Strategic Supplier Relations Lead (Hybrid)

Hitachi Rail Gts Uk Limited; England; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Hitachi Rail Gts Uk Limited is seeking a Subcontract Manager to develop and strengthen strategic supplier relationships, influence behaviours and drive continuous improvement across performance, capability and delivery.

You will engage with internal stakeholders and external clients, travel to supplier premises and client sites as needed, and operate in a hybrid environment with regular office days.

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, including senior-level and executive engagement, and ensure supplier 360° scoring and feedback are completed.
• Support engagement with external clients to align suppliers, delivery teams, and client expectations.
• 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 sustainable outcomes.
• Influence supplier behaviours through effective communication, credibility and relationship management.
• Proactively manage emerging issues, resolving conflict at the lowest level and avoiding formal escalation where possible.
• Monitor supplier performance using agreed metrics with a focus on continuous improvement.
• Collaborate with suppliers and the quality assurance team to determine root causes of underperformance and agree on corrective actions.
• Encourage innovation, efficiency improvements 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 stakeholder alignment.
• Provide insight to internal teams and leadership on supplier capability, risks, constraints and behavioural dynamics.
• Proactively identify relationship, capability and dependency risks and support mitigation planning.
• Promote ethical, transparent and professional conduct in all supplier and client interactions.
• Ensure activity is aligned with governance requirements and organisational policies.

Skills

Relationship management

Stakeholder engagement

Communication skills

Influence and negotiation

Emotional intelligence

Credibility and trust

Problem-solving

Matrix environment

External travel

Education

MCIPS qualification

Job description

Hitachi Rail Gts Uk Limited is seeking a Subcontract Manager to develop and strengthen strategic supplier relationships, influence behaviours and drive continuous improvement across performance, capability and delivery.

You will engage with internal stakeholders and external clients, travel to supplier premises and client sites as needed, and operate in a hybrid environment with regular office days.