Head of Procurement & Supply Chain Strategy

JOB TITLE: Head of Procurement & Supply Chain Strategy

LOCATION: Aylesford, Kent

WORKING HOURS: 8am - 4.30pm

Are you a commercially savvy and strategically driven leader ready to make a big impact? We’re looking for someone to take the lead in shaping and advancing our Supply Chain and Customer Service functions.

In this high-profile role, you’ll be responsible for creating and executing a forward-thinking strategy that delivers commercial value, builds resilience, and drives efficiency across our business and the wider Group.

We’re seeking someone with a strong commercial mindset and a hands‑on approach. You’ll play a crucial role in optimising our end‑to‑end supply chain while enhancing every stage of the customer experience.

• Develop and lead a long-term, group-wide procurement strategy aligned to mid‑long-term business goals.
• Work closely with the COO to forecast and anticipate business needs and ensure the supply chain is future‑ready, resilient, and aligned with strategic objectives.
• Work collaboratively across cross‑functional stakeholders within the Operations, Finance, Product, Executive teams to understand business needs and drive procurement excellence.
• Drive supplier innovation, risk mitigation, and sustainability across the supply chain.
• Lead sourcing strategy and supplier evaluation processes, ensuring optimal cost, quality, service, and compliance.
• Manage and challenge suppliers to deliver the required standards and measure their performance against agreed objectives / SLA’s, putting in place corrective actions as necessary.
• Analyse current and future products to identify supply chain options accordingly in advance of product launch so alleviate any delays in product launch and identify any cost savings.
• Build strong and long-lasting supplier relationships through regular interaction and onsite in person visits with key contacts.
• Negotiate high-value, complex contracts and commercial agreements.
• Conduct thorough audits and risk assessments as required for suppliers to ensure regulatory compliance and mitigate any supply chain risk as far as possible.
• Establish and maintain robust procurement governance, policies, and ethical standards.
• Analyse and leverage procurement data and insights to drive cost saving, performance monitoring, and continuous improvement.
• Actively manage NPS scores.
• Any other reasonable adhoc duties as necessary for the proper fulfilment of the role.

• Driving the department to meeting and exceeding set goals.
• Overseeing the direction of day-to-day activities of the team in close collaboration with the team leader.
• Utilising your unique expertise and skills to empower the team, evenly distributing knowledge to aid individual and team confidence, growth and development.
• Motivating the team to achieve business goals.
• Developing and implementing a timeline to achieve targets.
• Working with team leaders to monitor productivity and output.
• Regularly assessing capacity of the team and ensuring resources are in place and planned for forecasted pipeline projects.
• Coordinating and delegating tasks to team leaders and members.
• Identifying areas of training needed for individual team members to maximise their potential.
• Conducting regular one to ones and annual appraisals with direct reports.
• Contributing to the growth and development of the company through a successful, high performing team.
• Creating a vibrant and collaborative working environment that inspires the team.

• FCIPS or MCIPS Level 5 or above.
• Proven experience in a senior, strategic procurement function in a mid-sized or growth business.
• Deep understanding of the full procurement lifecycle: sourcing, contracting, purchasing, supplier management, and risk mitigation.
• Familiarity with procurement technology and reporting tools.
• Ideally a strong background in FMCG or manufacturing.
• Willingness and ability to travel within the UK and internationally on a regular basis.
• Strong negotiation, analytical, and stakeholder management skills.
• Commercial thinker with a track record of instigating and driving cost reduction across purchases.
• Naturally proactive and solutions-oriented;…