2. Team Leadership — Lead the Operations Lead and Inventory Lead as direct reports — set KPIs, review cadences, and conduct regular coaching to grow both Leads in their managerial capacity.
3. ERP Ownership — Own the functional architecture of the operational systems ecosystem (Odoo Inventory & Manufacturing) — lead workflow improvements, module configuration, and critical transaction testing.
4. SOP Standards & Governance — Set, document, and maintain SOP standards for all critical processes under Operations and Inventory — ensuring every process is auditable and not person-dependent.
5. Capacity Planning & Supply Chain Risk — Anticipate capacity bottlenecks before they impact fulfilment; identify supply chain risks and escalate to the CEO with concrete action recommendations.
6. Integrated CEO Reporting — Consolidate and deliver a single integrated operational report to the CEO (weekly & monthly) covering fulfilment status, stock accuracy, forecast accuracy, vendor scorecard, and active risks.
7. Cross-Department Coordination — Act as the single liaison between Operations/Inventory and other departments — Retail & Activation, NPD, KOL/E-Commerce, and Finance.
8. Continuous Improvement — Lead process improvement initiatives with measurable impact: automating manual workflows, improving system data accuracy, and designing teams to become more self-sufficient over time.

Qualifications :

1. Min. Bachelor's — Industrial Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, or related field.
2. Min. 5 years in Operations/Supply Chain, with min. 2 years leading managerial-level direct reports.
3. Background in FMCG, retail, or personal care strongly preferred.
4. Experience managing both Operations and Inventory/Planning functions within one structure.

Technical Skills

1. Odoo (Inventory & Manufacturing) — proficient, required. Must understand module configuration and transaction flows.
2. SAP (MM/WM/PP) — active experience is a strong plus for long-term system scalability.
3. Able to read and analyse operational data: forecast accuracy (MAPE), vendor scorecards, and financial reports.
4. Proficient in building and maintaining auditable operational SOPs.

Leadership & Soft Skills

1. Able to lead lead-level reports without micromanaging — delegate execution, maintain accountability.
2. Effective cross-functional communicator — able to translate operational issues into language relevant to Finance, Brand, and CEO.
3. Data-driven problem-solver; comfortable with ambiguity and startup pace.
4. Excited to build systems from imperfect conditions — not just inherit mature ones.