Position Title:  Vice President, Supply Chain
Department:  Supply Chain – Senior Management
Reporting Manager:  President, Wakefield

Why Wakefield Canada?  Lead. Grow. Make an impact.

Join a purpose-driven, Canadian-owned company—The exclusive manufacturer and distributor of Castrol branded lubricants in Canada, one of the world’s most recognized brands. Step into a high-impact leadership role where innovation, integrity, and people come first. We’re growing fast—and so will you. Join an empowered high-performance team where our greatest asset is our people and ability to move fast.

Competitive compensation, benefits, and rewards. Real influence.

Let’s build something great—together

 

About Wakefield Canada
Wakefield Canada is the exclusive distributor of Wakefield and Castrol premium lubricants in Canada. A trusted industry leader, we deliver innovative, high-performance solutions across automotive, heavy-duty, and industrial sectors. Our commitment to excellence, customer satisfaction, and a strong performance-driven culture has made Wakefield a top-tier workplace and partner of choice nationwide.

Job Summary:
The Vice President, Supply Chain is responsible for leading and optimizing the company’s end-to-end supply chain to support operational excellence, customer service, and sustainable business growth.  This role oversees the full supply chain ecosystem including demand planning, supply planning, procurement, manufacturing operations, logistics, inventory management, and customer fulfillment. The VP Supply Chain ensures the organization has the appropriate operational infrastructure, systems, and resources to support current business requirements and future growth.  The role balances strategic leadership with operational execution, driving supply chain performance across safety, cost, service, quality, and working capital. The Vice President will lead the modernization of supply chain capabilities through improved planning processes, advanced analytics, digital technologies, and network optimization.  As a member of the senior leadership team, the VP Supply Chain plays a critical role in shaping enterprise strategy while ensuring the supply chain remains resilient, efficient, and customer focused.

Key Responsibilities

End-to-End Supply Chain Leadership

• Lead all supply chain functions including demand forecasting, supply planning, procurement, manufacturing operations, logistics, distribution, and customer fulfillment.
• Ensure supply chain capabilities support the company’s commercial growth strategy and customer service expectations.
• Develop scalable supply chain infrastructure capable of supporting business growth, geographic expansion, and evolving market demands.
• Optimize the performance of manufacturing, inventory, and distribution network assets in terms of safety, service, cost, people, and quality.

Manufacturing & Operations Leadership

• Provide executive oversight of manufacturing operations through plant leadership teams.
• Ensure manufacturing operations achieve high standards of safety, operational reliability, quality, and cost efficiency.
• Optimize plant utilization, asset productivity, and operational performance.
• Support capital investment planning for manufacturing facilities, automation, and production capability improvements.

Integrated Business Planning (IBP / S&OP)

• Lead the company’s Integrated Business Planning (IBP) / Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process
• Align commercial demand forecasts, financial plans, and operational supply capabilities.
• Improve demand sensing, scenario planning, and cross-functional collaboration between Sales, Finance, Manufacturing, and Supply Chain.
• Ensure the organization can rapidly adjust supply plans in response to market changes.

Inventory, Logistics & Distribution Strategy

• Oversee inventory planning, logistics, transportation, and warehousing operations.
• Optimize the company’s distribution and logistics network to improve service levels while reducing total cost-to-serve.
• Drive improvements in inventory management, network design, and physical asset utilization.
• Ensure effective national distribution strategies that support customer requirements and market expansion.

Strategic Procurement & Supplier Management

• Develop and implement strategic sourcing strategies that ensure supply security, cost competitiveness, and supplier innovation.
• Establish strong partnerships with key suppliers and third-party service providers.
• Drive supplier performance management, contract optimization, and cost management initiatives.
• Ensure effective management of third-party contractors, vendors, and strategic supply partners.

Supply Chain Digitalization & Analytics

• Lead the modernization of supply chain capabilities through digital tools, advanced analytics, and improved planning technologies.
• Improve supply chain visibility, forecasting accuracy, and data-driven decision making.
• Ensure effective utilization of ERP systems and planning tools to support operational performance and enterprise reporting.
• Evaluate automation opportunities within manufacturing, warehousing, and logistics operations.

Supply Chain Risk & Business Continuity

• Establish supply chain risk management frameworks to ensure operational resilience.
• Develop contingency plans for supplier disruption, logistics interruptions, and demand volatility.
• Maintain robust business continuity planning in collaboration with key partners and stakeholders.
• Ensure supply chain continuity across the organization and key supplier networks.

Health, Safety, Security & Regulatory Compliance (HSSE)

• Champion a culture of safety across all supply chain and operational functions.
• Ensure full compliance with health, safety, security, environmental, and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain accountability for logistics, transportation, storage, and plant HSSE performance.
• Ensure all supply chain activities comply with company policies, industry regulations, and partner standards.

Working Capital & Operational Performance

Drive improvements in supply chain financial performance including:

• Inventory productivity and inventory turns
• Cash-to-cash cycle
• Cost-to-serve
• Forecast accuracy
• Customer service levels (OTIF)
• Balance service, cost, and working capital objectives to optimize overall business performance.

Organizational Leadership & Talent Development

• Build and lead a high-performing supply chain organization.
• Develop strong leadership capability across manufacturing, logistics, planning, and inventory management teams.
• Ensure effective succession planning, talent development, and organizational capability building.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement, accountability, and operational excellence.
• Maintain strong employee relations and constructive union relationships where applicable.

Enterprise Leadership

• Serve as a key member of the senior leadership team contributing to enterprise strategy, operational planning, and long-term growth initiatives.
• Partner with commercial, finance, and operations leaders to ensure alignment of business objectives and supply chain capabilities.
• Contribute to strategic initiatives that enhance organizational performance and competitive advantage.

Key Performance Indicators

Success in this role will be measured by performance across several critical metrics including:

• On-Time-In-Full (OTIF) delivery performance
• Forecast accuracy and demand planning effectiveness
• Inventory turns and working capital efficiency
• Supply chain cost as a percentage of revenue
• Manufacturing operational performance and asset utilization
• Logistics and distribution efficiency
• Safety and regulatory compliance performance
• Supplier performance and reliability

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, Engineering, Business, or a related discipline.
• MBA or advanced business degree considered an asset.
• 15+ years of progressive leadership experience in supply chain, operations, or manufacturing environments.
• Proven experience managing complex manufacturing and distribution operations.
  Demonstrated experience leading supply chain planning, logistics, procurement, and operational functions.
• Strong understanding of ERP systems, supply chain planning tools, and operational analytics.
• Experience managing large teams across multiple operational locations.

Leadership Competencies

• Strategic and systems thinker
• Strong operational leadership capability
• Data-driven decision maker
• Enterprise collaborator and cross-functional leader
  Change and transformation leader
• Customer-focused and service-oriented
• Strong financial and business acumen

Working Conditions

• Office and manufacturing environment.
• Approximately 40% national or international travel as required.
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Join a purpose-riven, Canadian-owned company where you’ll be part of a team that moves fast, and makes a real impact—backed by a global brand and competitive rewards