Senior Performance Lead in Retford

Company Description

For almost 50 years, Williams F1 Team has been at the forefront of one of the fastest sports on the planet, being one of the top three most successful teams in history competing in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship. With an almost unrivalled heritage of engineering and racing F1 cars and unforgettable eras that demonstrate it is a force to be reckoned with, the British squad boasts 16 F1 World Championship titles to its name.

Since its foundation in 1977 by the eminent, late Sir Frank Williams and engineering pioneer Sir Patrick Head, the team has won nine Constructors' Championships, in association with Cosworth, Honda and Renault. Its roll call of drivers is legendary, with its seven Drivers' Championship trophies being lifted by true icons of the sport: Alan Jones, Keke Rosberg, Nelson Piquet, Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve. The team has made history before and is out to make it again with a long-term mission to evolve and return to the front of the grid.

Role Purpose:

The Team Kit Manager is responsible for the end-to-end coordination, procurement, management, and distribution of all team kit; including race day apparel, travel wear, promotional garments, and event merchandise worn and used by the Williams Racing team. This role sits at the intersection of logistics, supplier management, and stakeholder coordination, requiring someone who is highly organised, operationally rigorous, and comfortable working in the fast-paced environment of a Formula 1 team.

Reporting into the Head of Merchandising, the Team Kit Manager will also line-manage the Team Kit Coordinators, providing day-to-day direction, task allocation, and development support to that individual. This is a hands-on, delivery-focused role that plays a vital part in ensuring the team always looks and performs at its best — whether at the factory, in the paddock, or in front of millions of global fans. There is ad-hoc travel required for this role across race weekends, pre-season testing, supplier visits, and business events.

Main Duties:

• Kit Procurement & Supplier Management: Own the full procurement cycle for all team kit — from initial brief through to delivery — working closely with apparel suppliers, licensees, and internal stakeholders. Manage supplier relationships, ensuring product quality, delivery timelines, and cost targets are met. Maintain an up-to-date supplier and product matrix, tracking lead times, SKUs, and pricing. Identify opportunities to improve supplier performance, consolidate supply chains, or introduce new product capabilities in line with team requirements. Oversee the operating partner responsible for pick, pack, and distribution — managing the relationship, setting performance expectations, and ensuring fulfilment standards are consistently met.
• Inventory & Stock Management: Maintain accurate and real-time records of all team kit inventory across both Grove and London locations, as well as trackside storage. Manage sizing, replenishment, and allocation processes — ensuring the right stock is in the right place at the right time. Oversee kit returns, quality checks, and end-of-season stock management. Develop and maintain a clear kit catalogue with specifications, quantities, and lead times for all items. Work closely with the operating partner responsible for pick, pack, and distribution — providing stock visibility, dispatch priorities, and order accuracy oversight to ensure timely and correct fulfilment across all kit requirements.
• Race & Event Operations: Prepare, pack, and ship all team kit requirements ahead of each race weekend, test session, filming day, and key business event. Attend race weekends and testing events as required, acting as the trackside point of contact for all kit-related matters. Liaise with the logistics and freight team to ensure kit is included within event freight plans and shipped in compliance with FIA and Promoter requirements. Manage last-minute kit needs on-site, including emergency orders and ad-hoc requests from drivers, engineers, and senior leadership.
• People Management: Line-manage the Team Kit Coordinators, providing clear day-to-day direction, task allocation, and workload management. Support the development of the Team Kit Coordinator through regular 1:1s, feedback, and on-the-job coaching. Delegate trackside and operational tasks appropriately, ensuring the Coordinators are set up for success at race events and in the factory. Contribute to team planning, resource allocation, and onboarding of any future kit team hires.
• Stakeholder Coordination: Work closely with the Driver Management team to manage driver and personal entourage kit requirements. Coordinate with the Marketing and Partnerships team on kit requirements for partner-facing events, activations, and content shoots. Act as the internal point of contact for all kit queries across the organisation — from the shop floor to the boardroom. Support the People team with onboarding kit processes for new starters.
• Brand Compliance & Presentation Standards: Ensure all kit is produced, applied, and worn in compliance with Williams Racing brand guidelines and partner visibility requirements. Work with the Creative and Brand team to implement seasonal or partner-driven changes to kit design, colourways, and branding. Maintain the highest standards of presentation at all times — the team's appearance is part of our brand. Lead the end-to-end ownership of brand iteration rollouts across regional and global partnerships — ensuring kit accurately reflects the correct marque, colourway, and partner visibility requirements for each market. Manage light and dark market variants across kit ranges, maintaining version control and ensuring the correct iterations are produced, approved, and distributed to the right territories and events.
• Budget & Reporting: Manage the team kit budget, tracking expenditure against forecast and flagging variances proactively. Provide regular reporting on kit spend, stock levels, and upcoming requirements to the Head of Merchandising. Support seasonal budgeting and planning cycles.

Key Accountabilities:

• Fulfil all organisational expectations, including but not limited to the following:
• Role model Williams Values & Behaviours, supporting and holding others accountable to do the same.
• Always ensure compliance with health and safety obligations, supporting managers to uphold expected standards.
• Ensure high standards of behaviour and conduct are upheld across the organisation, including the wellbeing of team members.
• Carry out effective team member performance management, making sure suitable measures are agreed and taken to close any identified gaps in skills or knowledge.
• Ensure you adhere to brand rules and maintain high standards of department presentation.
• Comply with quality standards and identify and contribute ways to continuously improve department and personal performance.
• Ensure understanding of cost cap requirements and identify opportunities to improve optimisation.

Please note; This role is based across our Grove (Oxfordshire) and London offices, with five days per week in office expected. The balance between locations will flex to suit business needs and seasonal activity. Candidates must be comfortable with dual-site working and will be expected to travel to races, tests, supplier visits, and other events as required by the business — both domestically and internationally. Race weekends and testing events form a core part of the role's calendar.

Qualifications

Essential:

• Proven experience in a kit management, ideally within sport, events, or a fast-paced commercial environment.
• Experience managing or supervising others, with the ability to direct and develop a direct report.
• Strong organisational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines simultaneously.
• Excellent attention to detail — particularly around stock accuracy, sizing, and presentation standards.
• Experience working with suppliers and managing procurement processes.
• Comfortable with regular travel and flexible working patterns including evenings and weekends during race events.
• A proactive, solutions-focused mindset — able to react quickly and calmly under pressure.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to manage requests from a wide range of internal stakeholders.
• Proficiency in MS Office / Google Suite and inventory management tools.

Desirable:

• Prior experience within Formula 1 or motorsport.
• Familiarity with FIA freight and logistics processes.
• Knowledge of garment production processes, fabric types, or apparel supply chains.
• Experience working with licensed or branded apparel in a professional sports setting.
• Exposure to high-profile brand partnerships and activations.

Additional Information

Atlassian Williams F1 Team is an equal opportunity employer that values diversity and inclusion. We are happy to discuss reasonable job adjustments.

Summary

• Type: Full-time
• Function: Engineering
• Experience level: Associate
• Industry: Sports