Job Description

Role Purpose

The VP Supply Chain will lead end-to-end supply chain operations across Asia-Pacific (excluding China), the Middle East, and Africa, overseeing a highly complex regional network spanning from Morocco to New Zealand.

This strategic leadership role is responsible for driving operational excellence, transformation, modernization, and business alignment across the region. The position requires a leader who can combine strategic vision with hands-on execution, strengthen on-ground leadership in India, accelerate decision-making, and drive agility within a dynamic business environment. Operating within a global matrix organization, the role partners closely with R&D, Procurement, Manufacturing, Logistics, Product Management, Installations and Services, influencing outcomes across functions without direct authority. The VP Supply Chain is expected to act as a true business partner, proactively driving cross-functional collaboration and business priorities beyond traditional supply chain boundaries.

A key focus of the role will be leading transformation initiatives across modernization, lean manufacturing, digitalization, smart manufacturing, IoT-enabled supply chains, industrialization, make-vs-buy strategies, and cost competitiveness improvement across emerging markets.

Based in Chennai, the role requires a strong understanding of the Indian market, operational ecosystem, and cultural environment. While China operations are managed locally, the position serves as an escalation and governance point while collaborating closely with Europe and China leadership teams. This role is part of a long-term leadership succession pipeline and offers significant global exposure and future advancement opportunities.

Location: Chennai, India

Key Responsibilities

1.    End-to-End Supply Chain Leadership

• Lead with strategic intent and optimize end-to-end supply chain operations across the Region, ensuring alignment with business goals and customer requirements.
• Drive performance across key metrics including quality, on-time delivery (OTIF), and cost competitiveness.
• Ensure resilient and efficient supply networks across diverse and high-growth markets.
• Balance long-term strategic transformation with short-term operational execution and business continuity.

2.    Cross-Functional Influence & Business Partnership

• Act as a strategic partner to Region / Area / Global business leadership teams , contributing beyond traditional supply chain scope.
• Collaborate closely / influence Region / Area / Global R&D, Procurement, Logistics and Commercial teams to deliver integrated outcomes.
• Operate effectively in a matrix environment without direct authority, influencing senior stakeholders across regions and functions. 

3.    Regional & Global Interface

• Oversee supply chain operations across APAC (ex-China), Middle East, and Africa.
• Act as an escalation point and ensure alignment with global supply chain leadership in Europe and Asia.
• Drive consistency while adapting strategies to local market realities.
• Contribute actively to global best-practice sharing and operational capability building.

4.    Transformation & Modernization

• Lead supply chain transformation initiatives to improve agility, speed, and operational effectiveness.
• Accelerate / create buy-in for agile ways of work whilst driving modernization in a historically Europe centered environment, embedding best practices, digital tools, and new ways of working.
• Identify and implement opportunities for process optimization, cost efficiency, and capability enhancement.
• Champion initiatives across:
• Lean manufacturing
• Smart manufacturing
• Digitalization
• IoT-enabled supply chains
• Make-vs-buy optimization
• Industrialization initiatives
• Cost optimization programs
• Supply chain modernization

5.    Operational Excellence & Execution

• Strengthen on-ground leadership presence, particularly in India, to improve execution speed and responsiveness.
• Ensure robust governance, performance management, and continuous improvement practices.
• Balance short-term operational priorities with long-term strategic initiatives.

Success Metrics

• Quality performance across supply operations.
• On-time, in-full delivery (OTIF).
• Cost competitiveness, particularly in India and emerging markets.
• Measurable progress in transformation and modernization initiatives. 

Key Challenges

• Strengthening local market leadership presence and accelerating execution speed.
• Driving transformation within a traditionally Europe organizational culture.
• Managing complexity across diverse geographies and market maturities.
• Influencing across global and regional stakeholders without direct authority.

Desired Candidate Profile 

1.    Experience & Expertise

• Proven senior leadership experience in supply chain within global, matrixed organizations.
• Strong background in reputed manufacturing and supply chain environments (essential) as well as installation (preferred) and services(preferred).
• Demonstrated success in leading end-to-end supply chain operations across multiple regions.
• Strong exposure to lean manufacturing, digitalization, smart manufacturing, industrialization, and operational excellence initiatives.
• Track record of driving large-scale transformation and operational improvement initiatives.
• Experience working across emerging and developed markets.

2.    Leadership & Capabilities

• Ability to combine operational excellence (execution) with strategic thinking (transformation).
• Strong influencer capable of operating effectively without formal authority.
• Proven ability to act as a business partner, not just a functional leader.
• Experience navigating complex global structures and cross-functional collaboration.
• Decisive, agile, and comfortable with real-time decision-making in dynamic environments.

3.    Personal Attributes

• High energy, pragmatic, and execution-focused.
• Resilient and adaptable in complex, fast-evolving environments.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Cultural sensitivity with global mind-set and local market understanding.
• Commitment to building diverse and inclusive teams.