Supply Chain Director jobs in United Kingdom

• High growth organisation with a clear objective for further expansion
• Strategic Director position, responsible for sourcing & supply chain Globally

a dynamic organisation specialises in sourcing and delivering high-quality home and lifestyle products. With a keen eye for market trends and customer preferences, the business maintains a diverse and evolving product portfolio that spans heating, bathroom, and interior solutions.

The Sourcing Director occupies a crucial role within the organisation, which depends on robust procurement, supply chain management, and commercial trading activities. This position is responsible for shaping procurement strategies, overseeing trading operations, and ensuring the smooth flow of goods or services from suppliers to customers. The director is a pivotal figure in negotiating high-value deals, managing supplier relationships, and driving commercial success through data-driven decision-making and innovative practices.

• Strategic Leadership: Develop and implement comprehensive sourcing strategies aligned with the company\'s overall vision, goals, and financial objectives.
• Supplier Management: Establish, nurture, and evaluate relationships with key suppliers to ensure the best combination of quality, value, reliability, and ethical practices.
• Optimise current ranges and proactively looking in the market for the next product segments and innovations in both Heating & Bathroom. Diversification into adjacent and complementary categories will also be considered.
• Travel: The role requires regular travel to China (anticipated to be quarterly totalling approximately 40 days per annum) and less frequent supplier visits to other overseas suppliers.
• Negotiation: Lead negotiations for contracts, pricing, and terms, aiming to secure advantageous deals and mitigate risk.
• Market Analysis: Monitor market trends, commodity prices, and industry developments to identify opportunities, anticipate risks, and adapt procurement strategies.
• Demand planning & stock management: Implement and continuously improve demand planning tools and forecasting processes. Collaborate with Sales and Operations to align inventory levels with customer demand and promotional activity. Drive stock availability and working capital efficiency through accurate planning and supplier collaboration.

• Team Leadership: Manage and mentor a team of buyers, and procurement professionals, fostering a culture of excellence, continuous learning, and accountability.
• Budget and Cost Control: Oversee budgets related to Product, analyse spend, and implement cost-saving initiatives while ensuring quality and compliance.
• Risk Management: Identify and mitigate risks associated with supply chain disruptions, market volatility, and regulatory changes.
• Compliance: Ensure all Product-related activities adhere to legal, ethical, and company standards, including sustainability and corporate social responsibility objectives.
• Collaboration: Work closely with internal teams such as logistics, finance, and marketing to align procurement and trading activities with broader organisational goals.
• Performance Measurement: Set and track key performance indicators (KPIs) for the procurement and trading teams, using data analytics to assess effectiveness and drive continuous improvement.

Required Skills and Qualifications

• Educational Background: A bachelor\'s degree in business, supply chain management; a master\'s degree or professional certification MCIPS is advantageous.
• Industry Experience: Substantial experience (typically 8-15 years) in procurement or supply chain, including prior management responsibility.
• Sector Experience: Direct experience in Heating and/or bathroom product is highly desirable. Alternatively, experience in a closely related sector such as furniture, ceramics or glass would be advantageous.
• Negotiation and Influencing: Exceptional negotiation skills, with the ability to close complex deals and build consensus among diverse stakeholders.
• Analytical Acumen: Strong ability to interpret market data, conduct supplier assessments, and make strategic decisions based on quantitative and qualitative analysis.
• Leadership & People Management: Proven experience in leading teams, developing talent, and inspiring high performance.
• Change Management: Proven experience in reshaping Product teams to drive more commercially focused activity and changing processes and systems to deliver greater efficiency.
• Commercial Awareness: Deep understanding of the market, supply chain dynamics, and the regulatory environment relevant to the industry.
• Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills for negotiations, presentations, and stakeholder engagement.
• Project Management: Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, balancing short-term tactical requirements with long-term strategic goals.
• Technological Proficiency: Familiarity with procurement and trading platforms, ERP systems, and data analytics tools.
• Ethics and Integrity: Commitment to ethical buying and trading practices, with a dedication to sustainability and corporate responsibility.
• Working Patterns: While this will be a hybrid role, it is anticipated that given the close working relationships with Warehouse Operations, QA and Marketing plus the need to grow and develop the team, a minimum of 3 days per week in the office will be expected.

• Market Competitive Annual Salary
• Personal and Leadership Bonus
• Pension
• Healthcare