Supply Chain Manager

Position Summary

ArkStack is an IT Managed Service Provider. Supply chain is not a back-office support function at ArkStack, it directly enables service delivery: sourcing the hardware, software licenses, and equipment that client engagements depend on, and increasingly, procuring and delivering goods as part of ArkStack's own service offering.

The Supply Chain Manager owns the full supply chain function end-to-end — procurement, inventory, and logistics — as one integrated discipline, not three separate concerns. This role is responsible for building and running the systems, policies, and vendor relationships. This role is expected to scale the function's capability and headcount accordingly, not just execute within existing constraints.

Key Responsibilities

Supply Chain Strategy & Leadership

• Own the overall supply chain strategy for ArkStack — how procurement, inventory, and logistics work together as one function, not in isolation.
• Set and continuously refine supply chain policy: buffer stock levels, delivery routing rules (drop-ship vs. warehouse-first), vendor tiering, and risk thresholds.
• Build the supply chain function's capability and structure as ArkStack scales — including identifying when additional headcount or specialisation is needed.
• Own the supply chain budget and report on cost performance, risk, and capacity to the Director.

Procurement

• Lead end-to-end procurement — sourcing, evaluation, contract management, and purchase order issuance for hardware, software, and services.
• Negotiate vendor terms, pricing, and contracts; monitor vendor performance against service and quality standards.
• Maintain procurement policy, workflows, and documentation in line with business objectives and compliance requirements

Inventory Management

• Own buffer stock policy — determine when and how much stock to hold on hand to protect client lead times and capture favourable early-order pricing.
• Decide where buffer stock is held for each vendor relationship — vendor/distributor-held where permitted, or ArkStack's own storeroom where the vendor does not allow holding stock on their end.
• Set inventory control standards — stock audits, reconciliation, asset tagging and tracking — executed day-to-day by the Procurement Executive.
• Own the system and process for tracking client-purchased software licenses, ensuring accurate records and renewal visibility.
• Monitor inventory turnover and carrying cost, balancing stock availability against capital tied up in inventory.

Warehouse & Storeroom

• Own ArkStack's storeroom operations for stock that cannot be held at the vendor/distributor — receiving, safe storage, and condition of goods.
• Set standards for physical stock handling
• Ensure regular physical stock counts are reconciled against inventory records, resolving discrepancies between system and physical stock.
• Determine storeroom capacity needs as buffer stock requirements grow with ArkStack's client-facing procurement services.

Logistics & Distribution

• Decide delivery routing strategy for client orders.
• Own relationships with logistics/freight partners; ensure smooth movement of goods for both local and overseas shipments.
• Set standards for delivery documentation, shipment tracking, and issue resolution when deliveries go wrong.

Vendor & Risk Management

• Build and maintain a vendor ecosystem (distributors, OEMs, logistics partners)
• Identify and mitigate supply chain risk
• Drive onboarding of pre-approved vendors and maintain vendor performance records.

Team Leadership

• Manage and develop the Procurement Executive (and future supply chain headcount) — workload planning, coaching, performance management.
• Ensure the team has clear, documented processes to execute against, rather than relying on manager-level judgment for routine decisions.

Collaboration

• Work with Sales and Solution Architects to understand upcoming client equipment/licensing needs ahead of time, enabling proactive rather than reactive procurement.
• Coordinate with MIS and Project teams on deployment timing, asset handover.
• Work with Finance on budget, spend forecasting, invoice verification, and payment tracking.
• Coordinate with Business Development Manager on distributor concentration strategy — balancing the volume commitments needed for partner tier progression against supply chain risk diversification, so vendor/partner strategy and procurement execution stay aligned.
• Evaluate and recommend supply chain systems/tools (procurement platforms, inventory tracking, logistics coordination) as the function outgrows manual processes.

Requirements

Experiences

• 5–8 years in a supply chain, procurement, or logistics management role, with demonstrated ownership across more than one of these disciplines.
• Experience in IT, technology distribution, or managed services environments strongly preferred.
• Track record of building or scaling a supply chain function

Technical Skills

• Procurement tools and platforms
• Inventory management principles — stock control, demand/buffer planning, carrying cost analysis.
• Warehouse/storeroom operations — physical stock handling, storage organisation, stock count reconciliation.
• Logistics and distribution coordination — shipping terms, drop-ship arrangements, carrier/freight management, import/export basics for overseas shipments.
• IT procurement knowledge — hardware/software lifecycles, licensing models, supplier ecosystems relevant to managed services.
• Budgeting, spend forecasting, and data-driven decision-making.

Soft Skills

• Strategic thinking — able to design policy and structure, not just execute transactions.
• Strong negotiation and vendor relationship management.
• People leadership — coaching and developing a small but growing team.
• Cross-functional collaboration across Sales, MIS, Finance, and Project Management.
• Analytical and problem-solving ability, comfortable operating with ambiguity as the function scales.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Logistics, or a related field.
• Certification in supply chain or procurement (e.g. CIPS, CPSM, CSCP, CPIM) strongly preferred at this level.