About this role
About the Role
At DS Smith, we're looking for an experienced Supply Chain Manager to lead our Customer Services and Planning functions across two manufacturing sites. This is a fantastic opportunity to work with two high-performing teams, driving consistency, improving performance, and creating a best-in-class supply chain operation.
Reporting into the senior leadership team, you'll be responsible for leading a team of 10, including two direct reports, ensuring Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP), customer service, production planning, inventory management, and raw material supply activities are aligned to deliver exceptional customer outcomes and operational efficiency.
This is a highly visible role where you'll partner closely with Sales, Operations, Production, Engineering and Supply Chain colleagues to ensure demand, capacity and supply plans are effectively managed while driving continuous improvement across both sites.
Key responsibilities
• Lead Customer Services and Planning teams across two manufacturing sites.
• Develop a high-performing, engaged team culture and coach colleagues to maximise performance.
• Own and drive the site S&OP and S&OE processes, ensuring effective demand, capacity and inventory planning.
• Align customer demand with operational capability to deliver outstanding service levels.
• Manage inventory, raw material forecasting and stock policies to balance service, cost and working capital targets.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives across planning, scheduling, logistics and customer service functions.
• Monitor and improve key KPIs including OTIF, inventory performance, customer service metrics and supply chain efficiency.
• Partner with Sales, Operations and Manufacturing teams to proactively respond to changing business demands.
• Ensure accurate supply chain data and reporting to support effective decision-making.
• Support strategic supply chain projects and contribute to wider cluster objectives.
• Foster collaboration across sites, creating common ways of working and a consistent supply chain culture.
What We're Looking For
Essential
• Proven Supply Chain leadership experience within a manufacturing environment.
• Experience across planning, scheduling, logistics, customer service and inventory management.
• Strong people management experience with a track record of developing high-performing teams.
• Excellent problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Ability to manage complexity and competing priorities across multiple sites.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience leading or supporting S&OP and Sales & Operations Execution processes.
• Strong IT and systems skills, including planning and reporting tools.
Desirable
• Graduate calibre or equivalent experience.
• Packaging, paper, FMCG or manufacturing sector experience.
• Understanding of the DS Smith sales model.
• Knowledge of Abaca or similar planning systems.
• Experience leading supply chain transformation or cultural change initiatives.
Benefits
• Competitive salary
• 25 days holiday, plus bank holidays
• Pension, life assurance and income protection
• Employee Assistance Program
• Digital GP and Health Checks
• Retail and leisure discounts
• Cycle to work scheme
Location: On site – Crumlin / Redditch
About us
We are DS Smith, together with International Paper, we are a global leader in sustainable packaging solutions and other fibre-based products. We believe a better, more sustainable tomorrow is possible with the right people, who challenge and support one another to enact positive change. We employ more than 65,000 colleagues in North America and Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), who are experts in innovation, manufacturing, design, sales, sustainability, supply chain, and much more. Together with our customers, we make the world safer and more productive, one sustainable packaging solution at a time. Become part of a world-leading organisation and do your best work with us!
Fair recruitment at DS Smith
To fulfil our purpose of redefining packaging for a changing world, we aim to build a diverse, motivated, and engaged workforce. Our goal is to create a culture of inclusion where everyone is treated fairly, differences are valued, and everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed.
Our people come from diverse backgrounds, bring different perspectives, ideas and experiences to generate unique solutions focused on present and future sustainability challenges. We welcome all candidates to apply, even those not meeting all criteria #LI-CE