Dairy Supply Chain Director Job Description

This Dairy Supply Chain Director job description sets out the main duties, qualifications, skills and measures of success for the role, which is also known as Head of Supply Chain, Logistics Director, VP Supply Chain or Planning and Logistics Director. Download it free as a Word or PDF template and adapt it for your own vacancy.

Download Word template

Download PDF

Job title	Dairy Supply Chain Director
Also known as	Head of Supply Chain, Logistics Director, VP Supply Chain, Planning and Logistics Director
Department	Dairy leadership and board
Reports to	Chief Executive Officer or Chief Operating Officer
Direct reports	Heads of milk logistics, planning, procurement, warehousing and distribution, and customer service

What does a Dairy Supply Chain Director do?

Leads the end-to-end dairy supply chain, from milk collection and intake through planning, procurement, warehousing and delivery to customers. Balances seasonal milk supply with customer demand and plant capacity, protects the cold chain, and runs sales and operations planning (S&OP) so the business serves customers reliably at the right cost.

Dairy Supply Chain Director duties and responsibilities

Supply chain strategy and leadership

Set the supply chain strategy and network plan in line with business and plant investment plans
Lead, develop and hold to account the heads of logistics, planning, procurement and customer service
Build supply chain capability, succession and a strong safety culture across sites and depots
Present supply chain performance, risks and investment cases to the executive team and the Board

Milk intake and logistics

Direct milk collection, haulage and intake so milk reaches plants safely, quickly and at agreed quality
Plan collection routes, the tanker fleet and contracted haulage to match seasonal and daily milk volumes
Agree milk allocation between plants, products and third-party sales with milk supply and operations teams
Manage surplus and shortfall milk through flexible processing, toll manufacturing or milk trading
Work with milk supply and farmer relations teams on collection standards, timings and farm access

Planning and S&OP

Run a monthly S&OP process that aligns milk forecasts, demand, plant capacity, stock and financial plans
Translate commodity markets and customer forecasts into product mix decisions for butter, powders and cheese
Set stock policies for finished goods, ingredients and packaging that balance service, working capital and shelf life
Model scenarios for milk peaks, plant outages and market swings and agree responses in advance
Provide plant capacity and constraint data to inform long-term investment decisions

Cold chain, warehousing and distribution

Maintain temperature control and traceability from farm collection to customer delivery
Oversee owned and third-party warehouses, cold stores and fleets for chilled, frozen and ambient products
Manage export logistics, including containers, shipping, documentation and lead times
Lead product withdrawal and recall logistics with quality teams and test them regularly
Deliver on-time, in-full service to retail, food-service, industrial and export customers

Procurement and supplier management

Lead procurement of packaging, ingredients, energy, logistics, engineering spares and services
Negotiate supply contracts that secure continuity, quality and value, and manage key supplier relationships
Approve suppliers against food safety, ethical and sustainability standards with quality and sustainability teams
Manage price risk on major inputs such as packaging, energy and fuel with the finance team

Cost, risk and sustainability

Own the supply chain budget and drive savings in haulage, storage, waste and working capital
Maintain business continuity plans for disruption to milk collection, transport, utilities and suppliers
Reduce transport emissions, food waste and packaging through route design, load fill and supplier programmes
Ensure supply chain operations comply with transport, food safety, trade and health and safety law

Dairy Supply Chain Director qualifications and experience

Essential

Degree in supply chain, logistics, engineering, business or a related subject, or equivalent experience
Substantial senior supply chain leadership experience in dairy, food or another fast-moving consumer goods sector
Track record of running an effective S&OP process across several plants or markets
Experience of managing chilled and temperature-controlled logistics at scale
Strong record of procurement and contract negotiation with major suppliers and logistics providers
Experience of leading large, multi-site teams through change

Desirable

Direct experience of milk collection and intake, or of a co-operative milk supply model
Professional qualification in supply chain, procurement or logistics
Experience of export logistics to several regions
Experience of implementing planning systems or other supply chain technology

Skills and attributes

End-to-end supply chain and network planning
Commercial and financial judgement, including working capital management
Data analysis, forecasting and scenario modelling
Negotiation and supplier relationship management
Risk management and decision-making under pressure
Leadership and change management
Clear communication with farmers, hauliers, customers and the Board

How success is measured

On-time, in-full delivery to customers
Milk collected and processed within agreed time and quality limits
Forecast accuracy and adherence to the S&OP plan
Supply chain cost per litre of milk and per tonne of product
Stock days, working capital and write-offs of short-dated or aged stock
Cold chain breaches, product losses and recall test results

Working conditions and safety

Based at head office with regular travel to plants, depots, warehouses and key suppliers, and some international travel. Out-of-hours availability is needed during milk peaks, disruption and incidents.

Lead by example on health, safety, food safety and animal welfare
Uphold the code of conduct and all legal and compliance requirements
Raise concerns and report incidents promptly

Dairy Supply Chain Director interview questions

Use these questions to assess candidates for a Dairy Supply Chain Director role. Each one includes what a good answer shows.

How would you design an S&OP process that balances seasonal milk supply with customer demand and plant capacity?
What a good answer shows: A clear monthly cycle with the milk forecast as a core input, agreed decision rights, a link to financial plans and executive sign-off.
How do you decide the product mix when butter, powder and cheese prices move sharply?
What a good answer shows: Understands milk value returns by product, plant limits, contract commitments and stock risk, and decides quickly with commercial and finance teams.
What are the main risks in milk collection and intake, and how do you manage them?
What a good answer shows: Covers milk quality and temperature, collection timing, haulage capacity, farm access, testing and traceability, with clear standards and contingency plans.
How have you reduced supply chain cost without harming service or product quality?
What a good answer shows: Gives specific examples such as route planning, better load fill or lower stock, with measured savings and service levels kept.
A major processing plant breaks down during the milk peak. What do you do in the first 48 hours?
What a good answer shows: Puts safety and milk first, moves milk to other plants or toll processors, informs farmers and customers, and tracks the cost.
A key packaging supplier warns of a four-week shortage. How do you respond?
What a good answer shows: Checks stock cover, prioritises products and customers, qualifies alternatives with quality teams, and tells sales and customers early.
How do you protect the cold chain across owned and third-party logistics?
What a good answer shows: Temperature monitoring, clear contracts and audits, escalation rules, trained people, and regular traceability and recall tests.
How do you make sure suppliers and hauliers meet ethical, labour and safety standards?
What a good answer shows: Supplier approval, audits, contract terms, driver safety rules, and acting on findings rather than treating checks as paperwork.
How do you build a supply chain team that works well with operations, sales and milk supply?
What a good answer shows: Shared goals and measures, regular joint meetings, clear roles, and leaders who settle disagreements with data rather than blame.
Tell us about leading a team through a major supply chain change, such as a new system or network.
What a good answer shows: A clear case for change, early involvement, training, honest updates about setbacks, and measured results after the change.

Hiring a Dairy Supply Chain Director? Advertise your vacancy on Dairy Jobs and reach a combined network of over 250,000 dairy professionals worldwide, or ask our team about recruitment support. Looking for a Dairy Supply Chain Director job? Browse live dairy jobs or create a free job alert.

Related dairy job descriptions

Frequently asked questions

What does a Dairy Supply Chain Director do?

What qualifications does a Dairy Supply Chain Director need?

Employers usually look for: degree in supply chain, logistics, engineering, business or a related subject, or equivalent experience; substantial senior supply chain leadership experience in dairy, food or another fast-moving consumer goods sector; track record of running an effective S&OP process across several plants or markets.

Who does a Dairy Supply Chain Director report to?

A Dairy Supply Chain Director usually reports to the Chief Executive Officer or Chief Operating Officer. Direct reports typically include heads of milk logistics, planning, procurement, warehousing and distribution, and customer service.

Can I use this Dairy Supply Chain Director job description for my own vacancy?

Yes. Download the free Word template, add your location, contract and salary details, and adapt the duties to your site. You can then advertise the role on Dairy Jobs.