Director of Supply Chain Management in Birmingham

Locations: Birmingham or London

HS2 Ltd endeavours to ensure everyone working for us and with us feels included, thrives and achieves their full potential. We are positive and inclusive about making adjustments, providing flexible working, encouraging staff networks to flourish and offering personal and professional development opportunities.

The Director of Supply Chain Management will provide strategic leadership and oversight of all contractors engaged in the HS2 programme supply chain. This role will ensure contractor performance aligns with HS2 programme objectives, stringent safety requirements, and quality standards that HS2 must adhere to. The position will manage complex contractual relationships, mitigate risks, drive efficiency, and ensure full compliance with all contract regulations, fostering collaborative partnerships for the successful and timely delivery of the HS2 programme.

About The Role

• Develop and implement comprehensive strategies for the engagement and ongoing management of all programme contractors, ensuring alignment with overall HS2 programme objectives and railway industry best practices.
• Establish and maintain robust performance monitoring frameworks for contractors, including key performance indicators (KPIs) related to safety, quality, schedule adherence, and budget control.
• Proactively identify, assess, and mitigate risks associated with contractor performance, compliance, and operational delivery.
• Ensure all contractor activities strictly adhere to the regulations that the HS2 programme must uphold (e.g., Network Rail standards, Office of Rail and Road (ORR) requirements), health and safety legislation, and environmental minimum requirements.
• Cultivate and maintain strong, collaborative, and transparent relationships with all key contractors, fostering a partnership approach to problem‑solving, innovation and continuous improvement.
• Oversee the effective administration and governance of all contractor agreements, ensuring terms and conditions are met, contractual obligations are fulfilled, and disputes are resolved efficiently and equitably.
• Collaborate closely with programme leadership and project teams to ensure contractors are appropriately resourced and integrated with HS2 delivery teams.
• Provide regular, comprehensive reports and analysis on contractor performance, compliance status, emerging risks and opportunities to the CCO and relevant stakeholders.
• Drive initiatives for continuous improvement in contractor management processes, leveraging lessons learned and best practices from both the railway and broader construction sectors.
• Lead, mentor and develop a high‑performing Supply Chain Management team responsible for day‑to‑day contractor engagement, oversight and relationship management.
• Actively promote and embed Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in all work and support all organisational EDI initiatives, policies and procedures.

Skills

• Build and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with a diverse range of contractors in order to achieve programme objectives in a complex railway environment.
• Lead and manage contractor portfolios within large, multifaceted railway construction programmes, demonstrating exceptional organisational, prioritisation and strategic thinking skills.
• Identify, assess and mitigate contractual, operational and safety risks associated with third‑party contractors in a high‑stakes, regulated environment.
• Negotiate contract terms, performance issues and dispute resolution, ensuring equitable outcomes while protecting programme interests and maintaining productive partnerships.
• Develop and utilise performance metrics, data analysis and reporting tools to monitor contractor progress, quality and compliance effectively, driving data‑informed decision‑making.

Knowledge

• Railway Construction Standards & Regulations: In‑depth understanding of UK railway infrastructure construction standards, safety regulations (e.g., Railway and Other Guided Transport Systems (Safety) Regulations 2006 – ROGS) and relevant industry best practices (e.g., Network Rail specifications).
• Contract Law & Management Principles: Comprehensive knowledge of contract law, particularly within the UK construction sector, and best practices for managing complex contractor agreements and service level agreements.
• Programme Management Methodologies: Strong understanding of programme and project management methodologies (e.g., PRINCE2, Agile) as they apply to large‑scale infrastructure delivery and contractor integration.
• Health, Safety & Environmental (HSE) Management: Thorough knowledge of HSE legislation and best practices pertinent to railway construction, with a focus on ensuring contractor compliance and fostering a proactive safety culture.
• Commercial & Financial Acumen: Understanding of commercial principles, cost control and financial management related to contractor engagements, ensuring value for money and effective budget utilisation.

Experience

• Extensive experience (typically 10+ years) in a senior leadership role managing a significant portfolio of contractors within large‑scale infrastructure projects, preferably in the railway or heavy civil engineering sectors.
• Demonstrated experience in contributing to or leading aspects of major programme delivery, where successful contractor integration was critical to achieving complex objectives.
• Proven track record of ensuring contractor adherence to stringent regulatory frameworks, industry standards, and safety protocols specific to the UK railway environment.
• Significant experience in engaging with and influencing diverse internal and external stakeholders, including senior management, regulatory bodies and contractor leadership.
• Experience in developing and successfully implementing strategic initiatives related to contractor management, supply chain optimisation or operational excellence within a complex organisational structure.

HS2 Ltd is also a safety‑critical organisation. Employees are required to ensure reasonable care of their own and others’ health and safety by taking personal responsibility for working to our ‘Safe at Heart’ programme principles and following safe working procedures at all times. HS2 Ltd endeavours to ensure everyone working for us and with us feels included, thrives and achieves their full potential, striving to be a leader in EDI practice and to create a safe & inclusive working environment for all staff.