Supply Chain Specialist (Contractor) in Leatherhead

Location: Based 3 days on-site at Sunswap’s Leatherhead HQ (KT22 7BA, UK)

Working pattern: Monday - Friday / 9am- 6pm

About us: Every refrigerated truck and trailer moving goods across the country has relied on diesel for decades. It's polluting, expensive, and the technology hasn't changed. Sunswap makes the electric refrigeration that's replacing it - zero emissions, lower operating costs, built from the ground up for how fleets actually operate. We've gone from founding to manufacturing at scale globally in just six years. We built our own production facility in Surrey. We are trusted by major brands like Tesco, Ocado, Birds Eye, and Happy Eggs every single day. With units operating across the UK, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Chile, and Australia. We've been named Sunday Times Best Place to Work 2024 and 2025. We've won awards for innovation, technology, and marketing excellence. We've secured backing from BGF, Barclays, and Clean Growth Fund. We've got the customers, the traction, and the momentum. Now we're taking this British-engineered product global. Scaling manufacturing. Opening new markets. Building the team that will make legacy polluting technology obsolete across the world.

Job overview: The Supply Chain Consultant will support key supply chain activities as Sunswap scales and progresses into higher volume production phase. This will require you to own a commodity end to end, to work with suppliers, to negotiate pricing based on our growing sales volumes, to manage an efficient flow of components to facilitate product development and to support ongoing cost-down of the product to achieve our cost target. You will play an important role contributing to our procurement activities as the business scales. The role is a great opportunity to be part of building a high growth business where every day pushes your boundaries.

Key responsibilities:

• Process purchases, monitor inventory, track usage, and adjust procurement activities according to product demand.
• Own strategic supplier relationships and drive performance improvement plan and reviews.
• Lead complex commercial negotiations, including cost reductions, contracts, risks, and long-term commercial value opportunities.
• Collaborate with Engineering and Quality stakeholders to act as the main contact for all commercial supplier issues.
• Perform advanced analysis, drive cost-saving initiatives and commercial insights.
• Identify new suppliers to source the best products in terms of value, delivery schedules, sustainable practices and quality.
• Lead end-to-end sourcing activities from RFI/ RFQ to contract signature and supplier performance review.
• Own and drive the implementation of a procurement strategy that is aligned with our growth plans.
• Develop, improve and manage procurement processes to support the business and Supply Chain development.
• Demonstrate a continuous improvement mindset and optimise procurement operations for efficiency.
• Support other parts of the business as and when required.

Qualifications & experience:

• Procurement experience in a related field, manufacturing environment preferred.
• 5 years minimum experience in a similar position.
• Experience in detailed quotation analysis and developing / challenging pricing with suppliers where appropriate.
• Understanding of key cost drivers in manufacturing processes.
• Commercial and financial awareness including strong analytical abilities.
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship management skills.
• Excellent organisational skills and ability to work with complete autonomy.
• Strong team player and collaborative mindset.
• Experience with an industry standard ERP system.
• Ability to travel to meet with suppliers as and when required.
• Experience in managing an electrical or harness commodity preferred.