Supply Chain Manager

Supply Chain Manager

The Supply Chain Manager is a highly skilled, adaptable and entrepreneurial manager leading procurement and logistics operations on the ground to ensure the rapid purchasing and delivery of essential food items to kitchen facilities and disaster-affected communities. The Supply Chain Manager thrives in dynamic, low-resource environments, and plays a critical role in building and training locally led response teams in order to coordinate the efficient and effective provision of food resources promptly. The Supply Chain Manager is responsible for ensuring food aid rapidly reaches communities in need in alignment with WCK's mission and values.

Duration: The Supply Chain Manager is a two (2) year contract term position with the opportunity for renewal, offering a unique chance to lead and shape WCK's responses.

This position reports directly to the Global Supply Chain Director off activation, and into the Response Director on activation.

Location: Capitol Heights, Maryland or Washington, DC. Must live within one (1) hour of an international airport.

Key Responsibilities:

Activation Management

• Respond within four (4) hours notice to a disaster area to act as Supply Chain Manager, managing relief operations on the ground, or in rare cases, remotely.
• Lead and manage field teams specializing in supply chain. Ensure strategic and streamlined implementation of relief activities on the ground, operationalizing WCK's North Star values.
• Design and implement response strategies in the field that are adaptable and robust enough to function in high-stress, dynamic environments affected by natural disasters or conflicts.
• Recruit, onboard, train and manage supply chain teams, including local hires and Corps members in the field.
• Consult on the scope of the response, and manage or implement supply chain operations.
• Provide regular updates on operations to the Response Director to ensure ongoing, transparent information sharing across the organization.
• Collaborate with all WCK departments on the ground, or remotely to support the needs of the activation.
• Ensure smooth transitions and complete handovers with other Managers, and between Response Corps team members when rotating field teams through phases of the activation.
• Complete the After-Action Report process immediately following activation wind-down, collating and drawing learnings for process improvement.

Procurement and Logistics

• Oversee all inventory and purchasing management systems on the ground, with local procurement as a foundational priority. Negotiate with suppliers, manage inventory, and implement effective domestic and international logistics strategies to ensure seamless operations under challenging conditions.
• Oversee local sourcing, transportation, storage, and distribution of supplies and materials necessary for the mission, adhering to WCK standards.
• Create and oversee global supply chain systems on the ground to receive customs, freight forwarders and entities that receive orders.

Kitchen Infrastructure

• Build and maintain field kitchens on activations, including plumbing, water filtration, propane, electricity and HVAC.
• Manage relationships with external vendors to coordinate services, including equipment rentals, fresh water delivery, gray water removal, grease disposal, trash and recycling pickup, and unleaded and diesel fuel.
• Establish teams to maintain, troubleshoot, and improve upon these systems, ensuring safety as a top priority.

Budgeting and Logistics

• Work with the finance team and Response Director to share cost projections for supply chain operations, focusing on meal production and logistical needs.
• Collaborate with the supply chain team to source materials and supplies efficiently and ensure timely delivery to affected areas.

Personnel Management and Training

• Recruit, train, and motivate diverse supply chain teams on activation, ensuring a high-performance culture aligned with WCK's mission and values.
• Provide leadership, mentorship, training and support to team members, promoting a culture of urgency, accountability, adaptability and continuous learning within the team.
• Address personnel issues on activations in real time, and provide regular performance feedback on Corps members.
• Support the recruitment of Corps members, and manage personnel effectively on the ground to foster growth and ensure a diverse pipeline of activation leadership.
• Identify professional development needs and gaps in supply chain capabilities to arrange for appropriate training, and provide this feedback to relevant stakeholders for implementation.

Community and Stakeholder Engagement

• Build strong relationships with local communities first.
• Ensure the teams conduct outreach and engagement activities that contribute to WCK's reputation as an effective, compassionate, and reliable relief organization.
• Represent WCK in the field, acting as an ambassador to beneficiaries, partners, and the media, as required.