Supply Chain Manager

Overview

Company: Food Lab

Location: US-based (commutable distance from Rhode Island; role is largely remote but regular visits to our Rhode Island factory will be required)

About Food Lab
Food Lab is a fast-growing B2B business operating in the beverage space. We partner with brands to help bring their product ideas to life, supporting them across ingredients, production, and supply chain execution. We are at a formative stage of growth, scaling both volume and complexity across multiple markets. We now operate production facilities in the UK and the US and work closely with external suppliers, manufacturers, and logistics partners.

This is a key leadership role at a critical point in Food Lab’s journey.

The Role

We are looking for a Supply Chain Manager to own and lead Food Lab’s end-to-end supply chain across procurement, production planning, inventory management, and logistics within the US. This will be our first Supply Chain hire for the US side of our business, so you will have the chance to build processes and structure from the ground-up in a fast-paced, start-up environment.

This is a senior, hands-on role suited to someone who is comfortable operating in an early-stage environment — building structure where it doesn’t yet exist, while still staying close to day-to-day execution. You will be responsible for ensuring continuity of supply, building scalable processes, and supporting the business as it grows across markets. You will work closely with Operations, Production, Finance, and Commercial teams, and will manage and develop the supply chain function over time.

Supply Chain Ownership

• Own the end-to-end supply chain across raw materials, packaging, production, warehousing, and distribution
• Ensure continuity of supply while balancing cost, quality, and service levels
• Act as the escalation point for supply chain risks, shortages, and disruptions

Planning & Inventory

• Lead demand planning, supply planning, and inventory strategy across UK and US operations
• Set stock policies, safety stock levels, and replenishment logic
• Ensure inventory accuracy and effective use of MRP systems

Procurement & Supplier Management

• Own supplier relationships for key raw materials, packaging, and external manufacturers
• Negotiate pricing, lead times, and commercial terms
• Identify, onboard, and qualify new suppliers as the business scales

Production & Manufacturing

• Work closely with internal production teams and external manufacturers
• Support production planning and capacity management
• Help standardise processes across sites and partners

Systems & Process Development

• Own and improve supply chain processes, documentation, and SOPs
• Drive effective use of MRP / inventory systems (e.g. MRPeasy)
• Build scalable ways of working suitable for a growing business

Leadership & Collaboration

• Build, manage, and develop the supply chain team over time
• Work cross-functionally with Operations, Finance, and Commercial teams
• Provide clear reporting, insight, and recommendations to leadership

Essential Experience

• Significant experience in supply chain management within manufacturing, FMCG, food & beverage, or similar environments
• Proven experience managing end-to-end supply chains in a growing or changing business
• Strong understanding of procurement, inventory management, and production planning
• Experience working with MRP / ERP systems
• Comfortable operating in ambiguity and building structure from scratch

Preferred Experience

• Experience in startup or scale-up environments
• Exposure to multi-site or multi-country operations
• Experience working with both in-house manufacturing and external partners
• Background in food, beverage, or regulated manufacturing environments

• Supply continuity is stable, predictable, and well managed
• Inventory is controlled, visible, and aligned to demand
• Suppliers are well managed, with clear expectations and improving performance
• Supply chain processes are documented, scalable, and understood across the business
• The supply chain function grows in capability as the business scales

• A genuinely impactful leadership role in a scaling business
• Opportunity to build and shape the supply chain function from the ground up
• Close collaboration with senior leadership and operations
• Exposure to international operations and growth