Customer Delivery Manager - Manufacturing

About Zendlabs

Zendlabs is one of the UK's fastest growing contract manufacturers specialising in sports nutrition, health & wellness, nutraceuticals and functional products. From concept through to formulation, procurement, manufacturing, packaging, fulfilment and delivery, we help ambitious brands bring innovative products to market quickly and successfully.

The Opportunity

You will own every customer manufacturing project from receipt of the Purchase Order through to final customer delivery. Acting as the single point of ownership, you will coordinate Sales, Innovation, Procurement, Planning, Manufacturing, Quality, Finance and Fulfilment to ensure every project is delivered On Time In Full (OTIF). You will proactively communicate with customers, remove blockers, drive accountability across departments and ensure customers always know the status of their projects.

Purpose of the Role

To successfully deliver every manufacturing project by coordinating internal stakeholders, managing stage gates, providing proactive customer communication and ensuring products are delivered safely, on time, in full and to specification.

Key Responsibilities

End-to-End Project Ownership

·        Own projects from Purchase Order through to customer delivery.

·        Manage timelines, milestones, risks and dependencies.

·        Ensure projects remain on schedule and escalate risks early.

Customer Communication

·        Be the customer's primary point of contact.

·        Provide proactive progress updates and manage expectations.

·        Communicate delays professionally with recovery plans.

Cross Functional Coordination

·        Coordinate Sales, Innovation, Procurement, Planning, Manufacturing, Quality, Regulatory, Packaging, Fulfilment and Finance.

·        Drive accountability and challenge missed deadlines.

Financial Coordination

·        Chase deposits, proformas and payment approvals before manufacture.

·        Work closely with Finance to resolve payment issues.

Systems & Reporting

·        Maintain accurate updates in the ERP/project management system.

·        Own the live project dashboard and reporting.

Continuous Improvement

·        Identify bottlenecks and recommend process improvements.

·        Support automation and improved customer visibility.

Stage Gate Process

1. Commercial Handover

·        Purchase Order received

·        Commercial handover complete

·        Project created

2. Financial Approval

·        Deposit received

·        Credit approved

3. Product Approval

·        Formula, specification, artwork and BOM approved

4. Procurement

·        Ingredients and packaging ordered and received

·        QA goods-in complete

5. Production Planning

·        Production scheduled

·        Resources allocated

6. Manufacturing

·        Batch manufactured

·        Production documentation complete

7. Quality Release

·        QC complete

·        Batch released

8. Packing & Fulfilment

·        Packed

·        Despatched

·        Tracking issued

9. Customer Delivery

·        Delivered OTIF

·        POD received

·        Project closed

Daily Project Governance

·        Chair daily cross-functional project review meetings.

·        Review live projects, risks, procurement, manufacturing, OTIF performance and customer priorities.

·        Agree actions, owners and deadlines.

Essential Experience

·        Minimum three years managing manufacturing or customer delivery projects.

·        Experience within manufacturing, FMCG, food, nutraceuticals or contract manufacturing.

·        Excellent organisational and stakeholder management skills.

·        ERP/MRP/project management system experience.

·        Commercial awareness and customer relationship management.

Personal Attributes

·        Customer obsessed                                                                             Highly organised

·        Proactive                                                                                               Commercially aware

·        Assertive                                                                                                Calm under pressure

·        Collaborative                                                                                        Solutions focused

·        Naturally accountable

Key Performance Indicators

·        OTIF delivery                                                                                         Customer Satisfaction (CSAT/NPS)                                                                                            Project lead time

·        Stage Gate compliance                                                                      ERP accuracy

·        Customer communication SLA                                                         Deposit collection before manufacture                                                                                         Manufacturing schedule adherence                                                                                             Reduction in project delays

·        Competitive salary                                                                              Performance bonus

·        Private healthcare                                                                               Company pension

·        25 days holiday plus bank holidays                                                 Hybrid working

·        Career development                                                                           Supportive, ambitious culture