Supply Chain Recruiters for Consumer Goods & Retail
Supply chain, demand planning, logistics and procurement leaders who keep shelves stocked, service levels high and costs under control.
What our supply chain recruitment service covers
When a senior supply chain seat sits empty, the cost becomes clear fast. Missed service levels, bloated inventory, strained supplier relationships, and planning teams stretched past capacity all follow. SundryHall is a supply chain recruitment agency built specifically for the consumer goods and retail sector. We help brands, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers secure the leadership and management talent that keeps product moving from source to shelf.
Our work covers the full chain, including procurement, demand planning, inventory management, logistics, distribution, and operations leadership. Because we recruit only within consumer goods and retail, our conversations with candidates and clients start from real market context. We understand the seasonality, promotional cycles, and margin pressure that shape what a strong supply chain hire actually looks like in this sector.
That focus also shapes how we assess people. A demand planner who has managed forecast accuracy through a national promotional calendar is a different proposition to one who has only worked to steady industrial demand. A logistics manager who has handled multi-channel fulfillment, from pallet volumes into grocery to single-unit direct-to-consumer orders, brings experience that does not transfer automatically from other industries. We screen for that context before a résumé ever reaches you.
Whether you are replacing a departing head of supply chain, building a planning function from the ground up, or adding capability ahead of a period of growth, we work to a clear brief, an agreed timeline, and a shortlist you can act on with confidence.
We focus on permanent, managerial, and executive-level hiring across the supply chain function. That includes supply chain manager and supply chain director appointments, heads of procurement, demand planning and inventory planning leads, and senior logistics, warehousing and distribution roles. Searches run on contingent, retained, or exclusive terms depending on the seniority and confidentiality of the position, and we recommend the structure that fits the role rather than defaulting to one model.
Every engagement includes the same core steps:
- Role scoping and written job specification (agreeing the scope, reporting line, and must-have experience before we approach anyone).
- Sector-focused sourcing and headhunting (targeted approaches to supply chain professionals who are not actively applying for roles).
- Structured screening and assessment (consistent criteria applied to every candidate so shortlists are comparable).
- Shortlist presentation (a considered set of candidates with written context on each, rather than a volume of résumés).
- Offer management and negotiation (handling salary, notice periods, and counter-offer risk through to acceptance).
- Post-placement follow-up (checking in with both client and candidate once the appointment is live).
For clients who want a clearer market picture before committing to a hire, we also provide talent mapping, salary benchmarking, and competitor organization analysis as standalone market intelligence. These can inform headcount planning, a restructure, or a confidential replacement search, and can be commissioned without any obligation to run a full recruitment process afterward.
Our supply chain recruitment process
Every supply chain search we run follows the same structured process, so you always know where things stand, what happens next, and when to expect a shortlist. The stages below are designed to keep the search moving while giving you visibility at each point, from the first scoping conversation through to a placed candidate settling into the role.
Scope the role
We start by working with you to define the mandate in detail: the scope of responsibility, the outcomes expected in the first twelve months, the reporting lines, and the realistic market rate. From that we agree the candidate profile most likely to deliver on those outcomes, so the search is calibrated before it begins rather than corrected halfway through.
Map the market
We identify where the right talent currently sits across consumer goods, retail, and the wider supply chain and logistics market. That mapping covers direct competitors, adjacent sectors, and, importantly, passive candidates who are performing well in their current roles and are not visible on job boards or applying to advertised positions.
Approach and assess
Our supply chain headhunters approach candidates directly and confidentially. Every person on the map is screened and interviewed against the criteria agreed in Step 1, covering technical capability, leadership track record, and genuine motivation to move, before anyone reaches your desk. You see candidates who have already been assessed, not a list of names.
Present a shortlist
You receive a focused shortlist of qualified candidates, each with clear notes on their relevant experience, what is motivating a move, salary expectations, notice period, and how we assess their fit against the mandate. We then support you through your own interview process and consolidate feedback between both sides.
Manage the offer
Offer stage is where searches are most often lost. We manage the negotiation, test commitment early, and prepare for counter-offer risk with the candidate well before the resignation conversation happens, so your preferred candidate accepts, resigns, and starts.
Follow up after placement
The search is not finished at the signed contract. We stay in contact with both you and the candidate through onboarding and the first months in the role, confirming the hire is settling in and performing as expected, and giving you an early route to raise anything that needs addressing.
Explore our supply chain recruitment expertise
Our coverage reflects how consumer businesses actually organize their supply chains, from raw material sourcing through to final delivery. Because the function spans buying, planning, making, moving, and serving the customer, we recruit across the whole chain rather than a single slice of it. The areas below are a selection, not an exhaustive list, so if your role falls outside what is shown, get in touch and we will give you a straight answer on whether we can help.
Procurement and sourcing leadership
We place procurement managers, category sourcing leads, and heads of procurement who can control cost without compromising continuity of supply. These are the people who negotiate with suppliers, build category strategies, and keep commercial pressure and supplier relationships in balance, including in categories where input prices move faster than pricing can follow. We also cover strategic sourcing, supplier quality, and supplier relationship management roles where technical understanding of the supply base matters as much as commercial skill.
Demand planning and inventory planning
We recruit planners and planning leaders who balance product availability against working capital in seasonal, promotion-driven categories. That includes demand planners, inventory and replenishment planners, supply planners, and S&OP leads who sit between commercial forecasts and what the network can realistically deliver. In consumer businesses, these roles carry a disproportionate amount of risk: a forecast that is wrong in either direction shows up quickly as lost sales or excess stock, so we look for candidates who can defend a number in front of a commercial team.
Logistics and distribution
We hire across logistics and distribution functions, from warehouse and network management through to transportation leadership. Typical mandates include distribution center managers, fulfillment and 3PL managers, transportation and freight leads, and heads of logistics responsible for cost per unit shipped, service levels, and labor in high-throughput sites. We also recruit for international and import/export roles where customs, carrier management, and lead-time reliability sit at the center of the job.
Supply chain management and operations
We fill end-to-end supply chain management roles and operations leadership positions spanning manufacturing, fulfillment, and multi-site networks. This covers supply chain directors and VPs, plant and operations managers, continuous improvement and supply chain analytics leaders, and executives brought in to redesign a network or integrate one after an acquisition. These searches usually turn on evidence of change delivered, not job titles held, so we assess candidates on what they actually moved: cost, service, capacity, or all three.
Supply chain executive search
Senior appointments carry the most risk and the most reward. Our supply chain executive search practice handles director, VP, and C-suite mandates with the discretion these searches demand, particularly when the role is confidential or the incumbent is still in the role.
Executive search at SundryHall is a retained, research-led service. We map the relevant market, approach candidates confidentially, and manage a rigorous assessment and referencing process before any introduction is made. The goal is supply chain leadership that improves operational efficiency and holds up under commercial pressure, whether that means a VP of Supply Chain for a growing food and beverage brand or a Chief Supply Chain Officer for a multi-site retailer.
Typical mandates include Supply Chain Director, Head of Procurement, Logistics Director, Operations Director, and Chief Supply Chain Officer, alongside the planning, sourcing, and distribution leadership roles that sit beneath them. Because each search begins with original research rather than a database, we are able to reach leaders who are performing well where they are and are not actively looking.
Every search runs to an agreed timetable with regular progress updates, a documented longlist and shortlist, and structured feedback at each stage. Confidentiality is maintained throughout, both for the hiring organization and for the candidates we approach.
Why companies choose SundryHall as their supply chain recruiters
Most hiring teams can find applicants. The harder job is reaching the right talent for critical roles where a mis-hire can set the function back a year, especially when the strongest candidates are already employed, performing well, and not reading job job postings. That is where sector focus becomes a practical advantage rather than a marketing line.
Because we work only in consumer goods and retail, our recruiters understand the commercial realities behind the job spec: seasonality, promotional cycles, margin pressure, and the difference between a supply chain that serves grocery retail and one that serves a D2C brand. That context shapes how we write the brief, how we approach passive candidates, and how we assess whether someone's experience will genuinely transfer into your environment.
Our approach rests on three things:
- Shortlist quality over volume. A small number of genuinely relevant, properly briefed candidates beats a long list that leaves you to do the filtering.
- Honest communication throughout the recruitment process. Clients and candidates hear where a search actually stands, not a comfortable version of it.
- Long-term relationships. We would rather be the firm you call for the next five hires than the one that fills a single role and disappears.
That also means being straight with you when the search needs re-scoping. If the brief, the salary, or the timeline does not match what the market will bear, we will say so before sending you a weak shortlist, because a shortlist that wastes your time costs far more than an awkward conversation at the start.
Industry insight beyond the hire
Good hiring decisions depend on good information. Alongside our recruiting services, we provide salary benchmarking, talent mapping, and competitor organization analysis so you can see where your team sits in the market before you commit to a search.
Salary benchmarking shows you what comparable roles actually pay, broken down by base, bonus, and long-term incentives. Talent mapping identifies the people doing the job you need filled, where they sit today, and how reachable they are. Competitor organization analysis shows you how rival teams are structured, so you can judge whether you are hiring the right title in the first place.
This insight feeds directly into how we run a mandate. If your offer is below market for a supply chain executive in your category, we will tell you before the search launches, not after three rejected offers, and we will show you the evidence behind that view.
The same applies to scope. If the role as written blends two jobs that the market treats separately, or sits a level below the seniority the responsibilities demand, we will flag it early. Adjusting the brief before outreach begins costs you a conversation. Adjusting it after a failed search costs you a quarter.
Typical supply chain roles we fill
The roles below give a sense of the supply chain jobs we handle most often across our talent acquisition work. Each search is shaped by the operating model, footprint, and maturity of the business we're hiring for, so the titles and scope can vary. This is a selection, not a complete catalog. If the role you need sits adjacent to one of these, it's usually still within our scope.
Supply chain manager and director
End-to-end ownership of planning, sourcing, and delivery for brands and manufacturers. These leaders typically own service levels, inventory health, and cost-to-serve, and they sit at the point where commercial commitments meet operational reality. We place them into both single-site operations and multi-site organizations where the role carries cross-functional authority over planning, procurement, and logistics teams.
Head of procurement
Leadership of direct and indirect spend, supplier strategy, and cost programs. The brief usually combines category strategy, supplier negotiation, and supply risk management, alongside the softer work of influencing budget holders who don't report in. We search for procurement leaders who can build a sourcing roadmap and then deliver measurable savings and supply continuity against it.
Demand planning lead
Forecasting and S&OP leadership for businesses where forecast accuracy drives margin. These hires own the demand signal end to end: statistical baselines, commercial input, and the monthly S&OP cadence that aligns sales, operations, and finance on one number. They are most critical in businesses with long lead times, promotional volatility, or high obsolescence risk, where a few points of forecast error translate directly into write-offs or lost sales.
Logistics and distribution director
Network, warehouse, and transportation leadership across regional and national footprints. Scope often spans distribution center operations, carrier and 3PL management, last-mile performance, and network design work such as site consolidation or relocation. We place leaders who can run the day-to-day service and cost picture while also making the structural decisions that set the network up for the next phase of growth.
VP or chief supply chain officer
Executive leadership of the entire chain, typically delivered through our executive search practice. At this level the mandate usually extends beyond operations into capital planning, technology investment, and board-level reporting on resilience and cost. These searches are run as confidential, mapped processes against a defined market, with assessment focused on commercial judgment and the ability to lead a function through change.
Frequently asked questions
What types of supply chain positions do you recruit for?
We recruit permanent managerial and executive-level supply chain roles (from supply chain manager, logistics manager, procurement and sourcing leadership, and distribution or warehouse management through to director, vice president, and C-suite appointments such as Chief Supply Chain Officer). We do not handle entry-level, staff-level, or temporary positions. That deliberate focus keeps our candidate networks concentrated on the senior supply chain talent our clients actually need, rather than spread thin across high-volume hiring.
How do you source candidates who are not actively looking?
Most strong supply chain talent is already employed, performing well, and not applying to job job postings. As experienced supply chain headhunters, we maintain an established network across manufacturing, distribution, logistics, and procurement, and we approach relevant candidates directly and discreetly on your behalf. Each search is mapped against your market and competitor set, so you are presented with a shortlist of qualified, genuinely interested leaders, not a stack of inbound applications.
Do you work on contingent or retained terms?
Both. Contingent and exclusive arrangements suit many management-level direct hire searches, where speed and flexibility matter most. Retained terms are standard for confidential replacements and executive search mandates, where a dedicated, committed research effort and a structured process are essential. We will recommend the model that fits the role, the seniority, and the sensitivity of the search before any work begins.
Where do you operate?
We support hiring across the United States, with offices in Atlanta, GA; Marlborough, MA; Parsippany, NJ; and Cheyenne, WY. Our candidate networks and searches are national in scope, so we place supply chain leaders across the United States, including relocation candidates for plant, distribution center, and corporate headquarters roles.
How long does a supply chain search take?
Timelines depend on the seniority of the role, the specificity of the requirements, and how quickly your team can move through interviews. Management-level direct hire searches typically produce a shortlist faster than executive mandates, which require deeper market mapping and more discreet approaches. We agree on a realistic timeline with you at kickoff and keep you updated as the search progresses, rather than going quiet between submissions.
Can you run a confidential search?
Yes. Confidential searches (replacing an incumbent, planning a leadership change, or exploring the market without signaling your intentions) are handled on retained terms. Candidates are approached without your company being identified until there is genuine mutual interest and appropriate discretion has been established on both sides.
How do we get started?
Get in touch with a brief outline of the role, the reporting line, and the business challenge behind the hire. We will discuss the realistic talent market, the appropriate engagement model, and the likely profile of candidates available before you commit to anything.
Talk to our supply chain recruiters
Whether you are planning a single supply chain hire, rebuilding an entire function, or simply want a clearer view of the talent market before you commit budget, the fastest way forward is a conversation. Tell us what the role needs to deliver and we will tell you honestly what the market looks like: who is available, what they expect to be paid, and how long a search is likely to take.
Call us at +1 888-202-9809 or email [email protected]. There is no obligation and no pressure: if we are not the right fit for your search, we will say so and point you in a better direction.
Brief us on the role you need to fill
Tell us about the position, the location and the timeline. A consultant who works your sector will follow up to talk through how we would run the search.