Operations & Supply Chain Specialist - South Africa based

WELCOME!

We are looking for a highly organised, analytical, and commercially minded Operations & Supply Chain Specialist to join our growing distribution business.

The ideal candidate is experienced in coordinating supply chain operations, managing suppliers, tracking inventory, and keeping orders moving across international markets. This role requires strong attention to detail, excellent communication, and the ability to take ownership in a fast-moving, remote environment. The successful candidate will work closely with US leadership, manufacturing partners, overseas suppliers, third-party logistics providers, and retail customers.

Who We Are

We are a US-based national distribution business supplying compliant hemp products and vaporisation hardware to independent retailers across the United States — smoke shops, specialty CBD stores, and convenience channels — with licensed partners internationally. The company runs a lean, modern operation: just-in-time supply chain, US finished-goods manufacturing partners, third-party logistics (3PL) fulfilment, overseas component suppliers, and a small senior team that uses AI aggressively to work like a team many times its size. This role is a full-time, remote position based in South Africa, employed through an employer-of-record arrangement, working closely with the US leadership team.

Overview

You will run the engine room of a national distribution supply chain. The flow: packaging and hardware come from overseas suppliers to US-based finished-goods manufacturing partners — hemp manufacturers who formulate and fill the materials into vape devices, gummies, and pre-roll products — and finished goods move out through US 3PL warehouses to retailers nationwide, with packaging and hardware also shipping to licensed partners internationally. The company operates just-in-time, so precision and early warning matter more than anything. This is a data-heavy, AI-forward, automation-forward role: we want someone who builds toward accurate forecasts and an efficient supply chain model, and whose reflex is that anything done manually, repetitively, or daily should be automated.

Key Responsibilities

• Create and manage purchase orders with overseas suppliers (packaging and hardware, primarily China), tracking lead times and follow-ups.

• Coordinate daily with US-based finished-goods manufacturing partners: packaging and hardware arriving on time, production schedules on track, finished goods flowing to the 3PLs.

• Drive the sales & operations planning (S&OP) process: demand forecasting, supply planning, and continuous improvement of forecast accuracy.

• Coordinate daily with US-based 3PL warehouses: inbound receipts, fulfillment quality, exceptions —everything coming in and going out, properly.

• Coordinate international shipments of packaging and hardware to licensed partners in Europe and other countries.

• Track inventory positions and reorder points; flag stock-out risk early, every time.

• Run the order desk: order processing and fulfillment support for a national retailer network.

• Automate relentlessly: build AI-driven automations for reporting, tracking, and routine coordination — anything manual, repetitive, or daily is a target.

• Build and maintain the data layer: forecast models, supply chain KPIs, and efficiency reporting

Requirements

• Based in South Africa.

• 3+ years in supply chain, purchasing, or operations for a distribution, CPG, or e-commerce business.

• Demonstrated AI fluency — you use AI tools every day, you've automated real workflows in a previous role, and you can walk us through examples.

• Real forecasting and S&OP experience — comfortable building the model, not just running it.

• Hands-on coordination experience with 3PLs and/or contract manufacturers.

• Strong analytical toolkit: advanced spreadsheets required, ERP experience strongly preferred.

• Extreme attention to detail and follow-through.

• Fluent business English; able to work a split schedule covering China and US time windows

Bonus Points

• Direct experience with Chinese manufacturers and freight forwarders.

• Contract manufacturing / co-packer coordination in CPG.

• Just-in-time or lean inventory management; landed-cost analysis and import/export documentation.

• Experience supporting a fast-scaling retail distribution network

Details

• Fully Remote | Based in South Africa

• Salary: $2500 monthly, based on experience

• Schedule: Split coverage by design (overlap with both China-based suppliers and US East Coast business hours)

Benefits of Joining Our Team

• Opportunities for professional growth and career development.

• Collaborative and supportive working environment.

• Ongoing training and professional development.

• Opportunity to help build and improve a modern international supply chain.

• Exposure to suppliers, manufacturers, logistics providers, fulfilment operations, and retail distribution.

• Meaningful responsibility and the opportunity to make a direct impact in a lean, growing business.