Sub Contract Manager

Leonardo UK Ltd; Basildon; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a leading company in the aerospace and defense sector as a Subcontract Manager in Basildon. You will oversee the entire lifecycle of subcontract management, ensuring compliance and governance while providing strategic leadership. This role requires strong negotiation skills and offers a comprehensive benefits package and the opportunity for hybrid working.

Benefits

Generous leave with flexi-days

Up to 15% employer pension contribution

Free mental health support

Bonus scheme eligibility

Access to online courses

Flexible benefits spending

Hybrid working options

Qualifications

• Experience in managing major system subcontracts.
• Defining and negotiating terms and conditions.
• Ability to undertake international and national travel.

Responsibilities

• Provide governance and leadership for procurement activities.
• Ensure compliance throughout the lifecycle of subcontract management.
• Challenge project assumptions and update procurement data accurately.

Skills

Subcontract Management

Procurement Leadership

Negotiation

Export Compliance

Tools

SAP

Job description

Job Description:

Your Impact

You will provide Subcontract Management support to the Mission Systems area of out business at Basildon. The role will involve all aspects of Subcontract Management from assessing the suppliers through Subcontract award to delivery and acceptance of the supplies, both service and material, through to closure of the Subcontracts. Ensuring compliance to internal and external Governance and Legislation throughout.

You will act as focal point for Procurement activities whilst generally operating within fairly demanding cross functional Integrated Project Teams (IPTs).

Key Responsibility Areas:

•To provide procurement governance and leadership within the Bid/Project business areas.

•Provide senior Procurement leadership and management to business area IPTs for effective Life Cycle Management (Tender Vet, Phase Reviews, CSR’s etc) and to achieve delivery and margin for all associated projects.

•Selection and development of strategic suppliers/partners. Ownership and responsibility for supplier performance, relationships and the ‘material’ budget.

•Preparing, negotiating and implementing any partnership, subcontract, teaming and non-disclosure agreements ensuring that the Company is always fully protected commercially. Manage export applications/approvals, ITAR, TAA procedures and processes.

•Manage a complex supply chain and support the Scope of Work creation to ensure that all Suppliers have an understood baseline and work package.

•Project manage new and existing supply chains ensuring that required outputs and schedules are completely understood throughout the programme.

•Manage the supply cash flow programme in line with the customer payments and negate any slippages where these may not be fully aligned.

•Be the focal point for monthly reporting, milestone monitoring and any remedial actions required with full ownership of the procurement activities.

•Assess need for a Sub-Contract and determine potential suppliers, NDA’s to be raised and RFI/RFQ to be issued, visits to be held to review their capability to deliver.

•Challenge assumptions of project bid teams and ensure necessary procurement fields are populated with accurate data, eg: suppliers’ conformance to project requirement, lead times, exchange rate, quotation validity, trade compliance restrictions and other commercial considerations.

•Coordinating, conducting and attending supplier visits requiring both with national and international travel.

•Develop and Approve the RFQ pack for down selected suppliers to include:

-Statement Of Work.

•Assess Tender Responses and undertake Source Selection from RFQ.

•Manage the Subcontract Negotiations to be held with the preferred supplier to achieve a Subcontract that meets the needs of the Project.

•Award Subcontracts to the preferred supplier against clear achievable and measurable delivery objectives.

•Develop the Procurement Plan and support the Project Risk Management Plan.

•Approve milestone claims from the supplier when the milestones have been met.

•Maintain the Subcontract through the life of the project closing it when all milestone and deliveries have been received.

•Mediation of supply chain conflicts against contractual objectives.

•Drive supply chain performance to achieve on time delivery objectives and ensure SAP accurately reflects latest position.

What you'll bring

You will have experience and capability in the following key areas:

- Running Major system subcontracts against technical Scopes of Work.

- Defining and negotiating Terms and Conditions.

- Export and Trade Compliance.

- Able to undertake regular international and national travel.

- Able to present complex ideas and positions to senior management, running spreadsheets and written word, tracking Estimate to Complete (ETC).

Experience and knowledge is desirable in the following area:

- SAP system.

- Defence Contracting.

Onsite presence will be required in Basildon at least three days per week.

Security Clearance

This role is subject to pre-employment screening in line with the UK Government’s Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS). An additional range of Personnel Security Controls referred to as National Security Vetting (NSV) may apply, this could include meeting the eligibility requirements for The Security Check (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV). For more information and guidance please visit: https://careers.uk.leonardo.com/gb/en/security-and-vetting

Why join us

At Leonardo, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We offer a comprehensive, company-funded benefits package that supports your wellbeing, career development, and work–life balance. Whether you're looking to grow professionally, care for your health, or plan for the future, we’re here to help you thrive.

• Time to Recharge: Enjoy generous leave with the opportunity to accrue up to 12 additional flexi-days each year.

• Secure your Future: Benefit from our award-winning pension scheme with up to 15% employer contribution.

• Your Wellbeing Matters: Free access to mental health support, financial advice, and employee-led networks championing inclusion and diversity (Enable, Pride, Equalise, Armed Forces, Carers, Wellbeing and Ethnicity).

• Rewarding Performance: All employees at management level and below are eligible for our bonus scheme.

• Never Stop Learning: Free access to 4,000+ online courses via Coursera and LinkedIn Learning.

• Refer a friend: Receive a financial reward through our referral programme.

• Tailored Perks: Spend up to £500 annually on flexible benefits including private healthcare, dental, family cover, tech & lifestyle discounts, gym memberships and more.

• Flexible working: Flexible hours with hybrid working options. For part time opportunities, please talk to us about what might be possible for this role.

For a full list of our company benefits please visit our website.

Leonardo is a global leader in Aerospace, Defence, and Security. Headquartered in Italy, we employ over 53,000 people worldwide including 8,500 across 9 sites in the UK. Our employees are not just part of a team—they are key contributors to shaping innovation, advancing technology, and enhancing global safety.

At Leonardo we are committed to building an inclusive, accessible, and welcoming workplace. We believe that a diverse workforce sparks creativity, drives innovation, and leads to better outcomes for our people and our customers. If you have any accessibility requirements to support you during the recruitment process, just let us know.

Be part of something bigger - apply now!

Primary Location:

GB - Basildon

Contract Type:

Permanent

Hybrid Working:

Hybrid