Materials Manager

About us

At Exchange for Change, we are building something the UK has never had before. Working across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, we are designing and delivering a Deposit Return Scheme from the ground up, creating a system that helps reduce litter and waste by encouraging people to return their empty drinks bottles and cans for recycling.

We are industry led and driven by purpose. A national movement with a clear mission. No bottle unreturned. No can left behind.

This is not just another job. This is a rare opportunity to do meaningful work, shape a landmark national programme, and help deliver lasting positive impact for people, businesses and the planet alike.

Reporting to the Head of Commercial, this newly created Materials Manager position offers a unique opportunity to shape, establish and manage the organisation’s commercial function, ensuring that all commercial activities align with the organisation’s mission, values, and regulatory obligations.

The Materials Manager is responsible for the sale of material produced throughout the DRS, commercial management, hedging. Operating at the intersection of procurement, supply chain, and commercial functions, the role focuses strategically owning the material sale process, managing price risk through hedging strategies, and maximising value through effective market engagement and commercial decision-making with potential buyers.

Drawing on strong commercial acumen, the Materials Manager monitors market trends, commodity pricing, foreign exchange exposure, and supply-demand dynamics to inform purchasing, hedging, and sales strategies. The role works closely with procurement, suppliers, traders, finance, operations, and sales teams to ensure material requirements are met while delivering cost competitiveness, margin enhancement, and risk mitigation.

Key accountabilities include developing sourcing strategies, managing supplier relationships and contracts, executing hedging activities in line with company risk policies, identifying opportunities for material trading or resale, and providing market intelligence to support business planning. The position plays a critical role in balancing supply security, commercial performance, and financial risk management to support the organisation's overall profitability and growth objectives.

• Manage commodity price and foreign exchange risk through approved hedging mechanisms.
• Optimise material purchasing, inventory, and sales decisions based on market conditions.
• Negotiate commercial agreements, contracts, and supply arrangements.
• Monitor commodity markets and provide actionable market intelligence.
• Identify trading and resale opportunities to maximise value and margin
• Collaborate with finance on risk management, forecasting, and hedge effectiveness.
• Build and maintain strategic supplier and customer relationships.
• Ensure compliance with procurement policies, financial controls, and regulatory requirements.
• Deliver cost savings, working capital improvements, and commercial performance targets.

• Proven track record of establishing and developing commercial strategies within new or evolving organisations.
• Strong strategic commercial background with experience building commercial frameworks, processes, and governance from the ground up.
• Ability to align commercial practices with organisational objectives and industry best practice.
• Experience operating in dynamic, fast-paced environments, ideally within start-ups or newly established organisations.
• Adaptable, resilient, and proactive, with the ability to navigate ambiguity and introduce structure and efficiency as processes mature.
• CIPS Level 5 or 6 (or MCIPS) – desirable but not essential.
• Degree in Business, Procurement/Supply Chain, Finance, Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Experience developing multi-year sales strategies.
• Strong key account management experience.
• Ownership of the end-to-end sourcing lifecycle.
• Proven contract negotiation skills, including complex, multi-year agreements.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including pivot tables and financial modelling.
• Experience drafting and negotiating contracts,…