Strategic Supply Chain Lead - Defence Campaigns (Europe) in Leatherhead

Strategic Supply Chain Lead - Defence Campaigns (Europe) in Leatherhead

Leatherhead Full-Time 60000 - 80000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
KBR

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead supply chain strategies for defence campaigns across Europe, focusing on Poland and Germany.
  • Company: Join a leading firm in the defence sector with a strong market presence.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary, potential for long-term role, and opportunities for travel across Europe.
  • Other info: Dynamic role with excellent career growth and networking opportunities in the defence industry.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact in shaping supply chain strategies for critical defence projects.
  • Qualifications: Experience in supply chain or procurement, ideally in defence or complex bid environments.

The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.

About the Role

The Supply Chain Lead will provide dedicated supply chain and commercial leadership to support the Europe Campaign, with an initial focus on Poland, Germany and NATO opportunities, supplier intelligence, and bid readiness. The role is intended to strengthen KBR’s market knowledge, build a credible supply partner network, shape supply chain and commercial approaches that improve probability of win, and provide continuity across multiple campaign workstreams over the next 12 to 24 months. This role may be structured initially as a fixed term appointment, with potential to transition into a longer-term role based on campaign success and future pipeline. The role is expected to operate with flexibility across Europe Campaign priorities and may require travel and engagement across Europe, in particular Poland and Germany, as well as the UK. The postholder should be comfortable working across early capture, bid, and market development activities, with a balance of strategic analysis, stakeholder engagement, and hands-on delivery.

Purpose of the Role

  • Lead supply chain market analysis for Europe Campaign opportunities, including mapping of supplier capability, capacity, pricing dynamics, risk, and route-to-market options.
  • Develop and maintain an informed view of potential partners, subcontractors, and local suppliers across relevant service lines, particularly logistics, sustainment, and integrated support services.
  • Initiate and manage early supplier engagement activity to build relationships, gather intelligence, and improve readiness for future bids and market entry decisions.
  • Shape supply chain strategies and commercial approaches for campaigns and bids, ensuring they are tailored to the country, opportunity, and mission segment.
  • Provide continuity across campaign workstreams, maintaining stakeholder alignment and ensuring supply chain actions are tracked through to decision points.
  • Support the development of a practical supply chain playbook for Europe opportunities, including use of segmentation tools such as Kraljic analysis to identify strategic partners and sourcing priorities.

Key Responsibilities

  • Build and maintain Europe Campaign supply chain intelligence, including supplier long lists, market assessments, and opportunity specific partner strategies.
  • Lead engagement with prospective suppliers and supply chain partners in target markets, including arranging introductory discussions, capability reviews, and follow-up actions.
  • Advise campaign leadership on market entry considerations for Poland, Germany, and other relevant European markets, including local delivery models, partnering options, and risk considerations.
  • Work closely with bid, commercial, legal, programme, and operational colleagues to translate market intelligence into competitive and deliverable bid strategies.
  • Support the development of Day 1 and longer-term delivery approaches, ensuring supply chain considerations are built into both mobilisation and future state operating models.
  • Assess supplier capability, compliance, resilience, and strategic fit, and recommend priority partners for further pursuit activity.
  • Contribute to the development of commercial models and go-to-market approaches that improve competitiveness while maintaining delivery confidence.
  • Track and manage supply chain actions across 6–9 month workstreams, ensuring progress is visible and aligned to campaign priorities.
  • Represent supply chain input in campaign reviews, gate meetings, and internal planning sessions as required.

Your Deliverables

  • Develop a Europe Campaign supply chain and partner landscape covering priority markets and opportunity areas.
  • Delivery supplier and partner engagement plans for key pursuits, including target lists, status tracking, and recommendations.
  • Shape market entry support for Poland and Germany, including options appraisal and local partner intelligence.
  • Provide bid ready supply chain inputs, including strategy, supply chain solutions, partner recommendations, and commercial considerations.
  • Regular stakeholder updates summarising supply chain insights, risks, opportunities, and recommended actions.

The Candidate We are Hoping to Find

  • Strong experience in supply chain, strategic sourcing, procurement, or commercial roles, ideally within defence, government services, logistics, infrastructure, or complex bid environments.
  • Proven ability to conduct market analysis, identify and qualify suppliers, and translate insights into practical sourcing or partnering strategies.
  • Experience supporting bids, business development campaigns, or market entry activity in new or developing markets.
  • Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to work across campaign, commercial, legal, operational, and leadership teams.
  • Commercially aware, with the ability to assess delivery models, partner propositions, and competitive positioning.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce clear executive-level summaries and recommendations.
  • Experience of supplier segmentation, category management, or strategic portfolio tools such as Kraljic analysis would be advantageous.
  • Knowledge of European supply markets, particularly Poland and/or Germany, would be beneficial.
  • CIPS qualification or equivalent professional experience desirable.
  • Degree-level qualification in supply chain, business, engineering, commercial management, or a related field desirable.

Strategic Supply Chain Lead - Defence Campaigns (Europe) in Leatherhead employer: KBR

As a Senior Quantity Surveyor with us, you'll join a dynamic team that values collaboration and professional growth, all while working on impactful civil and infrastructure projects in the UK. We offer a supportive work culture that encourages continuous improvement and provides opportunities for coaching and mentoring junior staff, ensuring you can develop your skills and advance your career. Our commitment to maintaining high standards in procurement and project management means you'll be part of a company that prioritises excellence and innovation in every aspect of its operations.

KBR

Contact Details:

KBR Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Strategic Supply Chain Lead - Defence Campaigns (Europe) in Leatherhead

Join Supply Chain Meetups

Get yourself out there by attending supply chain meetups and industry events. It's a great way to meet fellow professionals, learn about trends, and maybe even hear about job openings before they’re posted online.

Show Off Your Skills on LinkedIn

Don’t just sit back and wait for opportunities! Post insights or articles on LinkedIn about supply chain challenges or solutions you’re passionate about. This not only showcases your expertise but can catch the eye of recruiters looking for someone like you.

Engage with Supply Chain Communities

Dive into online communities related to supply chain operations like forums or groups on Reddit and LinkedIn. Engaging in discussions can help you network, get advice, and you might even stumble upon some hidden job opportunities.

Apply through Our Website

When you spot a position at KBR, make sure to apply through our website directly. It's often the quickest way to get your application in front of the right people and show that you’re genuinely interested in the role of Strategic Supply Chain Lead - Defence Campaigns (Europe).

We think you need these skills to ace Strategic Supply Chain Lead - Defence Campaigns (Europe) in Leatherhead

Supply Chain Management
Strategic Sourcing
Procurement
Market Analysis
Stakeholder Management
Bid Management
Commercial Awareness

Some tips for your application 🫡

Show Your Supply Chain Savvy:Make sure to highlight your relevant experience in supply chain operations. Whether it’s managing logistics or coordinating with suppliers, we want to see examples of how you've navigated the complexities of the supply chain. Concrete achievements, like reducing costs or improving delivery times, will definitely catch our eye!

Quantify Your Impact:When listing your previous roles on your CV, go for numbers! Mention percentages or actual figures where possible—like how much you've improved efficiency or reduced waste. It's all about showing us the tangible impact you've made in your past positions in supply chain operations.

Tailor Your Cover Letter:In your cover letter, don’t just regurgitate your CV. Instead, connect your experiences specifically to the role at KBR. Share why you're passionate about supply chain operations and how this full-time role aligns with your career goals—I mean, who wouldn’t want to hear that!

Research and Reflect:Before you apply, take some time to research KBR and its supply chain operations. Reflect on how your skills and experiences can fit into their operations. Being able to discuss their challenges and how you can contribute to solving them in your application will really make you stand out!

How to prepare for a job interview at KBR

Know Your Basics in Supply Chain Management

Make sure you've got a solid grasp of key supply chain concepts like demand forecasting, inventory management, and logistics. We could be quizzed on these during technical rounds, so brush up on any software tools commonly used in the industry like SAP or Oracle. This knowledge will help us show we can hit the ground running!

Show Off Your Analytical Skills

Prepare to discuss real-world scenarios where you've used data analysis to solve supply chain challenges. If you've got experience with tools like Excel or Tableau, get ready to talk about how you've used these to optimise processes or improve efficiencies. Employers love seeing that we can turn data into actionable insights!

Highlight Your Teamwork and Project Management Skills

In a full-time role, collaboration is key. Think of examples where you've worked on cross-functional teams or managed projects. Sharing how you navigated challenges while working with diverse groups will show that we can thrive in a dynamic environment like at KBR.

Research Specific Challenges Faced by KBR

Look into any unique supply chain challenges KBR might be facing, whether it's sustainability, supplier relationships, or global disruptions. Being prepared to discuss these topics shows that we're not only informed but also genuinely interested in how we can contribute to their success. That’s a big plus in any interview!