Head of Supply Chain

Head of Supply Chain Location: Suffolk coast (Office-based with some travel) Reporting to: Operations Director Industry: Electronics / Manufacturing / Engineering Type: Permanent, Full-Time We’re retained with a leading electronics and manufacturing business to appoint a Head of Supply Chain. This is a strategic and hands-on leadership role, responsible for shaping and managing all aspects of the supply chain—from sourcing and supplier relationship management through to procurement, cost control, and inventory optimisation. You’ll be joining at a pivotal time, with the opportunity to drive meaningful change and performance improvements across supplier partnerships, cost efficiency, quality, and lead time management. The ideal candidate will bring deep technical understanding of electronic and mechanical components, proven commercial acumen, and the ability to lead and develop a multi-skilled team. Key Responsibilities Leadership & Strategy Lead, develop and mentor a multi-disciplinary supply chain team across procurement, estimating, sourcing, and supplier management. Set SMART objectives and build a continuous improvement culture. Represent Supply Chain at contract review, production planning and cross-functional meetings. Supplier Management & Sourcing Own and develop the Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) strategy, including supplier selection, qualification, benchmarking and performance monitoring. Lead commercial negotiations and manage procurement contracts. Ensure continuity of supply, mitigate risk (e.g. End of Life components), and drive value from supplier partnerships. Procurement & Cost Control Manage and reduce cost of acquisition for hardware and materials. Drive cost visibility and control via accurate BOM costings, PPV management and a competitive RFQ process. Proactively identify opportunities for cost-saving, lead time reduction and alternative sourcing. Operational Excellence Implement best practice across sourcing, procurement, and inventory control. Reduce inventory levels where possible, using JIT and de-expediting approaches. Improve material/component delivery processes to support production efficiency. Compliance & Quality Ensure adherence to standards including AS9100, ISO13485, ISO9001, ISO14001 and FDA 21CFR820. Lead supplier audits and maintain quality documentation and assessments. Drive continuous quality improvement and alignment with Design for Excellence (DFX) principles.About You Must-Have Experience 5+ years’ experience in supply chain leadership roles within an electronics manufacturing environment. Strong understanding of electronic and mechanical component sourcing. Proven experience managing BOM costings, procurement negotiations, and supplier contracts. Demonstrated ability to lead and develop high-performing supply chain teams.Technical Skills Proficient in MRP/ERP systems (ideally Sage) and Microsoft Office. Comfortable reading and interpreting technical drawings and electronic component data. Solid understanding of international logistics, customs documentation, and compliance frameworks.Qualifications Degree (or equivalent) in Electronics, Manufacturing, Engineering or related discipline. CIPS qualification desirable but not essential.Soft Skills A self-starter and structured thinker with strong analytical and commercial awareness. Excellent communicator and confident negotiator, able to influence cross-functionally. Capable of operating both strategically and tactically, with a hands-on approach.What’s on Offer Opportunity to lead a critical function and shape future supply chain strategy. A stable and growing business with modern products and global reach. Clear path for progression and professional development.Logistics Location: Suffolk coast – office-based with travel to suppliers as required. Travel: Some UK and occasional international supplier visits (est. 1–2 per month). Work Type: Office-based due to the hands-on nature of the role, with occasional flexibility.Next Steps If you’re a commercially astute and technically capable supply chain leader ready to take on a broad and impactful role, we’d love to hear from you. Email (url removed) with your CV or drop me a message on LinkedIn: Alexander Flory, SoCode