National Supply Chain Auditor

Role: National Supply Chain Auditor

Location: Preston, Lancashire with national travel required including overnight stays

Hours: Monday – Friday, 40 hours per week

Salary: £33,000 - £35,000 per annum dependant on experience, plus car allowance and business expenses

This is an exciting opportunity to take ownership of supplier auditing across our national network of approximately 250 waste management partners.

As our National Supply Chain Auditor, you'll be out in the field getting under the skin of how our suppliers operate — assessing compliance, identifying risk, challenging where standards aren't being met and highlighting opportunities for improvement.

You'll combine site-based auditing with data and insight, giving the business confidence that our supply chain is operating safely, compliantly and in line with our expectations. Your findings will also play an important role in shaping supplier performance discussions and supporting wider commercial decision-making.

This isn't a desk-based tick-box auditing role. You'll build relationships with suppliers across the UK, ask the right questions, investigate what you find and provide clear, practical recommendations that help us continually strengthen our supply chain.

With national travel and overnight stays forming a regular part of the role, it's ideal for someone who enjoys autonomy, variety and being out in the field

Recycling Lives Services is not a typical recycling company. Since 2008, the business has been structurally built around social value, employing people from disadvantaged backgrounds, partnering with the justice system to reduce reoffending, and delivering environmental excellence  social mission is not a layer added on top of commercial activity. It is the reason the business operates in the way it does.

As a certified B Corp (scoring 103.5 against a business median of 50.9), Recycling Lives Services generated £42.9m in social value in 2024, achieved a 61% reduction in CO2 emissions, and diverted 97% of waste from landfill. 15% of our team have been welcomed through our rehabilitation programmes, and only 6% of people we support reoffend — compared to a national average of over 25%.

We operate UK-wide across construction, manufacturing, retail, utilities and public sector markets, offering total waste management, WEEE recycling, and specialist hazardous waste services.

• Ensure suppliers hold appropriate environmental permits, waste carrier licences, and relevant certifications.
• Flag any instances of non-compliance with the EA, HSE, or other regulatory bodies promptly and escalated appropriately.
• Keep up to date with changes in waste management legislation and update audit criteria accordingly.
• Support the business in managing any regulatory enquiries or audits involving our supply chain.

• Provide regular reporting to Supply Chain Quality Manager on audit outcomes, supplier risk profiles, and trends across the supplier base.
• Identify patterns of underperformance or non-compliance that may represent commercial or reputational risk.
• Contribute supplier performance data to inform Supply Chain Quality Managers strategic supplier reviews and commercial negotiations.
• Maintain well-organised records suitable for internal review and external scrutiny.

• Build professional, credible working relationships with supplier contacts at an operational level.
• Communicate audit findings constructively and support suppliers in understanding and meeting compliance requirements.
• Act as a knowledgeable point of contact for day-to-day supplier compliance queries.

• Relevant experience within waste management, recycling, environmental compliance, auditing or a similar operational environment, with a good understanding of regulatory and compliance requirements.
• Naturally inquisitive and detail-focused — someone who isn't afraid to ask questions, challenge what they see and investigate further rather than simply completing a checklist.
• Strong analytical and reporting skills, with the ability to identify trends, assess risk and turn audit findings into clear,…