Supply Chain Lead

About this role

Premium Outdoor Lifestyle Brand — Cape Town (Flexible)
About the Business
Our client is a fast-growing premium outdoor ambience brand, designing beautifully made outdoor lighting and heating products that transform how spaces feel. They sell through D2C and retail channels, with operations spanning South Africa, China, and the US, and are building a lean, high-output team that uses systems, technology, and AI to scale intelligently.
The Role
We're hiring a Supply Chain Lead to own the strategic layer of the supply chain — inbound, demand planning, inventory decisions, and 3PL performance across a South African warehouse, China 3PL, and USA 3PL.
This role reports directly to the CFO/COO. It's built for someone who wants to own and build a supply chain function properly inside a scaling global D2C brand — not a generalist ops role, and not a pure execution role. You'll solve complex problems across forecasting, replenishment, freight, stock positioning, and partner performance, and help build the systems and decision-making rhythm that keeps the business in stock, on time, and operating at the right cost as it scales.
What You'll Own
Inbound & Production
Lead container planning — timing, consolidation, booking, freight decisions
Manage freight forwarder relationships — inbound documentation, customs clearance, escalations
Surface inbound risks and delays before they hit stock availability

Demand Planning & Inventory
Own the rolling demand forecast by SKU and channel
Drive inventory planning — what to order, when, and where stock should sit
Track days cover across all locations; flag stockout risk or aged stock proactively
Bring stock reallocation and replenishment recommendations to leadership with clear rationale
Improve the accuracy and usability of forecasting and inventory planning models

3PL Performance
Own performance management across the SA warehouse, China 3PL, and US 3PL
Hold 3PLs to SLAs — pick/pack accuracy, fulfilment speed, inventory accuracy, issue resolution
Identify performance gaps and drive solutions with partners
Improve how 3PL and carrier performance is measured and managed over time

Systems, Data & Process Improvement
Build and improve the systems and reporting behind supply chain decisions
Use data to sharpen forecasting, inventory strategy, and operational visibility
Help shape the AI and automation layer around planning, monitoring, and exception management
Build processes that scale rather than relying on manual workarounds

Outbound Oversight
Monitor outbound order flow and manage exceptions before they hit customers
Own carrier performance and issue resolution
Work closely with customer support and leadership when fulfillment issues affect customer experience

What Success Looks Like
Forecasting is reliable, visible, and improving over time
Stock is in the right place at the right time, with fewer surprises
Inbound is proactively managed, not reactively chased
3PLs are measured clearly and held to a high standard
Supply chain decisions are commercially sound and data-backed
The function becomes more scalable through better systems, reporting, and automation

Why Join
This role sits at the centre of building a scalable operational engine for a global brand. You'll have meaningful ownership, direct exposure to leadership, and the chance to shape how supply chain works inside the business. As routine execution is increasingly supported by systems and automation, your time goes toward decision-making, strategy, performance management, and building a better operating model.

Working Style
Cape Town-based preferred
Flexible working setup
High ownership, strong communication, and great output valued over office time
In-person collaboration matters at times, but the role is designed to work well for someone disciplined in a flexible environment

Details
Start Date: As soon as possible
Working Hours: 9:00am – 5:30pm SA time
Compensation: Competitive, market-related — to be benchmarked against candidate seniority and scope
Requirements
You'll Be a Great Fit If You
Have 3+ years in supply chain, with real ownership across inbound, forecasting, inventory, freight, or 3PL management
Have worked in a physical product business, where manufacturing lead times, stock planning, freight, and fulfilment are familiar territory
Have experience in D2C or multi-market fulfillment
Are highly detail-oriented and accountable — you catch issues early and own outcomes
Are data-driven and systems-minded — you like building processes and tools that enable better decisions
Are comfortable in Cin7, Shopify, inventory systems, ERPs, or similar operational tools
Are curious about how AI and automation can improve planning, visibility, and execution
Think commercially about inventory — in terms of cash, risk, return, and customer experience
Thrive in lean, fast-moving environments where you're trusted to lead
Have exposure to cross-border supply chain — Asia manufacturing, international freight, multiple fulfilment locations, or global expansion