Head of Supply Chain

Ivcevidensia; Keynsham; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare Cash Plan

Cycle to Work scheme

Green Cars salary sacrifice scheme

Voluntary benefits

Discounted staff pet care

Retail discounts/cashback

Job summary

IVC Evidensia's Pet Drugs Online seeks a senior supply chain leader to own demand, supply and stock. You will drive the S&OP process, lead three managers, and ensure the right stock is in the right place at the right time.

You'll report to the Managing Director and work with Commercial, Finance and Warehouse Ops to balance revenue, margin and working capital while building team capability.

Qualifications

• Senior supply chain leadership experience with ownership of S&OP, demand and supply planning.
• Experience managing purchasing, stock and inventory for a large product range.
• Strong forecast accuracy and bias knowledge with inventory segmentation and safety stock.
• Excellent commercial and financial judgement aligning revenue, margins and cash.
• Ability to chair high-level decision meetings and build consensus.
• Numerate, pragmatic, and able to tighten controls before tech is in place.
• Calm, credible style with willingness to raise uncomfortable facts.

Responsibilities

• Lead the supply chain for Pet Drugs Online with one clear view of demand, supply, stock and risk.
• Own the S&OP process and chair weekly reviews to keep plans on track.
• Build a unified demand forecast by product/category and monitor accuracy.
• Translate demand into supply, purchasing, stock and warehouse plans.
• Set stock policy per product segment including service levels and reorder points.
• Maintain stock accuracy and availability with the Stock Manager on counts and expiry.
• Manage supplier performance and relationships with carriers and 3PL partners.

Skills

S&OP leadership

Demand planning

Inventory management

Forecast accuracy

Supplier management

Financial acumen

Executive communication

Job description

Pet Drugs Online Role

IVC Evidensia is the UK and Europe's leading veterinary care group, made up of over 900 practices and referral hospitals, united by a shared purpose of happier animals, happier owners.

At IVC Evidensia, we believe careers should be built without limits. Our people are supported to make more impact, access more career opportunities, and play an active role in their local and professional communities. Through investment in learning, innovation, and wellbeing, we create environments where our teams can grow in confidence, capability, and fulfilment-at every stage of their career.

Pet Drugs Online is one of the UK's leading online pet pharmacies and retailers, helping pet owners access trusted medication, healthcare products, and everyday essentials quickly, safely, and conveniently. As part of the IVC Evidensia Group, Pet Drugs Online combines the agility of a growing ecommerce business with the strength and expertise of a leading veterinary care organisation.

Our teams play a vital role in making pet healthcare more accessible through innovation, operational excellence, and outstanding customer experience.

How You'll Make a Difference

You'll report to the Managing Director and lead the supply chain for Pet Drugs Online (PDOL), giving the business one clear view of demand, supply, stock and risk. You'll own the sales and operations planning (S&OP) process and lead three managers, covering planning, stock, and our carrier and third party logistics (3PL) partners. The goal is easy to state and hard to achieve: the right stock in the right place at the right time, without losing sales or tying up cash in excess or obsolete inventory.

• Run the monthly S&OP cycle from demand review through to the executive decision meeting, and chair the weekly reviews that keep the plan on track between cycles
• Build one agreed demand forecast by product, category and time horizon, then track its accuracy and bias and challenge any assumption without evidence behind it
• Turn the demand plan into a workable supply, purchasing, stock and warehouse capacity plan, making constraints, costs and the effect on customers clear before anything is approved
• Set stock policy for each product segment, covering service levels, safety stock, reorder points and order quantities, with separate controls for fast and slow movers and for prescription, seasonal, short dated and critical lines
• Hold overall accountability for stock accuracy and availability, working through the Stock Manager on counts, batch and expiry control, adjustments and fixing root causes
• Manage supplier performance and own the commercial relationships with our carriers and 3PL partners, from contracts and service levels to capacity and contingency plans
• Work with Commercial on ranges and promotions, with Finance to reconcile the plan to budget and working capital, and with Goods In and Warehouse Operations to keep inbound deliveries manageable
• Build the team's capability, succession and reporting so the function spots problems early and doesn't have to rush orders through after the fact

You Might Be a Great Fit If...

We're looking for a driven, capable professional who brings:

• Senior supply chain leadership experience, including direct ownership of S&OP, demand and supply planning, purchasing and inventory in a business with a large, varied product range
• Deep practical knowledge of forecast accuracy and bias, inventory segmentation, safety stock, reorder logic, supplier lead times, service levels and working capital
• Strong commercial and financial judgement, with the ability to put numbers on the choices between revenue, margin, availability, cost, cash and risk
• Confidence chairing decision meetings with Commercial, Operations and Finance, challenging constructively and getting everyone behind one plan
• A highly numerate approach, with the pragmatism to tighten control before perfect technology is in place
• A calm, credible style and the willingness to raise uncomfortable facts early
• A commitment to supporting our purpose and values

What We Offer Our Team

• Healthcare Cash Plan
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Green Cars salary sacrifice scheme
• Voluntary benefits: choose from a range of benefits to suit you
• Discounted staff pet care
• Access to discounts/cashback with hundreds of participating retailers

Diversity, Equality, Inclusion and Belonging

At IVC Evidensia we are committed to Diversity, Equality, Inclusion and Belonging, we are keen to hear from candidates from all minority and diverse g