NPI & Supply Chain Execution Specialist - APAC

Role Responsibilities NPI Pipeline & Product Localization Coordination • Pipeline Visibility: Maintain regional end-to-end visibility of the APAC NPI and LTO pipeline, tracking upcoming launches, lead times, critical dependencies, and market readiness. • Regional Interface: Act as the operational liaison between product development teams and local APAC markets, translating market-specific consumer, commercial, and regulatory requirements into actionable product briefs. • Localization Proposals: Identify where global product formulations or packaging require localization for APAC markets (e.g., ingredient substitution, regulatory adjustments, packaging variation). Formulate data-driven proposals for stakeholders. • Pipeline Tracking: Maintain a structured status view (by stage, owner, risk, and target launch date per market); proactively flag potential timeline conflicts and capacity bottlenecks. Launch Project Management & Critical Path Ownership • Critical Path Execution: Define and monitor the cross-functional critical path for each launch. Including spanning brief sign-off, ingredient/packaging procurement, sample approval, equipment readiness, regulatory clearance, and store delivery. • Stage-Gate Reviews: Facilitate structured launch reviews at defined milestones; track project progress, surface operational blockers, and coordinate resolution across functions. • Gatekeeper Governance: Enforce submission deadlines, approval gates, and escalation protocols to prevent late-stage scope changes from causing cost overruns or supply lead-time compression. • Process Standardization: Maintain and continuously update regional launch playbooks and checklists based on post-launch lessons learned. Equipment Qualification & Rollout Coordination • Equipment Deployment: Coordinate the operational qualification and market rollout of new store equipment (brewers, printers, blenders, and related hardware), including testing alignment and phased market deployment. • Certification Dependencies: Align equipment rollout schedules with local market regulatory certification timelines (KC in Korea, SNI/TISI in Indonesia/Thailand, SIRIM in Malaysia, and local equivalents) in close alignment with the Import/Export (IMEX) and Compliance teams. • Transition Execution: Coordinate old-to-new equipment transition plans, including spare parts run-down timelines and operational communications to store teams. • Spec Validation: Validate that new food/beverage formulations align with store equipment capabilities prior to rollout. Supply Chain Readiness & LTO Lifecycle Management • Demand Signal Alignment: Translate finalized launch plans into actionable supply signals for regional planning and procurement teams (initial buy sizing, buffer stock, supplier MOQs, and safety stock requirements). • LTO Lifecycle: Manage the operational transition and depletion phase for LTOs, including old-to-new SKU mapping, cutover timing, and stranded inventory mitigation. • Core Range Conversion: Support the transition of successful LTO SKUs into core menu items by coordinating specification finalization and long-term supply continuity. • Post-Launch Inventory Tracking: Monitor post-launch inventory health across markets, raising excess or stockout risks early to facilitate stock rebalancing where needed. Regulatory & Compliance Tracking • Regulatory Milestones: Track market-level regulatory requirements for new launches (labeling, ingredient declarations, halal certification, food safety filings, and import documentation) in coordination with local market teams and dedicated compliance officers. • Timeline Integration: Incorporate regulatory approval lead times directly into the launch critical path. • Regulatory Reference: Maintain a consolidated reference guide of APAC regulatory requirements per market to flag potential impacts on current or future pipelines. Post-Launch Performance & Continuous Improvement • Launch Tracking: Track post-launch execution metrics against targets (product mix, sell-through, OTIF, forecast accuracy, and stockout frequency). • Post-Mortem Analysis: Lead structured post-launch reviews to identify root causes of operational gaps and convert findings into template or process enhancements. Role Requirements • Experience: Professional experience in NPI execution, launch project management, or regional supply chain operations within F&B, QSR, FMCG, or consumer goods, preferably in a regional or multi-market capacity. • Project Management: Proven experience managing complex, cross-functional launch critical paths across product, procurement, logistics, and marketing workstreams. • Regulatory & Certification Familiarity: Working familiarity with food product and equipment certification landscapes in APAC (e.g., Halal requirements, KC, SNI, TISI, SIRIM). • Supply Chain Fundamentals: Solid understanding of demand sizing for new items, lead time dynamics, MOQs, and stock depletion planning. • Stakeholder Management: Exceptional communication skills with the ability to coordinate across diverse regional market teams and functional stakeholders without needing direct authority. • Systems: Proficient in project management tools, MS Office (Advanced Excel), and familiarity with ERP systems (SAP, NetSuite, or equivalent). • Travel: Willingness to travel across APAC markets as operational launches require.