Supply Chain Manager Job at Cremonini Group Shanghai
Cremonini Group, an Italian food company with operations in China, is hiring a Supply Chain Manager for their Shanghai location with a monthly salary of 15,000 to 20,000 RMB. This is a single-position opening focused specifically on food and beverage supply chain management, making it ideal for supply chain professionals with experience in perishable goods.
What’s worth noting is the relatively modest experience requirement—just two years minimum—combined with comprehensive responsibilities. This suggests they’re looking for someone who can grow into the role rather than requiring a highly seasoned executive. For mid-level supply chain professionals, this offers genuine responsibility and career development potential.
Understanding the Supply Chain Manager Role
As Supply Chain Manager at Cremonini Group, you’ll oversee the entire supply chain process from procurement through distribution, with special focus on food and beverage products. This isn’t just coordinating shipments—you’re managing the complete flow of perishable goods requiring careful timing and quality control.
Core Responsibilities
You’ll develop and implement supply chain strategies aimed at improving efficiency, reducing costs, and ensuring timely delivery. In the food industry, timing is critical since products have limited shelf life. A delayed shipment of produce or dairy can mean significant losses.
Collaborating with suppliers, manufacturers, and distributors requires building and maintaining strong relationships. You’ll need to ensure these partners meet quality standards and comply with food safety regulations—non-negotiable requirements in the food industry.
Monitoring supply chain performance using key metrics and data analysis tools helps identify improvement areas. You’ll track delivery times, inventory turnover, waste levels, cost per unit, and other KPIs that reveal operational efficiency.
Demand Planning and Team Leadership
Managing demand planning and forecasting optimizes inventory levels and minimizes waste, particularly crucial for perishable goods. Overstock means spoilage; understock means missed sales. Finding the balance requires understanding consumption patterns and market trends.
Leading and mentoring a local team means you’ll have direct reports. The job description emphasizes fostering a collaborative and high-performance work environment, suggesting leadership and people management skills matter as much as technical supply chain knowledge.
Ensuring compliance with local Chinese regulations and international standards for imports, food safety, and logistics adds a regulatory dimension. China has specific requirements for imported food products, and you’ll need to navigate these while maintaining international standards.
Single Supply Chain Manager Position
Cremonini Group is hiring one Supply Chain Manager, indicating this is either a new position or a replacement. With only one opening at a major food company, the selection process will likely prioritize candidates who demonstrate both technical competence and cultural fit with their Italian parent company and Chinese operations.
Who Qualifies for This Position
The requirements balance educational credentials with practical experience.
Educational Background
You need a Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Engineering, or a related field. The broad field acceptance suggests they value analytical thinking and business acumen over narrow specialization. Engineering backgrounds are included because supply chain involves systems thinking and process optimization.
Experience Requirements
Minimum two years of experience in supply chain management, procurement, or logistics is required, with preference for food and beverage industry background. Two years is relatively modest for a manager-level position, suggesting they’re willing to train the right candidate on industry-specific aspects.
If your experience is in supply chain but not food and beverage, emphasize transferable skills like inventory management, vendor relations, and regulatory compliance. However, candidates with actual food industry experience will have a significant advantage given the perishability and safety considerations unique to this sector.
Skills and Knowledge
Data analysis skills matter since you’ll monitor performance using metrics and analytical tools. Familiarity with supply chain management software, ERP systems, and data visualization tools strengthens your candidacy.
Understanding food safety standards and regulations is crucial. If you’re not familiar with Chinese food import regulations, HACCP principles, or cold chain management, research these topics before applying.
Leadership and mentoring capabilities are explicitly required since you’ll manage a team. Previous experience leading others, even in informal capacities, demonstrates this competency.
How to Apply for This Position
Applications go through Cremonini Group’s official careers portal.
Visit Cremonini Group’s career page where you’ll find their global job listings including the Shanghai Supply Chain Manager position.
Navigate to the China or Asia section to locate the Shanghai position specifically. International companies often list positions by region or country.
Complete the online application form with accurate information about your education, work experience, and qualifications. Since this is an Italian company, your application might be reviewed by both Italian headquarters and Chinese operations, so clarity and professionalism matter.
Prepare a CV emphasizing supply chain achievements. Quantify your contributions—percentages of cost reduction, inventory improvement, waste minimization, or delivery time improvements. Concrete numbers demonstrate impact more effectively than vague descriptions.
If you have food and beverage industry experience, highlight it prominently. Mention specific products you’ve managed, cold chain experience, perishable goods handling, or food safety compliance work.
A cover letter explaining your interest in Cremonini Group specifically, rather than just any supply chain job, strengthens your application. Research the company’s products and presence in China to demonstrate genuine interest.
Important Considerations
The salary range of 15,000 to 20,000 RMB monthly is moderate for Shanghai, where living costs are high. Calculate whether this salary meets your needs considering Shanghai housing, transportation, and daily expenses. The amount might be supplemented with benefits not mentioned in the posting.
Working for an Italian food company in China means navigating both Italian corporate culture and Chinese business practices. Cultural adaptability and communication across different business styles becomes important.
The food and beverage industry operates on tight margins with strict quality requirements. Expect a fast-paced environment where mistakes can be costly and timing is critical. If you prefer slower-paced, less urgent work, supply chain management in perishables might not suit you.
Application Timeline
No specific deadline is mentioned, suggesting rolling applications until they find a suitable candidate. However, single-position openings at established companies can fill quickly once they identify the right person. Apply promptly if you’re interested and qualified.
Additional Career Opportunities
While exploring this supply chain role, consider other international opportunities like healthcare positions in China if you’re interested in working internationally across different sectors.
Common Questions About This Role
Is knowledge of Italian language required or beneficial?
The job posting doesn’t mention Italian language requirements, suggesting English and Mandarin are the primary working languages. However, since Cremonini Group is an Italian company, Italian language skills would differentiate you from other candidates and potentially help with communication to headquarters. English is likely the bridge language for international communication, while Mandarin is essential for working with local suppliers, team members, and Chinese operations. If you speak Italian, definitely highlight it, but don’t let lack of Italian discourage you from applying if you’re otherwise qualified.
What does the team structure look like that I’d be managing?
The job description mentions leading and mentoring a local team but doesn’t specify team size or structure. Supply chain teams at food companies typically include procurement specialists, logistics coordinators, inventory analysts, and possibly quality control staff. You might manage anywhere from three to ten people depending on Cremonini’s Shanghai operation scale. During interviews, ask specifically about team size, their current roles, reporting structure, and what challenges the team currently faces. Understanding team dynamics helps you assess whether the position matches your leadership experience and management style preferences.
How does working in food supply chain differ from other industries?
Food and beverage supply chain management has unique challenges compared to other sectors. Perishability means time-sensitive operations where delays cause waste and losses. Cold chain management requires specialized logistics maintaining specific temperatures throughout transportation and storage. Food safety regulations are stricter with severe consequences for non-compliance. Demand can be highly variable based on seasons, holidays, and consumption trends. Quality control is more complex since product degradation happens naturally over time. If you’re transitioning from manufacturing or retail supply chain, expect faster pace, tighter deadlines, more regulatory oversight, and higher stakes when things go wrong. The work is demanding but offers clear impact visibility when done well.
Final Assessment
The Supply Chain Manager position at Cremonini Group offers solid mid-level experience in international food operations. The two-year experience requirement makes it accessible to professionals who aren’t yet senior executives but have proven supply chain capabilities.
The salary is moderate for Shanghai, so consider total compensation including benefits and career development potential rather than just base salary. Working for an established Italian food company provides international exposure and potentially valuable industry connections.
If you have supply chain experience, analytical skills, leadership capability, and interest in food industry operations, this position offers genuine responsibility and growth opportunity. The focus on perishable goods and food safety compliance adds complexity but also makes the experience highly marketable within the food industry. Just ensure the salary meets your Shanghai living expenses before accepting any offer.
