Supply Chain and Procurement Manager

Supply Chain and Procurement Manager

Location: UK

Department: Operations UK

Employment Type: Full Time

Help Us Build a Best-in-Class Supply Chain and Procurement Operation

At Spandex, we are transforming our business into a digitally enabled, customer-centric organisation. We are now looking for an experienced and commercially minded Supply Chain and Procurement Manager to lead our UK operational procurement activities and help us create a more efficient, responsive and data-driven supply chain.

This is a high-impact leadership opportunity for someone who combines strong supply chain expertise with excellent people, analytical and stakeholder management skills. You will play an important part in both the UK Leadership Team and the Group Procurement community, working across functions to improve availability, optimise inventory and strengthen our procurement-to-pay processes.

About the Role

Reporting to the UK Finance & Operations Director, you will lead the local operational procurement team and take responsibility for the effective supply of stock items and services. You will balance stock availability with working capital requirements while driving continuous improvement across purchasing, inventory management, supplier performance and master data.

You will work in a matrix organisation and collaborate closely with colleagues across supply chain, logistics, sales, finance, IT, marketing, category management, strategic procurement and the wider Spandex purchasing community.

What You’ll Be Doing

Leading and Developing the Team

• Lead, manage, mentor and develop the UK operational procurement team.
• Support the recruitment and development of procurement colleagues.
• Build a collaborative, accountable and improvement-focused team culture.
• Ensure clear communication and alignment across the local and Group procurement communities.

Driving Operational Excellence

• Manage and continuously improve the end-to-end procurement-to-pay process.
• Maintain and improve the tools, reports and processes that support effective daily operations.
• Monitor performance against agreed KPIs and develop practical improvement plans.
• Support ERP and other system improvements.
• Work closely with the sales team to align stock ordering with business forecasts.
• Manage inventory and MRP parameters to improve stock availability while reducing excess and obsolete stock.
• Review consumption, supplier lead times and purchasing data to support informed decisions.
• Embed strong inventory management awareness across the local business.

Managing Suppliers and Costs

• Develop effective relationships with local suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Lead supplier negotiations for allocated suppliers and cost-saving projects.
• Identify opportunities to secure discounts, rebates and improved commercial terms.
• Support supplier evaluation and supplier non-conformance processes.
• Escalate supplier issues appropriately and work with Strategic Procurement to resolve recurring or material concerns.
• Monitor purchase price variances and contribute to the achievement of annual supply chain savings targets.

Ensuring Data Quality and Compliance

• Take ownership of the accuracy of material master data, including creation, extension, pricing, maintenance and phase-out activities.
• Ensure relevant product and supplier information is communicated promptly across the supply chain organisation.
• Maintain accurate supplier information.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, quality standards and procurement procedures.

Building Strong Stakeholder Partnerships

• Report local operational procurement KPIs through the relevant scorecards.
• Communicate changes to prices, terms and conditions clearly and proactively.
• Work collaboratively with IT, logistics, sales, finance, marketing, category management, business development and suppliers.
• Contribute actively to leadership meetings, procurement calls and face-to-face procurement forums.

What We’re Looking For

Essential

• Previous experience in supply chain, purchasing, procurement or inventory management.
• Experience leading, managing or developing an operational team.
• Strong knowledge of supply chain and inventory management processes.
• Practical experience using SAP.
• Strong Excel skills, including pivot tables, VLOOKUPs and basic macros.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving capability.
• Good commercial awareness and a strong focus on cost.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and relationship-building skills.
• Strong organisational and planning capability.
• The ability to interpret data and turn it into clear, informed decisions.
• Confidence working across functions and with stakeholders at different organisational levels.

You’ll Be Successful If You Are

• Proactive, hands-on and comfortable taking ownership.
• Commercially aware and attentive to detail.
• Confident managing competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• An effective communicator with good judgement and escalation skills.
• Comfortable working across different cultures and within a matrix organisation.
• Motivated by continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• A collaborative leader who can bring people together around shared goals.

What Success Looks Like

In this role, you will

• Maintain consistently high levels of stock availability.
• Improve inventory accuracy and reduce excess and obsolete stock.
• Deliver measurable supply chain savings and commercial improvements.
• Strengthen supplier performance and resolve back-order issues promptly.
• Improve the accuracy of material and supplier master data.
• Build an effective, engaged and capable operational procurement team.
• Help develop Spandex into a best-practice procurement organisation.

Why Join Spandex?

• Join an international organisation with a highly collaborative working environment.
• Play an influential role within the UK Leadership Team and Group Procurement community.
• Lead meaningful improvements across procurement, inventory and supplier management.
• Work with stakeholders across multiple business functions and countries.
• Make a visible contribution to operational performance and customer service.
• Develop a team and help shape the future of supply chain and procurement at Spandex.

Reporting To

UK Finance & Operations Director

Ready to Make an Impact?

If you are an experienced supply chain and procurement professional who enjoys leading people, improving processes and using data to drive better business decisions, we would love to hear from you.

Apply now and help us build a more efficient, responsive and best-in-class supply chain at Spandex.