Supplier Development Manager – Defence - Manufacturing
Posted 1 day ago by Totaljobs
£50 Per hour
Inside
Undetermined
Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL5 1EE
Summary: This role as a Supplier Development Manager focuses on enhancing supply chain performance within complex defence programmes. The position involves managing supplier capabilities, delivery, and risks while collaborating with partners to achieve improvements in quality and resilience. The role is critical in driving continuous improvement initiatives and managing strategic supplier relationships. The position is based at the client's headquarters in Stevenage, which is pivotal for missile operations.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead supplier performance across delivery, quality and capacity
- Identify and mitigate supply chain risks impacting programme delivery
- Drive continuous improvement using Lean / Six Sigma methodologies
- Work closely with suppliers to improve capability and operational performance
- Manage a portfolio of strategic suppliers, tracking KPIs and driving outcomes
Key Skills:
- Proven experience in supplier development / supplier performance / SRM
- Background in aerospace, defence or complex manufacturing environments
- Strong understanding of Lean, DMAIC or continuous improvement tools
- Experience managing supplier risk and performance data
- Confident stakeholder engagement across internal teams and suppliers
Salary (Rate): £50 per hour
City: Stevenage
Country: United Kingdom
Working Arrangements: undetermined
IR35 Status: inside IR35
Seniority Level: undetermined
Industry: Other
This role sits at the heart of supply chain performance across complex defence programmes. You’ll take ownership of supplier capability, delivery and risk, working closely with key partners to drive measurable improvements across quality, output and resilience.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead supplier performance across delivery, quality and capacity
- Identify and mitigate supply chain risks impacting programme delivery
- Drive continuous improvement using Lean / Six Sigma methodologies
- Work closely with suppliers to improve capability and operational performance
- Manage a portfolio of strategic suppliers, tracking KPIs and driving outcomes
What we’re looking for:
- Proven experience in supplier development / supplier performance / SRM
- Background in aerospace, defence or complex manufacturing environments
- Strong understanding of Lean, DMAIC or continuous improvement tools
- Experience managing supplier risk and performance data
- Confident stakeholder engagement across internal teams and suppliers
What happens now? If your application meets the initial selection criteria, a member of our talent acquisition team will contact you via email to arrange a structured screening call. This conversation will explore your experience, technical background, and suitability for the role in more detail.
Security Clearance: British Citizen or a Dual UK national with British citizenship Restrictions and/or limitations relating to nationality and/or rights to work may apply. As a minimum and after offer stage, all successful candidates will need to undergo HMG Basic Personnel Security Standard checks (BPSS), which are managed by our clients Security Team.
More about the role: For more than 70 years, our client has been in a strong partnership with the UK military. They have accomplished numerous milestones in defence engineering and have provided essential defence capabilities to meet the requirements of the armed forces across land, sea, and air.
This role is based at our client's headquarters in Stevenage, a key location for missile operations. The site offers excellent transportation links, an onsite gym, and a coffee shop.