Supplier Management Lead in Newport

Key Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of contracts within a functional area, with an annual third-party spend of £400m–£800m, contributing to procurement savings targets through contract extensions, value management and supply chain cost reduction initiatives.
• Lead the commercial negotiation, call-off and mobilisation of new contracts, including agreeing terms and conditions and mitigating associated risks, ensuring clear communication of requirements to stakeholders and effective supplier management from the outset.
• Develop and maintain robust contract management plans, including risk registers, mobilisation checklists, benefits realisation reviews, and contract exit plans ensuring all documentation, audit trails and reporting requirements support internal and external assurance processes.
• Set and embed consistent standards for contract management, driving improvements in supplier performance, compliance and commercial risk management.
• Monitor supplier delivery against KPIs and SLAs, chair contract meetings, maintain accurate records of actions, decisions and performance, and collaborate with operational and finance teams to ensure alignment of contract budgets, demand forecasts and savings tracking.
• Drive continuous improvement by identifying lessons learned, implementing improvement actions and embedding best practice across the contract lifecycle.
• Build and maintain strong, strategic partnerships with key suppliers, fostering collaboration, innovation and risk sharing through joint initiatives, supplier development programmes, and strategic supplier segmentation to deliver enhanced value for Welsh Water.
• Lead supplier governance meetings, manage relationship mapping and oversee the implementation of supplier partnership strategies.
• Drive supplier performance through regular reviews, benchmarking and the application of best practice in supplier relationship management.
• Lead dispute resolution and issue escalation, ensuring supplier relationships remain constructive, solutions-focused and aligned with organisational objectives.
• Support the development and negotiation of contract changes to enable partnership activity and continuous improvement.
• Represent Welsh Water in joint partnership boards and panels, ensuring organisational interests are protected and value is maximised.
• Identify, assess and mitigate commercial, operational and regulatory risks across procurement activities and the wider supply chain.
• Ensure full compliance with internal governance frameworks, Utilities Contracts Regulations and wider public procurement legislation.
• Promote ethical procurement practices by embedding transparency, sustainability and integrity in all sourcing and contracting activity.

Leadership and Team Development

• Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation and professional excellence.
• Provide mentoring and guidance on high-value procurement initiatives, supporting professional accreditation and capability development across the team.

Qualifications

• Degree level or equivalent appropriate professional body qualification in a commercial or procurement associated discipline.
• Member of Chartered Institute of Purchase and Supply (CIPS) (level 6) or working towards or Member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS).
• Or have 10+ years’ experience in commercial construction management.

Experience

• Extensive experience in contract and supply chain management, with a proven ability to develop and execute contract management and supplier relationships strategies aligned to business needs, market dynamics, and regulatory requirements.
• Deep understanding of contracting strategies tailored to category needs, including the application of NEC, JCT, CCS frameworks, and bespoke agreements.
• Proven ability to manage supplier relationships strategically within a category framework, ensuring performance accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Experience in influencing contract design to improve performance, mitigate risk, and drive commercial value through innovative commercial models (e.g., outcome-based contracting).
• Strong track record of commercial risk management within category portfolios, ensuring compliance with Utilities Contracts Regulations and internal governance.
• Experience in the development of risk frameworks for procurement and commercial teams, ensuring resilience and business continuity.

Knowledge & Skills

• Deep category expertise, including a comprehensive understanding of supply chain structures, key suppliers, emerging market trends, and cost drivers relevant to the assigned category.
• Expert knowledge of category-specific risk factors, including supply continuity risks, price volatility, regulatory changes, and contractual exposure.
• Knowledge of category innovation trends, including sustainability initiatives, technology disruption, and digital procurement transformation.
• Strong understanding of cost modelling and total cost of ownership (TCO) principles within a category, ensuring procurement decisions drive long-term value.
• Experience in leveraging data analytics and predictive modelling to optimise category strategies.
• Advanced knowledge of contracting and commercial negotiation techniques, with a focus on securing favourable terms and risk mitigation in large, complex agreements.
• Strong supplier segmentation and relationship management skills, ensuring a tailored approach to supplier engagement based on category criticality.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and influencing skills, ensuring effective category alignment across business units, finance, and operational teams.
• Strong commercial acumen, with the ability to drive improved contract and supplier performance, deliver sustainable savings, and influence corporate decision-making.

Good to know

• Please note, we may close this role sooner if required. We may also extend the original closing date depending on interest.
• Due to the nature of the industry, we require satisfactory references, post offer medical clearance, and a criminal records Basic Disclosure check on all new employees joining the business.
• For some roles there may be additional checks and security clearance required, and this offer is subject to all checks being satisfied.

Benefits

• Variable pay schemes (your salary band will remain the same, but performance depending, you could receive an incremental within-band increase and a yearly incentive).
• Option to buy additional annual leave up to 5 days per year.
• Enhanced employer pension contributions – Up to 11% employer contributions.
• Enhanced family friendly policies.
• Progression opportunities, including the ability to apply for funded training and coaching and mentoring programmes.
• Gym and fitness discounts as well as high street shopping.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Discount off all Welsh Water visitor attraction centres and gift shops.
• Car-leasing scheme and free on-site parking at all sites.
• Health CashBack scheme and access to an online GP service.
• An employee assistance programme for employees and their immediate family.
• Many more can be found on our website!

Who we are

Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water keep 3 million people healthy each day with safe, reliable water, and take away wastewater to clean, before returning it safely to our beautiful rivers and seas. To be able to deliver high quality, essential services which help to protect the health of our customers, colleagues and our environment, we need the right people to deliver on our vision. This is achieved by living our core values and demonstrating the core behaviours that underpin them. The security of our people, assets and information is key to us, so we are looking for people who understand and comply with the company’s required security objectives. We know that the most successful teams are the most diverse teams. Equality, diversity and inclusion provide the very foundation to our culture at Welsh Water. We want every individual to feel confident, proud and able to bring their whole selves to work. To ensure an improved representation in our workforce, applications are particularly welcome from minority groups including Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people, Females, LGBT+, Non-binary and people with disabilities. Together we continue to build a workplace that not only celebrates the diverse voices of our colleagues but also represents each customer we serve. In essence, ours is a company based on trust, openness, respect, commitment and honesty. A company that our colleagues are proud to work for.