Supply Chain Operations Manager

Atlas NextWave; England; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading engineering firm in the UK is looking for a Supply Chain Manager to oversee supplier delivery performance and enhance collaboration across teams. You will engage suppliers proactively, ensuring timely delivery of critical goods. This role requires strong problem-solving abilities, project management expertise, and excellent communication skills to navigate complex challenges. If you have a background in supply chain management within aerospace or similar fields, we want to hear from you.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in leading supply chain management or logistics.
• Ability to influence at senior levels.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage supplier delivery performance addressing risks.
• Build relationships with suppliers to secure performance.
• Lead discussions to resolve delivery delays.

Skills

Supplier relationship management

Project management

Problem-solving

Negotiation

Communication

Tools

Gantt charts

Manufacturing plans

Critical path analysis

Job description

Overview

A Snapshot of Your Day: Your day will revolve around ensuring goods and services are delivered on time, always. Working directly with suppliers to monitor delivery schedules, solve issues quickly, and support performance improvement. Collaborating across Procurement, Engineering, and Quality, you\'ll play a key role in keeping our supply chain efficient and reliable. You\'ll also use project management tools to track progress, identify risks and manage delivery priorities for critical orders.

How You\'ll Make an Impact

• Manage and drive supplier delivery performance, proactively addressing risks to ensure critical goods and services arrive on time and in full.
• Build strong, trust-based relationships with key suppliers, influencing at senior levels to secure commitments and deliver sustained performance improvements.
• Lead assertive, solution-focused discussions with suppliers to resolve delivery delays, implementing agreed recovery plans and holding all parties accountable.
• Apply project management and planning tools - such as Gantt charts, manufacturing plans, and critical path analysis - to shape and execute effective delivery strategies.
• Direct the prioritisation and expediting of urgent orders, managing both parallel and sequential activities to protect programme timelines.
• Monitor and analyse supplier KPIs, initiating targeted improvement plans to address underperformance and deliver measurable results.
• Partner with Procurement, Quality, Engineering, and Commodity Management teams to remove bottlenecks, resolve conflicts, and ensure swift resolution of high-priority issues.
• Lead root cause investigations into delivery failures, implementing corrective actions and embedding contingency measures to protect future performance.

What You Bring

• Proven experience in leading supply chain management, logistics, or manufacturing, ideally within aerospace, gas turbines, or other complex, high-value engineered products.
• A track record of managing and improving supplier performance, with the ability to influence at senior levels and secure results under challenging circumstances.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills, with a proactive and continuous improvement attitude.
• The ability to think clearly and act decisively under pressure, applying a structured, solution-driven approach to complex challenges.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the confidence to lead challenging conversations and negotiate effectively.
• Proficiency in project management tools and planning techniques, with experience translating plans into tangible delivery improvements.
• A collaborative leadership style with the interpersonal skills to influence both suppliers and cross-functional internal partners.