Head of Supply Chain – Manufacturing
Location: Bridgend
Contract: Permanent
Salary: £70,000 – DOE – Open to negotiation + quarterly profit-sharing bonus
Working pattern: Office-based – Monday to Thursday, 06:30–16:30, Friday, 06:30–16:00
The Opportunity
We are looking for an experienced Head of Supply Chain to join our client in a key leadership role within their business.
This is an opportunity to take ownership of the end-to-end supply chain function, driving improvements across sourcing, supplier management, purchasing, stock control and logistics.
You will lead the Supply Chain team and work closely with the wider leadership team to ensure the business has the right products, components and supplier relationships in place to support operational requirements and continued growth.
A key focus will be on driving cost savings, strengthening the supplier network and introducing greater strategic oversight across the supply chain. The business is keen to broaden its supplier base, reduce reliance on existing partners and develop stronger commercial agreements to improve both resilience and profitability.
We are keen to speak with established Heads of Supply Chain especially within a manufacturing environment and preferably someone with a good understanding of plastics / plastics bags.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and develop the Supply Chain team, setting clear priorities, objectives and performance expectations.
- Take overall responsibility for sourcing, purchasing, stock management, supplier performance and logistics.
- Identify and onboard new suppliers, broadening the supplier network and reducing reliance on individual partners.
- Negotiate supplier agreements, pricing, rebates and commercial terms to deliver improved value.
- Drive cost savings across purchasing, stockholding and logistics, challenging supplier price increases and identifying opportunities to improve margins.
- Oversee stock planning and forecasting, ensuring the right materials and components are available to meet project and production requirements.
- Develop supplier relationships and introduce regular performance reviews, monitoring delivery, quality, cost and service levels.
- Work closely with Project Delivery to ensure components and materials are available in line with planned assembly and delivery dates.
- Provide strategic supply chain reporting and insight to the Managing Director and wider leadership team.
- Oversee purchasing controls, budgets and departmental KPIs, ensuring effective processes are followed.
- Lead logistics and transport tenders, identifying opportunities to improve service and reduce costs.
- Work collaboratively with Sales, Design, Product Development and Operations to support new products, bespoke requirements and larger customer projects.
About You
- Experienced supply chain professional with at least five years' experience in a senior supply chain, procurement or purchasing role.
- Previous experience leading and developing a team, ideally at Head of Supply Chain or senior management level.
- Strong commercial and negotiation skills, with a track record of securing cost savings and improving supplier performance.
- Experience developing supplier agreements, managing contracts and identifying new sourcing opportunities.
- Strong understanding of stock management, forecasting and inventory optimisation.
- Analytical and data-driven, with the ability to use reporting and KPIs to identify opportunities and drive improvements.
- Confident working with senior stakeholders and providing strategic recommendations to support business performance.
- Good knowledge of supply chain systems, ideally Netstock or similar, alongside Sage or comparable accounts software.
- Highly competent in Excel and Microsoft Office.
- Experience within plastics, plastic packaging or plastic manufacturing would be a significant advantage. Candidates from wider manufacturing, packaging or FMCG environments will also be considered.
The Ideal Candidate
You will be a commercially minded and proactive supply chain leader who can combine strategic thinking with a hands-on approach. You will be confident challenging existing processes, negotiating with suppliers and identifying opportunities to reduce costs while improving service and supplier resilience.
You will enjoy developing a team, building strong supplier partnerships and working closely with senior stakeholders to influence business performance. Above all, you will be someone who can bring fresh ideas, greater structure and strategic direction to an important function within the business.
This is a great opportunity to join a growing business in an influential leadership position, where you can make a tangible difference to the efficiency, profitability and future development of the supply chain.
Apply today if you have the relevant experience within Supply Chain and are looking for your next leadership opportunity.
If you need any adjustments for the application or interview, just let us know – we're here to help.
We are committed to equal opportunities and believe that organisations benefit from diverse teams. All qualified applicants will be considered fairly, regardless of age, race, religion, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, parental status, disability, educational background or any other characteristic unrelated to the ability to perform the role.