At a Glance
- Tasks: Manage inventory for critical defence operations and ensure smooth supply chain flow.
- Company: Join Babcock, a global leader in defence and engineering.
- Benefits: Enjoy generous holidays, flexible working, and a matched pension scheme.
- Other info: Dynamic work environment with opportunities for professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on national security while developing your logistics career.
- Qualifications: Experience in inventory management and strong IT skills required.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 € per year.
Location: Plymouth, Devon + Hybrid Working Arrangements
Compensation: Competitive Salary + Benefits
Role Type: Full time / Permanent
Take control of critical supply chains that keep vital defence operations running. At Babcock, we’re working to create a safe and secure world, together. If you join us, you can play your part as an Inventory Manager at Devonport Royal Dockyard, near Plymouth, Devon.
The role:
As an Inventory Manager, you’ll play a pivotal role in ensuring the smooth and efficient flow of critical materials across complex defence supply chains. Supporting mission-critical operations, you’ll bring visibility, control, and intelligence to inventory management helping to meet customer demand, improve performance, and drive operational excellence.
This is an exciting opportunity to work at the heart of a dynamic environment where your expertise will directly support national defence programmes while developing your career in logistics, supply chain, and engineering support services.
Day-to-day, you’ll be:
- Managing inventory activities, including demand fulfilment, stock ordering, and disposal of surplus or unserviceable items
- Coordinating the end-to-end spares and repairs supply chain process with internal and external stakeholders
- Maintaining accurate inventory data and ensuring integrity across all systems
- Monitoring and reporting performance against key performance indicators and service level agreements
- Driving continuous improvement of inventory processes, procedures, and supply chain efficiency
This role is full time, 37 hours per week and provides hybrid working arrangements with days in the office and days working from home.
Essential experience of the Inventory Manager:
- Demonstrating experience in inventory or supply chain management
- Building and maintaining strong relationships with stakeholders and customers
- Delivering excellent customer service in a fast-paced environment
- Managing workloads effectively and prioritising competing demands
- Communicating clearly and confidently, both verbally and in writing
Qualifications for the Inventory Manager:
- Strong IT skills including Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and systems such as SAP or IFS (essential)
- Knowledge of Ministry of Defence inventory systems and processes (desirable)
Security Clearance: The successful candidate must be able to achieve and maintain Security Check (SC) security clearance for this role.
What we offer:
- Generous holiday allowance
- Matched contribution pension scheme, with life assurance
- Access to a Digital GP, annual health check, and nutritional consultations through Aviva DigiCare+
- Employee share scheme
- Employee shopping savings portal
- Payment of Professional Fees
- Reservists in the armed forces receive 10-days special paid leave
- Holiday Trading is a benefit that allows the majority of employees to buy additional leave or to sell up to one working week of annual leave from their annual entitlement
- ‘Be Kind Day’ enables employees to take one working day's paid leave a year (or equivalent hours) to undertake volunteering work with their chosen organisation or registered charity
- Flexible working – we give people more options to better integrate their work and personal life, whilst ensuring that business needs are met
- A dynamic working environment
Babcock We’re Babcock — a global FTSE 100 organisation with over 26,000 people working together to make a difference. Here, you’ll be part of something bigger. From initial design to final decommissioning, your work will contribute to products and services that are essential to national security and public infrastructure. Together, we’re building a future that lasts — not just through the impact we make, but through meaningful careers that respect your work-life balance. We call that lifetime engineering. Join us and see how far we can go, together.
We are a disability confident committed employer. If you have a disability or need any reasonable adjustments during the application and selection stages, please email careers@babcockinternational.com with the subject header ‘Reasonable adjustments requirement’. We’re committed to building an inclusive culture where everyone’s free to thrive. We are happy to talk about flexible working – please ask about alternative patterns of work at interview.
Closing date: 21/05/2026
Inventory Manager employer: Babcock International
Babcock is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment in Plymouth, Devon, where you can contribute to vital defence operations while enjoying a competitive salary and generous benefits. With a strong focus on employee growth, flexible working arrangements, and a commitment to inclusivity, Babcock fosters a culture that values work-life balance and encourages professional development, making it an ideal place for those seeking meaningful and rewarding careers.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Inventory Manager
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and role thoroughly. Understand their values and how your experience aligns with their needs. This will help you stand out and show that you're genuinely interested.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your responses to common interview questions. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers. This will help you articulate your experiences clearly and confidently.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up after your interview! A simple thank-you email can leave a lasting impression and keep you top of mind for the hiring team. Plus, it shows your enthusiasm for the role.
We think you need these skills to ace Inventory Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to the Inventory Manager role. Highlight your experience in inventory or supply chain management and any relevant IT skills, like using SAP or IFS. We want to see how your background aligns with what we’re looking for!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you’re passionate about this role and how your skills can contribute to our mission at Babcock. Keep it concise but impactful – we love a good story!
Showcase Your Communication Skills:Since clear communication is key in this role, make sure your application reflects that. Use straightforward language and structure your thoughts well. We appreciate clarity and confidence, both in writing and verbally!
Apply Through Our Website:Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets to us directly. Plus, you’ll find all the details you need about the role and our company culture there.
How to prepare for a job interview at Babcock International
✨Know Your Inventory Inside Out
Before the interview, make sure you brush up on your knowledge of inventory management principles and practices. Familiarise yourself with key terms and processes related to supply chain management, especially those relevant to defence operations. This will help you speak confidently about how you can contribute to the role.
✨Showcase Your Stakeholder Skills
Since building relationships with stakeholders is crucial for this role, prepare examples of how you've successfully managed stakeholder expectations in the past. Think about specific situations where you improved communication or collaboration, and be ready to discuss these during the interview.
✨Demonstrate Your IT Proficiency
As an Inventory Manager, strong IT skills are essential. Be prepared to discuss your experience with Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and any inventory management systems like SAP or IFS. You might even want to mention specific projects where you used these tools to enhance inventory processes.
✨Prepare for Performance Metrics Discussion
Understanding key performance indicators (KPIs) is vital for this position. Think about how you've monitored and reported on performance in previous roles. Be ready to share how you’ve driven continuous improvement in inventory processes and what metrics you focused on to achieve operational excellence.
