Job Title: Supplier Manager – 6 month maternity cover
Location: Hybrid (Office and Home Based)
Reports to: Head of Resourcing
Department: Operations
Job Purpose
The Supplier Manager is responsible for managing the company’s relationships with suppliers, ensuring optimal performance, compliance, and cost-efficiency. This role plays a key part in supporting the company’s business strategy, driving innovation, and ensuring a resilient, ethical, and sustainable supply chain. The Supplier Manager also manages security clearances and implements internal processes for work involving sensitive or classified information, ensuring both supplier and internal compliance.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and maintain strong relationships with key suppliers to ensure alignment with company objectives and values.
- Champion supplier diversity, sustainability, and ethical sourcing initiatives.
- Work closely with the pre-sales team to identify and shape opportunities, advising on delivery through the supplier network to maximise value and capability.
- Negotiate contracts, pricing, and service agreements in collaboration with the Head of Resourcing to achieve best value for the business.
- Provide ad-hoc support on projects requiring supplier engagement, commercial input, or process expertise.
- Collaborate with the Head of Delivery to monitor and evaluate supplier performance using KPIs, audits, and regular reviews.
- Identify and mitigate supplier risks, including financial, operational, security, and compliance risks.
- Implement and maintain internal processes and governance frameworks for managing staff and supplier security clearances, including tracking, renewal, and audit requirements.
- Collaborate with internal teams (procurement, operations, finance, quality, security, HR, IT, legal, and sustainability) to ensure smooth supplier integration and compliance with security, health and safety, and EDI protocols.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives with suppliers to improve quality, delivery, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability.
- Maintain accurate supplier records, contracts, performance data, and security documentation.
- Keep up to date with market trends, new technologies, and best practices in supplier management, digital procurement, and security compliance.
- Develop and report on supplier KPIs, including quality, on-time delivery, compliance, and sustainability metrics.
- Support crisis management and business continuity planning related to supplier operations.
- Where applicable, meet suppliers on an ad-hoc basis across Empowered and OrderWork.
Qualifications & Experience
- Proven experience in supplier/vendor management, procurement, or supply chain management.
- Experience managing security clearances and implementing internal processes for controlled work is essential.
- Strong negotiation, communication, and relationship management skills.
- Analytical mindset with the ability to interpret data and drive decisions.
- Knowledge of relevant legal, regulatory, and compliance requirements.
- Experience with supplier performance management systems, digital procurement platforms, and data analytics tools is desirable.
- Relevant professional certifications (e.g., CIPS, ISM) are an advantage.
Key Competencies
- Strategic thinking and planning.
- Problem-solving and decision-making.
- Effective stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration.
- Attention to detail and organisational skills.
- Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple priorities.
- Strong understanding of security processes, clearance management, and internal compliance procedures.
- Change management and adaptability.
- Commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion in supplier engagement.
- Willingness to travel to meet suppliers.