Supply Chain Lead

Are you an experienced Senior Buyer looking for the opportunity to broaden your responsibilities and step into a Supply Chain leadership position?

We're seeking a commercially minded and operationally focused Senior Buyer / Supply Chain Lead to take ownership of purchasing activities while leading warehouse, goods-in, inventory, and material replenishment functions across a busy manufacturing operation.

This is an exciting opportunity for an ambitious procurement professional who wants to move beyond traditional purchasing and play a pivotal role in shaping supply chain performance, supplier relationships, inventory strategy, and operational excellence.

The Opportunity

As the Supply Chain Lead, you'll be responsible for ensuring the seamless flow of materials from suppliers through to production, balancing inventory levels, supplier performance, availability, and cost.

You'll work closely with Production, Engineering, Quality, and Sales teams to ensure customer demand is met while leading continuous improvement initiatives across the supply chain.

This role offers genuine career development opportunities, including broader category management responsibilities and long-term leadership progression.

Key Responsibilities
Purchasing & Supplier Management

Manage supplier order books and purchasing activities across the business
Build and develop strong supplier relationships
Monitor supplier delivery, quality, and cost performance
Resolve material shortages and expedite critical components
Conduct supplier reviews and support supplier improvement plans
Identify and mitigate supply chain risks
Support sourcing and supplier rationalisation projects
Maintain accurate purchasing and supplier data within the ERP system
Inventory Management

Drive inventory accuracy and stock integrity
Optimise stock levels to support production while reducing excess and obsolete inventory
Lead cycle count activities and inventory investigations
Monitor inventory KPIs and implement corrective actions
Ensure accurate stock transactions and system compliance
Warehouse, Stores & Goods-In Leadership

Lead day-to-day warehouse and goods-in operations
Ensure materials are received, stored, and issued safely and accurately
Oversee booking-in processes and inventory traceability
Maintain high standards of warehouse organisation and housekeeping
Drive continuous improvement initiatives across warehouse operations
Production & Material Planning

Ensure materials are available to meet production schedules
Support MRP, Kanban, and replenishment processes
Work closely with operational teams to resolve material availability issues
Escalate and manage supply risks that could impact customer deliveries
Improve material flow throughout the manufacturing operation
Leadership & Continuous Improvement

Lead, coach, and develop warehouse and supply chain team members
Allocate resources and set operational priorities
Foster a culture of accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement
Support recruitment, training, and employee development activities
Champion health, safety, and operational excellence across the department
What We're Looking For
Essential Experience

Previous experience as a Buyer, Senior Buyer, Procurement Specialist, Purchasing Engineer within a manufacturing environment
Strong supplier management and purchasing experience
Experience managing purchase orders, supplier performance, and delivery schedules
Knowledge of inventory management and stock control principles
Experience supporting production and operational teams
Proven track record of resolving supply chain challenges and material shortages
Experience using ERP/MRP systems for procurement and inventory management
Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and drive decision-making
Essential Skills

Excellent organisational and prioritisation abilities
Strong negotiation and stakeholder management skills
Proactive problem-solving approach
Commercial awareness and attention to detail
Advanced Microsoft Excel capability
Strong communication skills with the ability to influence at all levels
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced manufacturing environment 

Due to the volume of applications we receive, unfortunately we are not able to respond to every application personally, therefore, if you have not heard back from us within 5 working days please assume your application has been unsuccessful. To see our other available vacancies please visit our website

INDENG
Only candidates based in UK and eligible to work in UK are allowed