Procurement & Supplier Development Lead

Procurement & Supplier Development Lead Location: Stockport Salary: £50-60k Employment Type: Permanent

Our client is an established engineering and manufacturing organisation. With significant programme growth underway and multiple products entering high-volume production, they are seeking an experienced Procurement & Supplier Development Lead to strengthen supply chain capability during a critical expansion phase. This is a high-impact role focused on ensuring supplier readiness, capacity and performance across a complex manufacturing supply base.

Role Responsibilities

• Assess supplier capability, capacity, and manufacturing readiness.

• Conduct supplier evaluations, audits, and risk assessments.

• Identify bottlenecks, constraints, and risks within the supply chain.

• Develop and implement supplier improvement and capability-building plans.

• Support industrialisation and production ramp-up activities.

• Coordinate Run-at-Rate activities and validate supplier readiness.

• Recommend investment, tooling, and process enhancements to suppliers.

• Support strategic sourcing decisions and make-or-buy analysis.

• Drive continuous improvement across cost, quality, and delivery metrics.

• Collaborate closely with procurement, engineering, manufacturing and quality teams.

Candidate Profile

• Background in procurement, supplier development, supplier quality or supply chain.

• Experience working in a manufacturing environment, ideally with complex engineered products.

• Strong understanding of industrialisation, production readiness, and capacity planning.

• Knowledge of APQP, Lean principles, and continuous improvement methodologies.

• Strong analytical skills with the ability to evaluate supplier capability and risks.

• Confident influencing suppliers and working on-site to resolve issues.

• Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.

• Degree-level education in engineering, supply chain, business, or a related field.

What’s on Offer

• Competitive salary package.

• Enhanced pension contribution.

• Early Friday finish.

• Life assurance and enhanced sick pay.

• Additional holiday and long-service benefits.

• Wellbeing initiatives and modern on-site facilities.

• Free on-site parking.

Please apply below for immediate consideration.

Robert Walters Operations Limited is an employment business and employment agency and welcomes applications from all candidates