Senior Supply Chain Development Manager

If you’d like to be considered for this opportunity we encourage you to apply promptly to avoid disappointment as if applications are high the role will close before the closing date given.

Senior Supply Chain Development Manager 

Package: £63,270 to £85,000 (depending on experience)

Location: Reading, with free onsite parking.

Working pattern: AWE operates a 9-day working fortnight, with every other Friday as a non-working day. This role is eligible for hybrid working, meaning employees typically spend three days on site in a long week and two days on site in a short week. We support flexible working where possible, including part-time and varied working hours, so please let us know if you would like us to consider an alternative working arrangement when you apply.

Ready to play your part?

At AWE, it’s not just a job, it’s far more than that. Our shared purpose is to help keep the nation safe. Could this role be the opportunity for you to play your part?

The Senior Supply Chain Development Manager plays a pivotal role within a newly established Supply Chain Development team, responsible for enabling the Commercial function to deliver a coherent, strategic, and enterprise-wide approach to supply chain development across AWE.

The role supports the organisation through a significant period of procurement and tendering activity associated with the replacement warhead programme, ensuring that supply chain capability frameworks are established and embedded across the business.

Reporting to the Principal Supply Chain Development Manager, the role is accountable for developing supply chain management frameworks, methodologies, standards, tools, and best practices that strengthen supplier relationships, improve supply chain performance, and position AWE as a Client of Choice. The role also leads the team in advancing sustainability, social value, and supplier inclusion objectives.

Key Accountabilities:

• Accountable for establishing and maintaining a robust supplier governance methodology and Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) framework that supports strategic business objectives.

• Accountable for ensuring consistent supplier segmentation and performance management approaches are adopted across AWE.

• Accountable for the creation and maintenance of supply chain policies, procedures, standards, tools, and templates.

• Accountable for driving improvements in supplier relationship maturity and embedding best-practice supplier management principles.

• Accountable for delivering initiatives that enhance AWE's position as a preferred customer within key supply markets through the Client of Choice strategy.

• Accountable for the successful planning and delivery of supplier engagement programmes, forums, and communication activities.

• Accountable for embedding ESG, supplier diversity, SME participation, and social value considerations into supply chain development activities.

• Accountable for building strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring effective collaboration across Commercial, Programme, and Supply Chain communities.

• Accountable for development of a high performing Supply Chain Development Team.

Whilst not to be considered a tick list, we’d like you to have experience in some of the following:

• Must have proven professional experience.

• Proven experience in developing strategy with specific experience in supply chain development and SRM.

• Experience in development of SME strategies that work cohesively with wider supply development strategies.

• Experience of working collaboratively with and influencing senior business stakeholders.

• Experience designing and implementing supply chain governance frameworks, policies, procedures, and operating models.

• Experience incorporating sustainability, ESG, social value, supplier diversity, and SME participation objectives into procurement and supply chain strategies.

• Ability to develop and implement enterprise-wide supply chain frameworks, governance models, and improvement strategies aligned to organisational objectives.

• Strong ability to build credibility and influence senior leaders, suppliers, and cross-functional stakeholders to achieve successful outcomes.

• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills, with the ability to lead supplier engagement initiatives, workshops, forums.

• Proven capability to design, implement, and embed new processes, methodologies, and ways of working that enhance supply chain performance and organisational maturity.

• Ability to work effectively in a complex and ambiguous environment.

• Role model for innovation and continuous improvement.

Work hard, be rewarded:

We ask a lot and set the bar high because our work truly matters. In return we offer balance, with award winning benefits including:

• 9-day working fortnight – meaning you get every other Friday off work, in addition to 270 hours of annual leave.
• Market leading contributory pension scheme (we will pay between 9% and 13% of your pensionable pay depending on your contributions).
• Family friendly policies: Maternity Leave - 39 Weeks Full Pay and Paternity Leave - 4 Weeks Full Pay.
• Opportunities for Professional Career Development including funding for annual membership of a relevant professional body.
• Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services.
• Life Assurance (4 x annual salary).
• Discounts – access to savings on a wide range of everyday spending.
• Special Leave Policy including paid time off for volunteering, public service (including reserve forces) and caring.

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Next steps:

Everyone who works at AWE brings unique skills and perspectives to the table. We recognise that great people don’t always ‘tick every box’. That’s why we focus on your potential, your fit with our values, your transferable skills as well as your experience. Even if you don’t meet every point above, but you feel that this role and AWE are a great fit for you, please go ahead and apply, we’d love to receive your application.

Important things you need to know:

• We encourage you to apply promptly to avoid disappointment if applications are high and the role therefore closes.
• You will need to obtain and maintain the necessary security clearance for the role. This will be funded by AWE. The nature of our work does mean you need to be a British Citizen who has been resident in the UK for the past 5 years in order to apply for SC clearance and 10 years for DV.
• We want you to feel comfortable and able to shine during our recruitment process. Please let us know on your application form if you need any adjustments/accommodations during the process.
• Our interviews typically take place over Teams and for most roles are a 1 stage process.

Our ambition is to create workplaces where we recognise and celebrate differences, encourage diverse contributions and our employees feel able to be themselves at work. We strive to create a genuine culture of openness and inclusion and encourage diverse applicants. Any inclusion information you provide will be stored in accordance with GDPR and kept separate from your application form and CV, and the information will not be shared with anyone involved in interviewing or making hiring decisions.

Please note that you must be a British Citizen to apply for a role with us.