Supply Chain and Planning Manager in Woking

Lead from the front. Own the buying. Build the team.

Are you an experienced purchasing professional who enjoys getting stuck into the detail as much as shaping the bigger picture? At Overview, we’re looking for a Supply Chain & Planning Manager who can keep materials moving today while building the team, processes and supplier relationships we need for tomorrow.

This is a genuinely hands-on role, not a purely strategic or supervisory position.

A strong purchasing background is essential. You will be actively involved in day-to-day purchasing activities for the business, working directly with suppliers, negotiating commercial terms, progressing orders and resolving shortages alongside your team. As we grow the team, you will combine that practical involvement with developing people and strengthening how we plan, buy and deliver.

Lead from the front. Own the buying. Build the team.

Are you an experienced purchasing professional who enjoys getting stuck into the detail as much as shaping the bigger picture? At Overview, we’re looking for a Supply Chain & Planning Manager who can keep materials moving today while building the team, processes and supplier relationships we need for tomorrow.

This is a genuinely hands-on role, not a purely strategic or supervisory position.

A strong purchasing background is essential. You will be actively involved in day-to-day purchasing activities for the business, working directly with suppliers, negotiating commercial terms, progressing orders and resolving shortages alongside your team. As we grow the team, you will combine that practical involvement with developing people and strengthening how we plan, buy and deliver.

The opportunity

Reporting to the Head of Operations, you will take ownership of our end-to-end supply chain: production planning, purchasing, material availability, inventory, warehouse and logistics. You’ll turn customer demand and business priorities into achievable plans, tackle immediate supply challenges and create more resilient ways of working.

This role will suit someone who wants real ownership and enjoys balancing commercial decisions, operational detail and team leadership. You’ll need to be comfortable moving between a supplier negotiation, a material shortage and a discussion about future capacity.

What you’ll do

• Stay close to the buying: take an active role in purchasing, lead strategic supplier negotiations and support the Commodity Manager and Purchasing Manager with their portfolios.
• Keep production supplied: own production and material planning, progress supplier commitments and lead shortage recovery and material prioritisation.
• Strengthen supplier performance: improve delivery, cost, capacity and responsiveness, with clear ownership and recovery plans where needed.
• Bring control to inventory and planning: improve stock accuracy, material flow and working capital, supported by disciplined ERP and MRP processes and reliable master data.
• Build and develop the team: lead purchasing, material control, production planning, warehouse and logistics, growing capability while remaining directly involved in delivery.
• Connect the business: work with Production, Engineering, NPI and Quality to align capacity, support new product readiness and address supply risks before they affect customers.

What you’ll bring

• A strong purchasing background is essential: substantial practical experience of buying, supplier negotiation and supplier management within manufacturing or engineering.
• A willingness to remain personally involved in purchasing activities as the team grows — you’ll be a hands‑on contributor as well as a leader.
• Significant supply chain, planning or materials management experience, with strong working knowledge of ERP, MRP, production planning and inventory management.
• Commercial judgement and analytical skills, with the confidence to balance delivery, cost, stock and supply risk.
• The ability to lead and develop people, work across functions and turn operational problems into clear, practical actions.
• A degree or equivalent professional experience in a relevant discipline.
• Experience in high‑mix, low‑volume, NPI or repeat‑volume manufacturing would be valuable, as would experience scaling supply chain teams and processes. CIPS, APICS CPIM, CSCP, Lean or Six Sigma qualifications are welcome.

Make your mark

This is an opportunity to shape how a growing business plans, purchases and delivers — with direct involvement in the decisions and activities that make it happen. If you bring purchasing expertise, practical leadership and the drive to build a stronger supply chain, we’d like to hear from you.

Why work for us?

• We are an exciting, growing company committed to excellence and innovation.
• We greatly value the hard work, ingenuity and integrity of our team.
• We provide an environment for rapid personal development.

Benefits

• Salary of £55,000 - £60,000 depending on experience.
• 27 days holiday + bank holidays (increasing with service)
• Employee discount platform
• EAP & online GP
• Early Finish Friday
• Discretionary Bonus Scheme
• BUPA Medical Insurance & Cashback plan
• Flexible start & finish times & hybrid working (role dependent)
• Cycle to work scheme & Rail season ticket loan
• Company-funded professional subscriptions (up to £250 per year)
• Personal development supported
• Free refreshments, fruit and snacks
• Free Parking

What we do.

Overview, a rapidly growing UK SME, develops and manufactures market-leading Autonomous Sensors Systems and Integrated Servo Drives for global markets.

Overview’s Intelligent Autonomous Sensors Systems (Pods) use multiple sensors and sophisticated edge intelligence to autonomously provide users with actionable digital information. Pods can autonomously detect, classify, alert users and track targets of interest, all at machine speed. Developed for use in critical domains such as defence, surveillance, security, emergency response and counter-UAS, applications include ground-based solutions and those mounted on manned and autonomous vehicles.

Overview’s expertise includes the development and manufacture of innovative, precision, brushless, Integrated Servo Drives. These Integrated Servo Drives are sold to a rapidly growing global customer base for a range of exacting positioning applications and used by Overview in the development of Sensor Systems.

Technology leadership is core to Overview’s strategy and is underpinned by the investment of more than 20% of turnover in R&D. Specialist capabilities exist in motor design and control, mechanics, electronics, embedded software, AI/ML and sensor integration, plus systems engineering.

Overview is committed to growing exceptional business value through customer focus and providing a leading capability to rapidly define and develop unique, innovative, and market‑leading products.

Our Values

Overview’s operations and reputation are based on the following company Values and Behaviours. These Values and Behaviours, consistently applied, make us what we are and are a key element of the value that we bring to our customers.

• Work together to Win Together
• Creativity and Innovation
• Integrity and Respect
• Customer Focus
• Continuous Improvement
• Positive Impact

The Process

Most of our interviews will take place over one or two stages, typically a phone/teams interview followed by a face-to-face interview on-site. We do ask all candidates who are coming to a face-to-face interview to carry out a short Psychometric assessment to help us understand how you tick!

If you wish to discuss any reasonable adjustments to our process, we are happy to discuss this to see what we can do. We are committed to employment practices that promote diversity and inclusion in employment regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, sex, marriage and civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity status, race, religion or belief.

Please note that this is a UK-based role, and therefore, employment will be subject to satisfactory right-to-work and reference checks.

We reserve the right to close or extend this position depending on application numbers.