Chief Supply Chain Officer — Interim, FMCG

The mandate

Flooding disabled two eastern distribution centres and exposed single-route dependence for high-velocity categories. The supply-chain chief resigned after emergency stock transfers amplified shortages elsewhere and obsolete inventory rose sharply.

The interim must join within three weeks for eighteen months, covering recovery, network redesign and the next monsoon cycle. A permanent search starts after revised sites and routes are approved, with two months planned for handover.

Exit requires weighted availability above ninety-seven per cent for two quarters, inventory reduced by ₹240 crore without service loss, all critical categories holding tested alternate routes, and the successor completing a full disruption simulation.

The chief may reallocate stock, contract emergency capacity below ₹2 crore and alter planning parameters. Distribution-centre leases, manufacturing footprint changes and write-offs above ₹5 crore need executive approval; Sales retains customer-pricing and promotion authority.

Brand portfolio, factory technology and retailer credit policy are outside scope. Supply Chain must make their consequences visible without becoming the owner of commercial demand choices.

Why this seat is open

The flood became an enterprise shortage because resilience plans were neither current nor physically tested. Leadership departure leaves competing regions without an arbiter for scarce stock. The board wants an interim who can restore service, reduce the resulting excess and leave a network proven through the next monsoon.

What you will own

• Reallocate constrained inventory by consumer availability, retailer commitment, shelf life and recovery lead time.
• Decide the future eastern node and route architecture using disruption, cost, tax and service scenarios.
• Reinstate S&OP with explicit promotion risk, capacity constraints and approved shortage-allocation rules.
• Release ₹240 crore through SKU segmentation, parameter correction, obsolete-stock action and supplier cadence.
• Qualify alternate routes and nodes through physical trial movements before monsoon reliance.
• Publish a weekly service-inventory bridge explaining shortage, transfer and write-off consequences.
• Transfer the resilience playbook after the successor commands a full network-disruption simulation.

Candidate qualifications

• More than twenty-two years in FMCG supply chain with national planning and distribution executive accountability.
• Led recovery from flood, closure, strike or comparable multi-node network interruption.
• Demonstrated substantial inventory release while preserving weighted product availability.
• Strong command of S&OP, distribution design, demand volatility, shelf life and high-frequency retailer service.
• Experience applying transparent allocation across regions when total demand cannot be served.
• Ability to prove resilience with physical trials rather than maintaining documentary alternate-route lists.

Non-negotiables

• Can be Kolkata-based within three weeks and travel frequently through eastern nodes.
• No current relationship with logistics providers competing for replacement capacity.
• Available for the full eighteen-month term, including the next monsoon season.
• Prepared to challenge promotions or assortment choices that exceed feasible supply.

1. 49 words maximum. State your earliest Kolkata start and ability to travel during monsoon recovery.
2. 49 words maximum. What network disruption did you recover, and how quickly did weighted availability return?
3. 49 words maximum. How much inventory did you release while maintaining service, and by which two levers?