CTO Supply Chain Manager

Description

Department: Operations / Supply Chain

Reports To: VP, Operations

FLSA Status: Exempt

Location: North Charleston, SC

Position Summary

The CTO Supply Chain Manager owns all crude tall oil (CTO) management for Mainstream Pine Products. That includes direct ownership of CTO logistics, storage and planning, the day-to-day mill relationships, soap tolling, ISCC certification requirements, and CTO cost tracking. The role is accountable for supporting each soap and CTO supplier to ensure transparent communication and direct ownership of all CTO movements, and for knowing what it costs to do so. This role represents Mainstream with our most critical suppliers. This role supports CTO commercial discussions and works directly with the operating team receiving CTO.

Core Responsibilities

• Logistics: Plan and execute all CTO inbound movements from mills to MPP's facilities and storage locations, including carrier, rail and truck coordination, scheduling, and resolving delivery issues.
• Storage: Manage CTO inventory held at the plant and at third-party storage locations, including capacity, availability, and inventory accuracy.
• Planning: Build and maintain the CTO supply plan so that raw material availability matches the production schedule and customer commitments.
• Mill relationships: Act as the main day-to-day contact with each CTO supply mill.
• Soap tolling: Manage toll mill relationships, soap volumes, movements, balancing, and billing.
• ISCC certification: Lead the requirements needed to maintain MPP's ISCC certification.
• Cost tracking: Track and explain the logistics and storage cost of CTO supply.
• Commercial: Provide support for CTO contract negotiations.

The role also reports on supply performance, escalates risks early, and keeps CTO supply data accurate in MPP's systems.

Day-to-Day Mill Relationships

The CTO Supply Chain Manager is the operational point of contact for each CTO mill, with a direct, day-to-day relationship with every one.

• Ensure all mills have railcar or alternative options for soap and CTO offtake.
• Serve as the main contact with each CTO supply mill, with direct day-to-day communication.
• Track CTO receipts from each mill.
• Monitor incoming supply from each mill to confirm mills are shipping at committed levels, and engage mills in shortfalls.
• Work with the 3rd Party Logistics Provider to set up railcars and trucks to handle each mill's output, and communicate that information to the mills.
• Work with the 3rd Party Logistics Provider to direct railcars to the plant, toller, or to the terminals.
• Resolve loading, documentation, and quality-release issues, and keep delays from reaching production.
• Manage, track, and communicate CTO quality issues internally and directly to the mills.
• Track mill production and outage schedules so supply risk is visible before it affects the plan.
• Pass commercial topics (pricing, contract terms, volume commitments) to CTO Commercial Procurement.

Third-Party Storage Management

The CTO Supply Chain Manager manages works with the contract manufacturing manager to oversee all third-party CTO storage and the relationships with those providers.

• Direct inbound and outbound movements, and monitor tank capacity and availability at each location.
• Work with Contractor Manufacturing Manager to review storage and handling invoices against agreed rates and terms.
• Coordinate product quality, sampling, and any segregation requirements with the Operations and Technical teams.
• Plan the use of storage against the supply plan, and identify when capacity will be short or in excess.

Forecasting, Volume and Tracking

The CTO Supply Chain Manager owns the CTO supply forecast and tracks actual volumes against it.

• Build a rolling forecast of CTO receipts by mill, based on production and sales plans, mill schedules, and storage position.
• Report variances between forecast and actual volume, with causes and corrective actions.
• Maintain a single, current view of CTO inventory across the plant and third-party locations.
• Send the inventory and receipt report to the team on a regular schedule.
• Share the forecast and volume position regularly with CTO Commercial Procurement, Production, and Sales.

Cost Tracking

The CTO Supply Chain Manager tracks the logistics and storage cost of CTO supply and keeps it visible and explainable.

• Track freight, rail, demurrage, storage, handling, and other logistics costs by mill, lane, and storage location.
• Compare actual logistics costs with budget and plan, and explain variances.
• Verify carrier and storage invoices against shipments and agreed rates before they are approved.
• Calculate delivered cost per ton by mill so total CTO supply cost can be compared across sources.
• Identify cost-saving opportunities in routing, mode, and storage use, and report them with supporting data.
• Provide cost inputs to forecasting, budgeting, and month-end close.

Soap and Toll Supply

The CTO Supply Chain Manager manages the mill relationships and logistics for soap handled under toll arrangements.

• Manage the mill relationships for the tolls and work with the mills on the soap volumes available each week.
• Arrange trucks to move soap to the tollers.
• Balance soap receipts against the CTO produced and received back from the tollers.
• Confirm that soap is billed and that the related invoices are paid.

ISCC Certification

The CTO Supply Chain Manager leads the requirements needed to maintain MPP's ISCC certification, including documentation and traceability records from mills, and supports audits.

Requirements

Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor's degree in supply chain, logistics, business, engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 3+ years experience in bulk liquid or chemical logistics, raw material supply, or supply planning. Experience with CTO, pulp mill co-products, or similar commodities is preferred.
• Experience with rail, truck, and terminal operations and third-party storage arrangements.
• Strong forecasting, analytical, and Excel skills. Experience with ERP systems and Power BI is a plus.
• Ability to build and keep working relationships with mill and terminal personnel.
• Clear written and verbal communication, and the ability to manage many shipments and issues at once.