Supplier Assurance Manager in Newcastle upon Tyne

Somerset Bridge Group is one of the UK’s fastest‑growing insurance businesses, supporting brands such as GoSkippy and Vavista. With offices in Bristol, Newcastle and Gibraltar, we provide straightforward motor insurance to over 740,000 customers each year, backed by a friendly, customer‑focused team.

We’re now evolving our risk‑based supplier assurance framework and are looking for a high‑calibre professional to lead this transition as our Group Supplier & Assurance Manager. This strategic role goes far beyond administration – you will own the group‑wide audit schedule, manage our automated control environment and act as a key partner to divisional MDs. Reporting to the Head of Legal Services, you’ll provide the governance, insight and commercial guidance needed to support safe, compliant and high‑performing supplier relationships across the business.

Responsibilities

• Ensure all third‑party suppliers meet the customer, regulatory and governance standards required by the SBG Supplier Assurance Framework (SAF).
• Own and continuously improve the Supplier Assurance Framework tools – the RACI, risk‑based supplier assessment, the assurance schedule and system.
• Lead the transition to the automated, 'always‑on' monitoring system.
• Support business owners to achieve market‑leading supplier commercial performance, mitigate risk and maintain high standards of customer protection within a regulated insurance environment.
• Partner with supplier business owners and compliance teams to ensure local autonomy remains safely within SAF 'guardrails' throughout the entire supplier lifecycle.
• Protect SBG and its customers by maintaining a state of ‘always‑on’ audit‑readiness.

Framework Management & Governance

• Maintain and evolve the Supplier Assurance Framework (SAF), ensuring the Group RACI remains accurate and effective across all decentralised business units.
• Own the Risk‑Based Assessment process, conducting annual and event‑driven re‑assessments of the supplier landscape to ensure oversight remains proportional to risk/value.
• Act as the primary administrator for the Supplier Management System, ensuring the 'Single Source of Truth' is accurate and that automated guardrails are functioning correctly.
• Maintain a centralised repository of evidence for FCA, PRA and Insurer TOBA reviews.
• Provide regular reporting to the Exco and Risk Committees on the 'health' of the supplier landscape and any breaches of systemic guardrails.

Audit & Assurance Execution

• Design and lead the Audit & Assurance Schedule, coordinating with business owners to ensure all required reviews are completed on time.
• Conduct desk‑based and on‑site supplier audits for 'Critical' and 'Important' third parties, focusing on operational resilience, data security and customer outcomes.
• Manage the remediation of audit findings, tracking supplier progress against corrective action plans and escalating significant risks to the Head of Legal and relevant Risk Committees.

Management of Systemic Guardrails & Automation

• Serve as the Lead Administrator for the Group’s procurement technology stack (SIM/GRC platform).
• Monitor and act upon automated alerts regarding supplier insolvency, data breaches and sanctions, ensuring immediate escalation of 'Red' flags.
• Continuously refine the 'Golden Rules' within the system to move away from manual spreadsheet tracking toward 24/7 systemic monitoring.

Commercial & Lifecycle Support

• Partner with Business Owners throughout the entire supplier lifecycle, from initial due diligence and selection to contract negotiation and eventual exit.
• Provide commercial insights to help business units achieve market‑leading performance, identifying opportunities for consolidation or process efficiency within the decentralised model.
• Review and optimise supplier reporting and SLAs to ensure they drive the right behaviours and align with SBG strategy.
• Support the procurement proposer with vendor selection and commercial negotiation, providing insights and recommendations to achieve the best outcomes.
• Oversee due diligence administration during onboarding and for periodic due diligence updates, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.

Regulatory Compliance & Reporting

• Ensure all third‑party arrangements meet the required FCA regulatory frameworks, specifically SYSC 8, SS2/21 (Operational Resilience) and Consumer Duty.
• Maintain always‑on audit‑readiness by ensuring all due diligence, contracts and oversight records are current and accessible for regulatory or capacity provider requests.
• Produce monthly Management Information (MI) as required, highlighting key supplier risks, performance trends and assurance status.
• Maintain and continually enhance procurement policies, workflows and systems to align with regulatory expectations and industry best practice, ensuring data accuracy and accessibility.

Stakeholder Engagement & Training

• Act as the Group Supplier Governance Lead to enforce the Group RACI and mandate adherence to systemic approval hurdles before any supplier engagement or contract renewal can proceed.
• Serve as a consultative partner to divisional Supplier Business Owners providing guidance and training to internal teams on SAF responsibilities and system usage.
• Support Business Owners in navigating the end‑to‑end lifecycle, from initial selection and due diligence to contract renewal or exit.
• Foster strong relationships with Legal, IT, Infosec and Finance to ensure a seamless and integrated approach to third‑party risk management.

Continuous Improvement & Strategic Input

• Drive improvements in procurement efficiency, systems capability and supplier governance maturity.
• Provide insights and recommendations to the Head of Legal Services on procurement strategy, emerging risks and industry trends.
• Champion innovation in supplier solutions that support operational resilience and customer outcomes.

Qualifications

• Experienced Practitioner – proven track record in Third‑Party Risk Management (TPRM) or Internal Audit, ideally within a regulated Financial Services or Insurance environment.
• Always‑On Lead – comfortable working with and leading the transition to automated GRC or Supplier Information Management (SIM) platforms, moving away from manual spreadsheet‑based tracking.
• Regulatory Expert – deep understanding of FCA frameworks, including SYSC 8, Operational Resilience (SS2/21) and Consumer Duty, and ability to embed these into daily operations.
• Collaborator – skilled communicator capable of acting as a Group Authority, challenging senior stakeholders and divisional MDs while supporting commercial goals.
• Proactive Planner – disciplined in designing and executing a rigorous Audit and Assurance Schedule, ensuring that no critical supplier falls through the cracks.
• Value Creator – commercial acumen to support business owners in negotiations and vendor selection, helping the organisation gain a competitive edge through its supplier base.

Benefits

• Hybrid working – 2 days in office and 3 days working from home.
• 25 days annual leave (27 days after 2 years, 30 days after 5 years) plus bank holidays.
• Discretionary annual bonus.
• Pension scheme – 5% employee, 6% employer.
• Flexible working – flexible hours requested considered.
• Flexi‑time.
• Healthcare Cash Plan.
• Electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme.
• 99s of retailer discounts.
• Professional wellbeing app.
• Enhanced parental leave, religious bank holidays, life assurance (4× salary).
• 25% Car Insurance discount, 20% Travel Insurance discount.
• Cycle to Work scheme, employee referral scheme, community support day.