Material Management Lead

BAE Systems - Saudi Arabia; Barrow-in-Furness; Hybrid; GBP 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading defense contractor in the UK is seeking a Material Management Lead to oversee the Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) materials team. This role involves leading daily operations, managing team dynamics, and ensuring compliance with contractual obligations, particularly with US partners. Ideal candidates will possess a strong background in GFE principles, exceptional people management skills, and the ability to drive continuous improvement within the team. A competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package are offered, including relocation support for eligible candidates.

Benefits

Competitive pension scheme

Employee share plans

Flexible health and wellbeing benefits

Qualifications

• Good understanding of GFE principles within contractual frameworks.
• Strong leadership with discretion and confidentiality.
• Ability to influence change and drive continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Government Furnished Equipment materials team.
• Represent the company in meetings with stakeholders.
• Ensure effective management of contractual obligations with US partners.

Skills

Good working knowledge of Government Furnished Equipment (GFE)

Exceptional people management skills

Capability to present details and findings

Job description

Overview

Job Title: Material Management Lead

Location: Barrow-in-Furness. We offer a range of hybrid and flexible working arrangements - please speak to your recruiter about the options for this particular role.

Salary: Circa £50,000 depending on skills & experience

Responsibilities

• Leading and managing the Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) materials team, overseeing daily operations, coordinating individual tasks, and conducting regular people management discussions to ensure team alignment and performance
• Attending meetings as the representative of the company with all associated internal and external partners
• Attending team meetings to ensure escalation points are raised to the necessary stakeholder
• Acting as a SPOC (single point of contact) with the MoD teams onsite and in the field, ensuring that communications and escalations are jointly controlled
• Ensuring contractual obligations with the US partners are managed effectively

Qualifications

• Good working knowledge of Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) principles, including their application within contractual frameworks and team-related operational processes
• Exceptional people management skills, with the ability to lead with diligence, discretion, and confidentiality in all interactions
• Capability to present details and findings to a wider audience at varying levels and be part of a system to drive change and continuous improvement to the business

Benefits

As well as a competitive pension scheme, BAE Systems also offers employee share plans, an extensive range of flexible discounted health, wellbeing and lifestyle benefits, including a green car scheme, private health plans and shopping discounts - you may also be eligible for an annual incentive.

The Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) team:

This is a fantastic opportunity to become part of a dynamic team at the heart of three submarine programmes currently in production and planning. The team is structured into dedicated roles, each serving as the key point of contact for all Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) materials required during production. We manage the full lifecycle of materials, from arrival through to consumption or return, ensuring precision, accountability, and seamless integration across platforms. We offer relocation support packages across all Submarines roles, subject to meeting eligibility criteria.

Why BAE Systems?

This is a place where you’ll be able to make a real difference. You’ll be part of an inclusive culture that values diversity of thought, rewards integrity, and merit, and where you’ll be empowered to fulfil your potential. We welcome people from all backgrounds and want to make sure that our recruitment processes are as inclusive as possible. If you have a disability or health condition (for example dyslexia, autism, an anxiety disorder etc.) that may affect your performance in certain assessment types, please speak to your recruiter about potential reasonable adjustments.

Please be aware that many roles at BAE Systems are subject to both security and export control restrictions. These restrictions mean that factors such as your nationality, any nationalities you may have previously held, and your place of birth can restrict the roles you are eligible to perform within the organisation. All applicants must as a minimum achieve Baseline Personnel Security Standard. Many roles also require higher levels of National Security Vetting where applicants must typically have 5 to 10 years of continuous residency in the UK depending on the vetting level required for the role, to allow for meaningful security vetting checks.

Closing Date: 2nd February 2026

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

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