Strategic Supplier Manager

Pelion; Glasgow; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Pelion in Glasgow is seeking a Strategic Supplier Manager to lead the commercial strategy and senior relationships with our most important suppliers. This role focuses on six-figure, multi-year contracts critical to our products and services delivered to customers.

You will shape commercial strategy, own senior relationships, negotiate terms, and partner with operations, product, finance and sales. The position reports to the Chief Commercial Officer and offers hybrid working from our Glasgow

Qualifications

• Track record of managing strategic supplier or partner relationships, ideally including large, multi‑year contracts that are critical to a business.
• Strong commercial acumen. You are comfortable owning contracts, pricing models and margin, and you negotiate with confidence.
• Senior relationship skills, with the credibility to build trust with and hold your own against major suppliers.
• A numerate, data‑led approach. You build the model rather than wait for one.
• A collaborator who can support and influence operations, product, finance and sales without taking over their day to day.
• Sound commercial judgement and the confidence to set direction.

Responsibilities

• Set the commercial strategy. Shape how Pelion buys from and partners with its strategic suppliers.
• Own the senior relationships. Be the senior point of contact for our most important suppliers.
• Lead the commercials. Own the terms, pricing and commercials on six‑figure, multi‑year contracts.
• Develop new opportunities. Identify access to new markets, co‑selling and emerging propositions.
• Support the teams when needed. Step in for operations, product, finance and sales when input is required.

Skills

Supplier relationships

Commercial acumen

Senior stakeholder management

Numerate / data-led

Cross-functional collaboration

Strategic thinking

Job description

Supplier Manager

Location: Glasgow (hybrid)

Reports to: Chief Commercial Officer

Type: Full time, permanent

We are looking for a Strategic Supplier Manager to lead the commercial strategy and senior relationships behind our most important suppliers and partners. These are six-figure, multi-year contracts that are critical to our products and services we deliver to customers. Reporting to the Chief Commercial Officer, you will shape commercial strategy and engagement with these suppliers, own those relationships at a senior level, and step in to support our team's day to day when commercial input is needed.

This is a strategic commercial role for someone who thinks in terms of margin, leverage and growth through long-term partnerships. What matters most is your ability to manage large, business-critical supplier relationships and turn them into an advantage. You will work closely with operations, service management, product management, finance and sales, but your focus is the commercial relationship itself: where to consolidate, where to diversify, and which partnerships to deepen.

If you enjoy shaping strategy and can hold your own in a negotiation with a major supplier, this one is for you.

About Pelion

Pelion is a multi‑operator IoT connectivity provider. We keep more than 1.8 million devices connected across 150+ countries, over 600 networks, with 99.995% uptime. From our Glasgow headquarters we serve customers in transport, metering, media and beyond, and our job is a simple one: make global IoT connectivity effortless. Our suppliers and partners are the foundation of that promise, and this role makes sure they deliver.

What you will do

• Set the commercial strategy. Shape how Pelion buys from and partners with its strategic suppliers. Decide where to consolidate spend, where to diversify, and which relationships to deepen, and build the commercial roadmap that supports the wider business plan.
• Own the senior relationships. Be the senior point of contact and trusted partner for our most important suppliers. Run the executive cadence of business reviews, roadmap sessions and escalations, and represent Pelion with credibility at the top table.
• Lead the commercials. Own the terms, pricing and commercials on six‑figure, multi‑year supplier contracts that are critical to revenue. Lead renewals and renegotiations, track commitments against actuals, and protect and grow margin.
• Develop new opportunities. Treat suppliers as partners, not just vendors. Identify and develop new commercial opportunities: access to new markets and capabilities, co‑selling, and emerging propositions that open up growth.
• Support the teams when needed. Step in for operations, product, finance and sales day to day where commercial input, leverage or an escalation is required. Bring supplier insight back into the product roadmap and sales propositions, and make sure commercial reality is understood across the company.

What you will bring

• Track record of managing strategic supplier or partner relationships, ideally including large, multi‑year contracts that are critical to a business.
• Strong commercial acumen. You are comfortable owning contracts, pricing models and margin, and you negotiate with confidence.
• Senior relationship skills, with the credibility to build trust with and hold your own against major suppliers.
• A numerate, data‑led approach. You build the model rather than wait for one.
• A collaborator who can support and influence operations, product, finance and sales without taking over their day to day.
• Sound commercial judgement and the confidence to set direction.

Nice to have

• Experience in telecoms, connectivity or a related technology sector.
• Familiarity with mobile network operators, wholesale or roaming agreements.
• Working knowledge of cellular technologies, eSIM standards and telecoms regulation.
• Exposure to satellite or non‑terrestrial connectivity.

Why Pelion

You will own the commercial strategy for the supplier relationships that matter most to our revenue, with the autonomy to set direction and the visibility to see your impact land. This is a senior role with real commercial weight, working closely with the leadership team, in a business that is growing fast.