Supply Chain Lead

Outsource UK; Barrow-in-Furness; On-site; GBP 1,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company is seeking a Supply Chain Lead for a 24-month contract in Barrow-in-Furness. This senior role emphasizes strategic cost management and vendor engagement while fostering a culture of cost transparency. Ideal candidates will have extensive leadership experience in defense or complex engineering and a strong grasp of procurement regulations.

Qualifications

• Senior-level leadership in supply chain or procurement.
• In-depth knowledge of MoD procurement frameworks.
• Proven experience influencing C-suite stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and execution of subcontract strategies.
• Provide leadership on procurement governance and compliance.
• Drive supplier engagement from selection to purchase order placement.

Skills

Leadership

Procurement Governance

Risk Management

Strategic Engagement

Coaching

Job description

Job Title: Supply Chain Lead

Location: Barrow-in-Furness

Contract Type: 24-Month Contract (Inside IR35)

Working Hours: 37 hours per week (3 days onsite: Tuesday–Thursday)

Pay Rate: £74.26/hr Umbrella

Business Unit: BAE Systems Submarines

About the Role

We are recruiting a Supply Chain Lead to join BAE Systems Submarines in Barrow. This is a high-impact leadership role within the Strategic Cost Management function, responsible for driving end-to-end supply chain and subcontract strategy across multi-million-pound, high-value programmes. The successful candidate will operate at senior executive level, influencing internal and external stakeholders, including suppliers, commercial, legal, and technical leadership.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead development and execution of subcontract strategies aligned with programme objectives and value for money targets.
• Provide authoritative leadership and challenge on procurement governance, risk management, and regulatory compliance.
• Drive strategic supplier engagement and contracting excellence, from selection through to purchase order placement.
• Scrutinise and validate cost estimates (BoEs, EACs), leveraging cross-programme insights and lessons learned.
• Champion and embed a culture of cost transparency, accountability, and strategic value delivery across teams.
• Coach, mentor and upskill supply chain professionals; lead capability uplift across the function.
• Represent the function at senior governance boards, programme reviews, and executive-level engagements.

What We’re Looking For Essential Skills & Experience:

• Senior-level leadership in supply chain, procurement, or commercial strategy, ideally within defence or complex engineering environments.
• In-depth knowledge of MoD procurement frameworks, Single Source Regulations (SSRs), and Qualified Subcontractor (QSC) requirements.
• Proven experience influencing C-suite stakeholders and negotiating high-value contracts.
• Strong commercial acumen and ability to manage end-to-end supplier performance and cost optimisation.
• Demonstrable capability in coaching, stakeholder engagement, and strategic influence.