As Global Head of Research & Leadership Advisory at JRG Partners, I offer this VP of Supply Chain job description template as a working document, not a formality. The template below covers responsibilities, requirements, and KPIs; the sections after it explain how to adapt each element to your mandate, because the specification is the search’s first act of persuasion.
Key Takeaways: Writing a VP of Supply Chain Job Description That Works
- The VP of Supply Chain owns the end-to-end network, planning, sourcing, logistics, and inventory, balancing service, cost, cash, and resilience.
- Write the spec for the candidate you want to attract, not the file you need to complete; strong leaders read job descriptions as evidence of how the company thinks.
- Separate true requirements from preferences ruthlessly; inflated requirement lists shrink slates without improving them.
- Publishing the success metrics up front attracts operators and deters narrators, exactly the sorting you want.
- Anchor the spec in the network’s real shape, nodes, SKU count, import exposure, because supply-chain candidates price complexity in those units.
About the VP of Supply Chain Role
In market-standard structures, the role reports to the Chief Operating Officer or Chief Executive Officer and leads planning, procurement/sourcing, logistics, and inventory/warehouse operations. Scope varies by company, which is exactly why the customization guidance below matters, but the template reflects the specification most strong candidates will recognize.
VP of Supply Chain Job Description Template
Position Summary
[Company] is seeking a VP of Supply Chain. The VP of Supply Chain owns the end-to-end network, planning, sourcing, logistics, and inventory, balancing service, cost, cash, and resilience. The position reports to the Chief Operating Officer or Chief Executive Officer.Key Responsibilities
- Own S&OP and demand-supply planning discipline
- Lead sourcing strategy and supplier performance
- Command logistics network cost and service
- Own inventory strategy: turns, availability, and obsolescence
- Build supply-chain resilience: dual sourcing and risk visibility
- Drive digital-supply-chain capability with measured results
- Manage trade compliance and sustainability requirements
- Develop supply-chain organization and analytics depth
Requirements & Qualifications
- 10+ years supply-chain leadership across multiple disciplines
- S&OP maturity delivered at comparable scale
- Sourcing and logistics command with cost results
- Resilience program delivery post-disruption era
- Systems fluency: planning platforms and analytics
- International supply-base management where relevant
- Cross-functional influence with commercial and operations peers
Key Performance Indicators
- Fill rate / OTIF service levels
- Inventory turns and obsolescence
- Landed-cost and freight trends
- Forecast accuracy (demand plan)
- Supplier OTD and quality
- Resilience coverage (dual-source %, risk visibility)
- Working-capital contribution
Compensation
Mid-market base salaries for this role typically run $200,000-$275,000, scaling substantially with company size and mandate; see our VP of Supply Chain Salary Guide 2026 for full benchmarks by revenue tier, ownership structure, and industry.
How to Customize This Template
A template earns nothing until it is tuned. Anchor the spec in the network’s real shape, nodes, SKU count, import exposure, because supply-chain candidates price complexity in those units. Then prune the requirements to the honest minimum, rank the responsibilities so the first three carry the mandate’s weight, and confirm the KPI list matches how the executive will actually be reviewed, because candidates will hold you to it.
Common Mistakes in VP of Supply Chain Job Descriptions
Audit any specification against five classic errors before posting: unicorn requirement lists, unprioritized responsibility dumps, absent success metrics, insider jargon, and missing compensation context. Strong candidates read these as organizational tells, and they are usually right to.
From Job Description to Hire
With the specification locked, the search itself begins: calibrate compensation before finalists are in play, and structure the interviews to verify what the spec demands. For the interview stage, our VP of Supply Chain interview questions guide pairs directly with this template.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: What does a VP of Supply Chain do?
- A: The VP of Supply Chain owns the end-to-end network, planning, sourcing, logistics, and inventory, balancing service, cost, cash, and resilience. Day to day, the role centers on own S&OP and demand-supply planning discipline and lead sourcing strategy and supplier performance.
- Q: Who does the VP of Supply Chain report to?
- A: Most commonly the Chief Operating Officer or Chief Executive Officer, with the role leading planning, procurement/sourcing, logistics, and inventory/warehouse operations. Reporting-line choices signal the seat’s real weight, and candidates read them that way.
- Q: How many years of experience should a VP of Supply Chain have?
- A: Market-standard specifications ask for 10+ years of relevant progressive leadership, but treat tenure as a proxy: the requirement that matters is demonstrated ownership of the outcomes in the KPI list at comparable scale.
- Q: How does VP of Supply Chain pay compare with VP of Operations pay?
- A: The seats price within 10% of each other at equivalent scale; where one executive commands both manufacturing and the extended network, the combined mandate prices 15-25% above either standalone role.
- Q: How long should a VP of Supply Chain job description be?
- A: One page for posting, two for the internal version. Candidates decide in ninety seconds; committees need the full success profile. Maintain both from the same source document.
- Q: What requirements should we include for a VP of Supply Chain?
- A: Apply one test to each line: would we reject a great candidate who lacks this? If not, move it to preferred, or delete it.
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Tanya Gallardo
Managing Director, Executive Search & AI Talent Strategy
Tanya Gallardo is the Managing Director of Executive Search & AI Talent Strategy at JRG Partners, leading C-suite and Board engagements across key growth sectors including Technology, Financial Services, and Manufacturing.
With over 18 years of experience specializing in disruptive technology leadership, Tanya is recognized as a leading authority on talent architecture for future-focused executive roles, such as the Chief AI Officer (CAIO) and Chief Digital Officer (CDO). Her expertise lies in accurately assessing the cultural fit and technical depth required to ensure a high return on investment (ROI) for critical leadership appointments.
Prior to her role at JRG Partners, Tanya held senior roles directing global talent acquisition strategies at a major publicly-traded technology firm, advising on organizational design and succession planning for emerging executive functions. She is a recognized speaker and contributor to industry events, sharing data-driven insights on executive compensation, leadership development, and the measurable business impact of C-suite talent.
