Strategic Subcontract & Supplier Relations Lead

Hitachi; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Hitachi Rail GTS UK Limited in London is seeking a Subcontract Manager to develop and strengthen relationships with key suppliers and external clients. The role emphasizes trust-based partnerships, negotiating balanced outcomes, and driving continuous improvement across performance, capability, and delivery.

You will be the primary interface between the organization and its suppliers, engage with external clients, and travel to supplier premises or project sites as needed.

Qualifications

• Demonstrable experience managing key or strategic supplier relationships.
• Experience working directly with external suppliers and, ideally, clients.
• Track record of resolving complex or sensitive issues through negotiation and influence.
• Experience in a procurement, supply chain, operations or project-based environment.
• Working knowledge of contracts and commercial frameworks.
• MCIPS qualification preferred.

Responsibilities

• Act as the primary relationship owner for allocated key and strategic suppliers.
• Build and maintain long-term, trust-based relationships that support organisational, supplier and client objectives.
• Develop and maintain Supplier Relationship Plans including engagement cadence, joint objectives, and improvement initiatives.
• Facilitate regular supplier reviews and ensure 360° feedback is completed to support reporting cycles.
• Support engagement with external clients to align suppliers and delivery teams.
• Assist in joint meetings with suppliers and clients as a professional point of contact.
• Contribute to client discussions on supplier capability, performance, risk and improvement plans.
• Work with Project Procurement Managers to negotiate with suppliers focusing on collaboration and value rather than pure leverage.
• Influence supplier behaviours through effective communication, credibility and relationship management.
• Proactively manage issues and resolve conflicts at the lowest level possible.
• Monitor supplier performance using agreed metrics and drive continuous improvement.
• Collaborate with suppliers and QA to determine root causes of underperformance and agree corrective actions.
• Encourage innovation and best-practice sharing across the supplier base.
• Act as a key interface between suppliers and internal stakeholders (projects, engineering, quality, operations, commercial).
• Manage competing priorities and expectations through clear communication and alignment.
• Provide insight to internal teams and leadership on supplier capability, risks and dependencies.
• Proactively identify risks within the supplier base and support mitigation planning.
• Promote ethical and transparent conduct in all supplier and client interactions.
• Ensure activity aligns with governance requirements.

Skills

Supplier relationship management

Stakeholder engagement

Negotiation

Influence & conflict management

Travel flexibility

Commercial awareness

Education

MCIPS qualification

Job description

Hitachi Rail GTS UK Limited in London is seeking a Subcontract Manager to develop and strengthen relationships with key suppliers and external clients. The role emphasizes trust-based partnerships, negotiating balanced outcomes, and driving continuous improvement across performance, capability, and delivery.

You will be the primary interface between the organization and its suppliers, engage with external clients, and travel to supplier premises or project sites as needed.