Head of Sourcing and Resilience

Eaton Group; Cheltenham; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Eaton Group in Cheltenham is seeking a Head of Sourcing and Resilience to lead strategic sourcing, supplier performance and supply chain resilience activities, aligning the supply base to customer commitments and growth.

The role sits within the Supply Chain Leadership Team and drives sourcing strategy, supplier risk management, inventory optimisation and organisational capability across the supply chain, with a focus on aerospace-grade standards and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, Manufacturing or Business.
• MCIPS or equivalent professional qualification.
• Leadership experience within aerospace, defence or a similarly regulated manufacturing environment.
• Strong background in strategic sourcing, supplier management and category leadership.
• Experience managing supplier risk, resilience and business continuity programmes.
• Demonstrated success reducing sole-source dependency and improving supplier performance.
• Strong commercial, contractual and stakeholder management capability.
• Experience supporting New Product Introduction and complex programme environments.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute sourcing strategies across electronics, PCBAs, mechanical commodities, indirect procurement and new programmes.
• Lead supplier selection, contract negotiations and strategic supplier partnerships.
• Deliver cost competitiveness through value engineering, supplier development and total cost of ownership improvements.
• Support make-versus-buy decisions and supplier footprint optimisation.
• Ensure sourcing decisions balance cost, quality, delivery, inventory and risk.
• Own the site's supply chain resilience strategy and supplier risk governance framework.
• Maintain visibility of supplier financial health, capacity, business continuity, geopolitical exposure, cybersecurity and material availability risks.
• Lead reviews of all sole-source and single-source components, ensuring mitigation plans are in place and actively managed.
• Drive risk reduction through dual sourcing, supplier diversification, inventory buffering, long-term agreements and alternative technology solutions.
• Partner with Engineering and Quality to eliminate sole-source dependencies through redesign, requalification and standardisation initiatives.
• Lead supplier recovery and escalation activities where delivery, quality or capacity threaten customer commitments.
• Ensure continuity plans exist for critical suppliers, materials and technologies.
• Lead strategic supplier reviews and performance improvement activities.
• Improve supplier delivery, quality, responsiveness and capacity readiness.
• Sponsor supplier development and continuous improvement programmes.
• Support bids, new product introductions and programme launch through early supplier engagement and readiness reviews.
• Leverage supplier capability to improve affordability, manufacturability and programme execution.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Supplier management

Risk management

Leadership

Contract negotiations

Stakeholder management

Aerospace knowledge

Education

Degree in Supply Chain/Engineering/Manufacturing/Business

MCIPS or equivalent

Tools

AS9100 knowledge

Export controls knowledge

Job description

Eaton MSD Cheltenham are looking for a Head of Sourcing and Resilience to lead Eaton's strategic sourcing, supplier performance and supply chain resilience activities, ensuring the business has a competitive, capable and resilient supply base aligned to customer commitments, operational requirements and future growth. As a member of the Supply Chain Leadership Team, the role is accountable for sourcing strategy, supplier performance, risk mitigation, inventory optimisation and organisational capability across the supply chain.

What you'll do:

Strategic Sourcing & Supplier Management

• Develop and execute sourcing strategies across electronics, PCBAs, mechanical commodities, indirect procurement and new programmes.
• Lead supplier selection, contract negotiations and strategic supplier partnerships.
• Deliver cost competitiveness through value engineering, supplier development and total cost of ownership improvements.
• Support make-versus-buy decisions and supplier footprint optimisation.
• Ensure sourcing decisions balance cost, quality, delivery, inventory and risk.

Supply Chain Resilience & Risk Management

• Own the site's supply chain resilience strategy and supplier risk governance framework.
• Maintain visibility of supplier financial health, capacity, business continuity, geopolitical exposure, cybersecurity and material availability risks.
• Lead reviews of all sole-source and single-source components, ensuring mitigation plans are in place and actively managed.
• Drive risk reduction through dual sourcing, supplier diversification, inventory buffering, long-term agreements and alternative technology solutions.
• Partner with Engineering and Quality to eliminate sole-source dependencies through redesign, requalification and standardisation initiatives.
• Lead supplier recovery and escalation activities where delivery, quality or capacity threaten customer commitments.
• Ensure continuity plans exist for critical suppliers, materials and technologies.

Supplier Performance & Programme Support

• Lead strategic supplier reviews and performance improvement activities.
• Improve supplier delivery, quality, responsiveness and capacity readiness.
• Sponsor supplier development and continuous improvement programmes.
• Support bids, new product introductions and programme launch through early supplier engagement and readiness reviews.
• Leverage supplier capability to improve affordability, manufacturability and programme execution.

Inventory & Working Capital

• Develop inventory strategies that balance resilience, customer service and working capital.
• Improve inventory turns through lead-time reduction, supplier flexibility and planning alignment.
• Reduce excess and obsolete inventory through proactive lifecycle management and supplier engagement.

Leadership

• Build and develop a high-performing sourcing organisation.
• Drive succession planning, capability development and employee engagement.
• Promote a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Contribute actively to Supply Chain Leadership Team priorities and site objectives.

Qualifications:

• Degree qualified in Supply Chain, Engineering, Manufacturing or Business.
• MCIPS or equivalent professional qualification.
• Leadership experience within aerospace, defence or a similarly regulated manufacturing environment.
• Strong background in strategic sourcing, supplier management and category leadership.
• Experience managing supplier risk, resilience and business continuity programmes.
• Demonstrated success reducing sole-source dependency and improving supplier performance.
• Strong commercial, contractual and stakeholder management capability.
• Proven track record of building and leading high-performing teams.
• Knowledge of AS9100, aerospace quality requirements and export controls.
• Experience supporting New Product Introduction and complex programme environments.

Skills:

• Works effectively with others
• Proactively able to manage own work to in order to achieve objectives
• Use own initiative within the scope of the role
• Plans work and consistently delivers on time
• Seeks effective solutions to problems encountered
• Makes timely decisions within the scope of the role
• Demonstrates a "Can do" positive attitude

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We are committed to ensuring equal employment opportunities for job applicants and employees. Our recruitment processes use balanced selection criteria and avoid unlawful discrimination against applicants on the basis of their age, colour, disability, marital status, national origin, gender, gender identity, genetic information, race or racial origin, religion, sexual orientation or any other status protected or required by law.