Supply Chain Manager

Caudwell Marine Limited; Coventry; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Caudwell Marine Limited in Coventry seeks a seasoned Supply Chain Manager to lead Stores, Logistics and Material Planning, ensuring smooth flow from suppliers to manufacturing. You will develop strategy, optimise inventory and manage risks to protect production and customer service.

Reporting to the Procurement & Supply Chain Director, you will build strong teams, manage external logistics partners and drive KPI improvement across OTP, OTD, inventory value and costs.

Qualifications

• 10 years of senior logistics or supply chain leadership experience in manufacturing.
• Experience managing budgets, logistics costs, and third-party providers.
• Strong knowledge of MRP/MRPII and ERP systems; SyteLine advantageous.
• Lean / CI qualifications advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement Stores & Logistics strategy across inventory, spare parts, warehousing, inbound/outbound logistics, transportation and material flow.
• Lead and develop Material Planning, Stores and Logistics teams, setting accountability and performance expectations.
• Manage external logistics providers and ensure service, operational and commercial standards.
• Establish robust Stores & Logistics processes, procedures and governance with ERP controls.
• Drive inventory reduction while maintaining production continuity and customer service.

Skills

Supply chain leadership

ERP systems

Kanban

Vendor Managed Inventory

Education

HND / NVQ in Logistics

CILT / APICS / ASCM qualification

Lean / Continuous Improvement qualification

Tools

SyteLine ERP

Excel

Job description

Caudwell Marine is a pioneering UK marine engineering company, backed by entrepreneur and philanthropist John Caudwell. We are redefining marine propulsion through the development of a diesel outboard system built for uncompromising performance, reliability and control in all conditions, with a global product launch planned for 2026. As a growing and ambitious business, we are focused on delivering cutting-edge technology designed for the toughest marine environments and turning innovation into real-world impact.

At Caudwell Marine, every team member plays an important role in shaping the future of the company. Our approach is built around being confident, committed and consistent in everything we do. Driven by endurance and powered by people, we are building a team that sets high standards and is helping redefine the future of marine propulsion.

Role & Responsibilities

The Supply Chain Manager will report to the Procurement & Supply Chain Director and will lead Stores, Logistics and Material Planning, ensuring the effective flow of materials from suppliers through to manufacturing. The role will develop and implement supply chain strategy, optimise inventory and logistics performance, manage supply risks and costs, and ensure material availability supports production and customer requirements.

Responsibilities include:

• Develop and implement the Stores & Logistics strategy across inventory, spare parts, warehousing, inbound/outbound logistics, transportation and material flow, translating strategy into operational plans, resources, objectives and measurable targets.
• Lead and develop Material Planning, Stores and Logistics teams, setting clear accountability, performance expectations, resource plans and development priorities.
• Manage external logistics and outsourced service providers, ensuring agreed service, operational and commercial standards are achieved.
• Establish robust Stores & Logistics processes, procedures and governance, ensuring effective ERP use and compliance with agreed controls.
• Ensure material availability supports production plans, with materials in the right quantity, at the right time and place. Work with Procurement and Engineering to identify and resolve material, capacity and supply risks.
• Maintain effective MRP/MRPII, ERP, inventory and material-planning disciplines. Develop and optimise Kanban, pull systems, WIP, raw-material and spare-parts controls.
• Drive inventory reduction while protecting production continuity and customer service, including FIFO/stock rotation, excess and obsolete inventory management, cycle counting and investigation of discrepancies.
• Participate actively in S&OP and supply reviews, providing clear visibility of material availability, inventory, capacity, logistics and supply risks, supported by robust analysis and recommendations.
• Work with suppliers, Procurement and internal stakeholders to improve lead times, reliability, quality and overall supply performance, developing contingency and recovery plans where required.
• Establish and continuously improve supply chain and logistics KPIs, including OTP, OTDIF, inventory value, excess and obsolete stock, freight costs, cost adherence, lead times, waste/scrap, FIFO and cycle-count accuracy.
• Provide regular management reporting on performance, trends, risks, corrective actions, costs and opportunities, leading root-cause analysis where targets are not achieved.
• Promote Lean, continuous improvement, problem solving and operational excellence, identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce costs, shorten lead times and eliminate waste.
• Support the annual Logistics and Stores budget and maintain effective cost control across transportation, warehousing, packaging, inventory and premium freight.
• Ensure compliance with customs, import/export regulations, documentation and controls, maintaining accurate records and audit trails and supporting internal and external audits.
• Lead logistics, inventory and supply chain improvement projects, including business cases, implementation plans, process/system changes and wider business transformation.
• Use data and business intelligence to identify trends, opportunities and areas requiring intervention, ensuring improvements are effectively embedded and sustained.
• Contribute to the wider Supply Chain strategy and promote collaboration across Manufacturing, Engineering, Procurement and other functions.

Required Skills & Experience

• 10 years' experience in a senior logistics, supply chain, materials or operations leadership role within a manufacturing, preferably within a Marine, Automotive, or Aerospace environment.
• Strong leadership experience across Stores, Warehouse, Logistics and/or Supply Chain, including direct reports and third-party service providers.
• Proven experience in planning, materials management, inventory control and manufacturing/shopfloor operations.
• Strong knowledge of warehouse, logistics and material-flow processes and best practice.
• Strong working knowledge of MRP/MRPII and ERP systems; SyteLine experience advantageous.
• Experience with Kanban, pull systems and Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI).
• Strong understanding of customs regulations, import/export processes and associated documentation.
• Experience managing budgets, logistics costs, suppliers and service-provider contracts.
• Strong commercial, analytical and problem-solving capability, with the ability to use data to support decisions.
• Advanced PC literacy, including Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook and Access.
• Experience working within an SME environment, with the flexibility to take a hands-on approach when required.

Qualifications

• HND, NVQ or equivalent qualification in Logistics, Supply Chain, Operations or a related discipline.
• Relevant professional qualifications such as CILT, APICS/ASCM or equivalent would be advantageous.
• Lean / Continuous Improvement qualifications would be advantageous.

Additional Information

• Based in Coventry 5 days per week.
• Working hours Monday to Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm, with flexibility required to meet business needs.
• Willingness to travel when required.
• Full clean driving licence required.