How to Hire Supply Chain Talent Strategically During Market Uncertainty

Throughout 2026, supply chain hiring in Europe has faced mixed signals. S&P Global’s Eurozone Manufacturing PMI rose to 52.2 in April, its highest level in almost four years, while the UK Manufacturing PMI reached 53.7, also a near four-year high. However, both reports noted pressure beneath the headline growth, including stockpiling, supplier delays, higher input prices, and weaker business optimism.  

For employers, this does not mean freezing recruitment. It means being more intentional about where, who, and how you hire.  

As Matthew Wood, Managing Director - DSJ Global Europe, explains:

That distinction matters. The market may be cautious, but it is far from inactive. 

Why leading supply chain firms are hiring despite a cautious market

The current market captures the pressure many supply chain and manufacturing employers in Europe are facing. Demand has not disappeared, but decision-making has become more complex as energy costs, supplier disruption, trade restrictions, logistics reliability, and footprint decisions force companies to reassess how their supply chains are structured. 

S&P Global reported that eurozone manufacturing growth in April was partly supported by front-loaded purchasing, as companies prepared for price increases and possible supply disruption. Supplier delays also reached their worst level since July 2022, while UK manufacturers continued to face supply chain and price pressures. 

This is not only a short-term response to disruption. Capgemini’s 2026 reindustrialisation research found that nearly three quarters of organisations have a reindustrialisation strategy in place or under development, with European firms increasingly focused on friendshoring, automation, AI, and digital tools to improve productivity and resilience. 

While some firms are delaying permanent hiring throughout this volatility, others are using the same market to secure high-impact supply chain and manufacturing talent before competitors re-enter at speed.  

This is where strategic hiring during market uncertainty becomes an advantage. 

Where competitors are hiring in supply chain and manufacturing

Leading supply chain employers are focusing hiring into functions that protect continuity, manage cost, improve productivity and operational performance, and strengthen long-term capability. Key areas include: 

• Manufacturing operations, engineering, and technical operations. With manufacturing levels improving across the continent, employers need plant leaders, production managers, quality specialists, maintenance leaders, engineers, and technical operations professionals who can improve throughput and reduce downtime.  
• Procurement, sourcing, and supplier strategy. Thomson Reuters’ 2026 Global Trade Report found that supply chain concerns have doubled year-on-year as companies respond to tariff volatility, regulatory complexity, supplier reliability issues, customs delays, and cost pressure. This is increasing demand for strategic sourcing, supplier risk, category management, and procurement talent with stronger commercial and risk capability.  
• Trade compliance, customs, and regulatory capability. 72% of trade professionals now identify U.S. tariff volatility as the most impactful regulatory change, up from 41% in 2025, and trade departments are increasingly moving from cost centres to strategic business partners. For European employers, that raises demand for professionals who can connect trade compliance, scenario planning, customs rules, supplier data, and business strategy.  
• Logistics, transportation, and network planning. Nearly four in five surveyed companies in Europe expect geopolitical change, trade tariffs, and international trade policy to affect their supply chains over the next 12 to 24 months, with rising transportation costs and geopolitical tensions identified as key challenges. Employers need logistics, distribution, transport, and network planning professionals who can manage disruption and protect service levels.  
• Digital supply chain, AI, automation, and systems integration. Technology investment is increasing demand for people who can connect systems, data, planning, production, and decision-making, but shortages of skilled industrial and digital talent are limiting scale. 
• Supply chain leadership and transformation. Reindustrialisation, friendshoring, footprint reviews, supplier redesign, and AI adoption all require senior leaders who can connect operational detail with business strategy. Firms need leaders who can manage change, influence stakeholders, and make supply chain a board-level growth and resilience function. 

Why top supply chain talent is more accessible during cautious markets

Periods of uncertainty often make in-demand professionals more open to new opportunities. If their current employer pauses promotions, limits pay increases, or increases workload when budgets tighten, high-performing professionals will start to test the market. 

DSJ Global’s Europe Supply Chain Talent Report 2026 found that 64% of supply chain professionals feel confident about finding a new role, with demand for skills and experience a key reason behind that confidence. Among those who felt less confident, the main concerns were the economic climate and role availability, rather than doubts about their own capability.  

Compensation also needs close attention. 71% of surveyed European supply chain professionals received a pay rise in the past 12 months, while 76% received a bonus. At the same time, 39% of individual contributors and 36% of managers believe their salaries are below market rate, creating a direct retention risk for employers using outdated benchmarks - explore DSJ Global’s latest compensation guides.

Progression is another major factor. DSJ Global found that 67% of European supply chain professionals had not been promoted in the past year, and that limited promotion activity is adding to salary and motivation pressure.  

As Matthew explains:

It is important to note that the best candidates are not always active applicants. Many are open to the right conversation if a business can show stability, competitive compensation, a clear remit and mission, and a strong reason for the move long-term. 

The cost of pausing hiring for too long

A hiring pause might protect short-term cost, but it can also create long-term exposure. 

If competitors hire while others wait, they gain access to candidates with fewer competing offers. They build operational capacity before demand increases, reduce supplier and plant risk, and send a positive message to existing teams that the business is still investing in growth. 

DSJ Global’s Talent Report found that over a third of European supply chain professionals are not happy at their company, and satisfaction is much lower below senior leadership level. In an active market where professionals are open to making a move, dissatisfaction can move quickly from sentiment to resignation, leaving workforce gaps that take time and cost to fill while competitors benefit from their knowledge and experience. 

How to improve your supply chain hiring strategy in 2026 

Focus on aligning every hire to a business outcome. Depending on your needs, this could mean prioritising roles that support: 

• Operational continuity, including plant operations, maintenance, production, quality, engineering, and technical operations.
• Supply chain resilience, especially across supplier risk, procurement, strategic sourcing, customs, trade compliance, and tariff exposure.
• Logistics performance, including transportation, warehousing, distribution, carrier management, network planning, and cross-border operations.
• Nearshoring, friendshoring, and footprint strategy, including site leadership, supplier development, supply chain planning, manufacturing project management, and capital programme delivery.
• Technology and AI adoption, including digital supply chain, ERP, advanced planning systems, automation, robotics, data analytics, and systems integration.
• Regulatory readiness, including trade compliance, customs governance, product compliance, sustainability requirements, and supplier due diligence.
• Succession planning, particularly at Director, Vice President, Senior Vice President, and C-suite level.
• Retention of high performers, where low engagement, limited progression opportunities, poor work-life balance, or outdated compensation could create preventable attrition.

Checklist: key supply chain hiring priorities for 2026

Hiring effectively during market uncertainty starts with focusing on where talent will have the greatest business impact. Practical steps firms can take now to plan for the rest of the year include: 

• Mapping critical roles against resilience, cost control, productivity, transformation, regulatory readiness, and succession plans.
• Identifying where competitors are still hiring.
• Benchmarking compensation before launching a search.
• Reviewing bonuses, benefits, and flexible working policies against current candidate expectations.
• Building talent pipelines before roles become urgent.
• Keeping interview processes short, structured, and aligned internally.
• Giving candidates clear information on remit, progression, site expectations, relocation support, and decision timelines.
• Moving quickly when the right candidate is engaged.
• Using contract talent where demand is uncertain, while still making permanent hires in core capability areas.
• Planning relocation support where local talent pools are limited. DSJ Global’s survey results revealed that 65% of supply chain professionals in Europe have relocated for a role before, but expectations around relocation packages have increased.

Build the supply chain teams your competitors will wish they secured earlier

Market uncertainty is creating a rare opening for supply chain and manufacturing firms in Europe to secure specialist and senior talent before confidence fully returns. 

DSJ Global helps supply chain employers identify, engage, and hire professionals across key sectors including planning, procurement, engineering, logistics, supply chain leadership, technical operations, and commercial solutions. We work with leading organisations across Europe and around the world to solve complex hiring challenges through specialist market knowledge, established candidate networks, and unparallelled insight into compensation, competitors, and candidate expectations.  

Request a call back today to discuss how your organisation can hire the specialist and senior supply chain talent needed to move through market uncertainty and come out stronger.