Supply Chain Manager

A leading Defence organisation are looking for an experienced Supply Chain Manager to join their team in Bolton.

Role: Supply Chain Manager

Duration: 6-month contract

Pay: Up to £50 p/hr (Inside IR35 via Umbrella)

Location: Bolton

Working Pattern: Hybrid 2 days You'll play a key role across multiple programmes, driving supplier capability, performance improvement, and risk reduction in a fast‑evolving high‑technology environment.

Key Responsibilities

Managing a portfolio of suppliers, ensuring performance is aligned to programme needs

Leading supplier assessments covering planning, control, relationship management, and manufacturing excellence

Driving improvements in supplier delivery and quality

Carrying out process flow validation, lead‑time analysis, bottleneck identification, capacity and resource reviews

Conducting root‑cause analysis using DMAIC and delivering clear, actionable improvement plans

Identifying, escalating and mitigating supply chain risks, and driving them to closure

Producing high‑quality executive summaries and communicating effectively at all business levels

Supporting international supply chain activities where required

This is a great opportunity to influence strategic supplier relationships, support new and mature technologies, and contribute to critical defence and manufacturing programmes.

Key Skills & Experience

Background in Defence, Aerospace, or similar environments

Proven ability to influence suppliers and stakeholders

Experience managing supplier risk and delivering performance improvement

Skilled in problem‑solving and structured improvement frameworks (e.g., DMAIC)

Experience working internationally

SC21 Practitioner experience

If you're an experienced Supply Chain Manager, local to Bolton and looking for a new contract opportunity in the Defence sector, apply now