Head of Sourcing & Resilience

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

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid/flexible working

Job summary

Ultra PCS in the UK defence sector is seeking a Senior Strategic Sourcing & Supplier Management leader to drive sourcing strategy, supplier performance and resilience. As part of the Supply Chain Leadership Team, you will shape the supplier base, manage risk and align with customer commitments and growth.

You will lead cross-functional teams, negotiate contracts, reduce sole-source dependencies and optimise inventory, while fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement in a

Qualifications

• Leadership experience in aerospace/defence or regulated manufacturing.
• Strong strategic sourcing, supplier management and category leadership.
• Experience managing supplier risk, resilience and business continuity.
• Proven track record reducing sole-source dependency and improving supplier performance.
• Excellent commercial, contractual and stakeholder management.
• Experience building and leading high-performing teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic sourcing, supplier performance and risk management.
• Develop and execute sourcing strategies across electronics, mechanical commodities and indirect spends.
• Negotiate contracts and build strategic supplier partnerships.
• Oversee supplier risk governance and continuity plans.
• Drive value engineering and total cost of ownership improvements.
• Collaborate with Engineering and Quality to drive supplier development.
• Lead supplier reviews and improvement programmes.
• Manage inventory strategies and working capital optimization.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic sourcing

Supplier management

Risk management

Contractual governance

Team leadership

Education

Degree in Supply Chain

MCIPS certification

Job description

We are Ultra Precision Control Systems Ultra PCS is a leading developer of mission and safety critical equipment in the defence and aerospace industry. Our team of experts are at the heart of our success, which is why we are dedicated to fostering a safe working environment and a positive culture where every staff member feels valued and respected. We solve our customers' problems, providing engineering solutions to safety and mission critical challenges in the air and on the ground. Our solutions can be found in the latest military aircraft and vehicles, in civil aircraft, and in unmanned vehicles. We help to ensure our customers get to where they need to be safely, achieve their objectives and keep on going back.

Flexible Working

Wherever possible, we will consider a variety of working options to suit your lifestyle, whether that be hybrid home/office working, flexible working and part or full time employment. It's the 'innovating' and 'empowering' values that we ASPIRE to be. We welcome the challenge to work in new ways and have trust in you when getting the job done because we recognise, our business is our people.

Job Description

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.

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.

Skills & Experience

Essential

• 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.

Desirable

• Degree qualified in Supply Chain, Engineering, Manufacturing or Business.
• MCIPS or equivalent professional qualification.
• Knowledge of AS9100, aerospace quality requirements and export controls.
• Experience supporting New Product Introduction and complex programme environments.

Nationality Requirements

Candidates must be able to work in the UK without restrictions in accordance with UK National Law and be prepared to successfully undertake an appropriate level of UK National Security Vetting according to UK Government National Security Vetting criteria.

Diverse & Inclusive Employer

Ultra PCS is an equal opportunities employer that values diversity, inclusion, equity and equality. Underpinned by our values, behaviours, and policies, we want you to feel empowered to be your best and authentic self. We promote a workplace that welcomes people from all backgrounds and cultures; believing that this will increase our diversity of thinking, and ultimately ensure we continue delivering on our commitments to our customers. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, colour, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status and welcome applications from all candidates.

Ultra specialises in providing application‑engineered bespoke solutions. We focus on our customers’ mission critical and intelligent systems in the defence, security, critical detection, & control markets. Our capabilities and technologies can be found on many of the world’s long‑term military programmes. We employ over 4,500 employees across the globe and are listed on the London Stock Exchange.