Supply Chain Programme Manager in Wolverhampton

Safran is an international high-technology group, operating in the aviation (propulsion, equipment and interiors), defense and space markets. Its core purpose is to contribute to a safer, more sustainable world, where air transport is more environmentally friendly, comfortable and accessible. Safran has a global presence, with 100,000 employees and sales of 27.3 billion euros in 2024, and holds, alone or in partnership, world or regional leadership positions in its core markets.

Safran Electronics & Defense offers its customers onboard intelligence solutions allowing them to understand the environment, reduce mental load and guarantee a trajectory, even in critical situations, in all environments: on land, at sea, in the sky or space. The company harnesses the expertise of its 13,000 employees towards these three functions: observe, decide and guide, for the civil and military markets.

We are looking for a dynamic Supply Chain Programme Manager. In this role, you will head up a high-performing team to deliver seamless New Product Introductions (NPI) and winning bids, ensuring that every launch and transfer runs smoothly from start to finish. You will be at the heart of bringing new programs to life - driving supplier readiness, aligning stakeholders, and making sure cost, quality, and schedule all hit the mark. Beyond day-to-day delivery, you will play a critical role in risk mitigation, cost efficiency, and long-term supply chain strategy, helping us stay competitive and future-focused.

If you thrive on building strong supplier relationships, leading teams through complex projects, and seeing tangible results from your work, this is your opportunity to make a real impact.

What will your day-to-day responsibilities look like?

• Leadership & Team Management
  • Lead, coach, and develop a team of supply chain project managers.
  • Allocate resources across multiple NPI and bid specialists, to meet program priorities.
  • Build a high-performance culture focused on delivery, risk management, and continuous improvement.
• Program & Stakeholder Management
  • Act as the primary supply chain representative for NPI and Bids.
  • Ensure alignment with program management, engineering, quality, and operations.
  • Provide leadership updates on progress, risks, and mitigation strategies.
• NPI Delivery
  • Oversee supplier selection and onboarding for new programs.
  • Ensure suppliers are production-ready (capacity, quality, logistics) to meet design freeze, first article inspection (FAI), and ramp-up milestones.
  • Drive adherence to customer, regulatory, and internal standards (e.g., AS9100, FAA/EASA).
  • Support the team members with their individual NPI projects and be an escalate point when required.
• Bids management
  • Support the bids/proposals team within the supply chain function.
  • Help to manage the flow of information requests to procurement, commodity managers, and suppliers.
  • Help to consolidate and validate supply chain responses into a cohesive bid package.
  • Work with commodity managers to negotiate pricing, lead times, and terms for bid purposes.
  • Support and present supply chain inputs at senior reviews.
  • Look at ways to streamline and improve the process.
  • Bring OE and Aftermarket bids into one team and streamline into one Supply Chain process.
• Performance & Reporting
  • Track KPIs for NPI and Bids (OTD, ramp-up readiness, cost performance, supply continuity, turn around times).
  • Provide structured governance updates to senior leadership and program steering committees.
  • Capture lessons learned and deploy best practices across future projects.

What will you bring to the role?

Essential skills:

• Proven leadership and team management skills, with experience guiding project-based teams.
• Excellent analytical skills, highly proficient in Excel.
• Proven experience in Project or Programme management.

Desirable skills:

• Track record of successfully leading teams through complex projects.
• Proven track record of supplier management and cross-functional coordination.
• Experience in cost estimation, supplier negotiation, and bid preparation.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet tight deadlines.
• Analytical mindset with attention to detail in cost/lead-time breakdowns.
• Experience working in a matrix organisation with cross-functional teams.
• Knowledge of aerospace regulatory requirements (AS9100, ITAR, export compliance) desirable.
• Project management certification (e.g., PMP, Prince2) desirable but not essential.