A rare and exceptional opportunity has arisen to join a growing and dynamic electro-mechanical business based on the beautiful Isle of Wight. This company is entering a significant period of growth and is seeking a strategic leader to build, shape, and enable a world-class supply chain function. For the right candidate, this is more than a job—it’s a chance to leave a lasting impact on a thriving organization.
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Job Title: Supply Chain Manager on the Isle of Wight (UK)
Full Time, Permanent
📍 Location: Newport, Isle of Wight, UK 🇬🇧
Company: Confidential Electro-Mechanical Business
Salary: £55,000 – £65,000 per annum
Apply nowPosition Overview: Supply Chain Manager
This is a pivotal, senior-level role for an experienced Supply Chain professional. As the Supply Chain Manager, you will take full ownership and strategic leadership of the entire supply chain operation on the Isle of Wight site. This encompasses Procurement, Stores & Logistics, and Planning, with a specific mandate to establish a dedicated planning department to support future growth. You will be the key driver of efficiency, compliance, and performance, reporting directly on critical metrics like On-Time Delivery (OTD) and shaping the strategy for years to come.
Key Responsibilities
As the Supply Chain leader, you will be entrusted with the following comprehensive duties:
- Strategic Leadership & Development: Create and implement short-, medium-, and long-term supply chain strategies, including risk mitigation plans and capital investment proposals to support business growth.
- Operational Management: Lead and manage the Procurement, Stores & Logistics, and Planning departments. Oversee all aspects of shipping, sub-contract control, and export/import compliance.
- Systems & Performance: Take ownership of ERP supply chain health (MRP essential, SAP preferred). Develop, monitor, and report on KPIs, including trend analysis and performance improvement plans.
- Compliance & Safety: Ensure full legal and regulatory compliance across all supply chain operations. Develop and implement safety guidelines supporting all HSE initiatives.
- Problem Solving & Escalation: Act as the primary escalation point for critical supply chain issues, including delivery delays, supplier challenges, and material shortages.
- Ownership of OTD: Be directly accountable for the site’s On-Time Delivery (OTD) performance.
Candidate Requirements (Mandatory)
| Requirement Category | Specific Qualification |
|---|---|
| Experience | Minimum 5 years of experience as a Supply Chain Manager (or in a very senior equivalent role) within a rapidly growing electro-mechanical or similar complex manufacturing environment. |
| Systems Knowledge | Strong working knowledge of supply chain processes and MRP systems is essential. Experience with SAP is highly preferred. |
| Regulatory Knowledge | Experience with import/export controls is required. Experience within a defence environment is highly desirable due to the nature of the controls. |
| Strategic & Analytical Skills | Strong analytical capability and strategic thinking ability. Proven track record of driving process and performance improvements. |
| Education | A degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business, or a related field is preferred. CIPS or equivalent professional qualification is highly desirable. |
| Soft Skills | Excellent communication, leadership, and project management skills. Ability to influence at all levels of the organization. |
Ideal Candidate Profile
The ideal Supply Chain Manager for this role will be:
- A strategic architect and hands-on leader, equally comfortable with high-level planning and rolling up their sleeves to solve operational issues.
- Analytically driven and systems-savvy, using data from MRP/ERP systems to drive decisions and performance improvements.
- Compliance-focused and meticulous, understanding the critical importance of export/import controls, especially in a defence-related context.
- A change-maker, excited by the challenge of building a new planning function and shaping the supply chain to support significant business growth.
What’s on Offer
- Competitive Salary: A generous salary package of £55,000 – £65,000 per annum, commensurate with experience.
- Strategic Impact: The opportunity to build and shape a critical function from a position of influence during a phase of strong business growth.
- Role Autonomy: Genuine ownership and accountability for the entire supply chain on the Isle of Wight site.
- Lifestyle: The chance to live and work on the beautiful Isle of Wight, offering an exceptional quality of life, with stunning coastline, outdoor activities, and a strong community feel.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What does “electro-mechanical environment” mean?
It refers to a manufacturing or engineering business that produces products combining electrical and mechanical components. Examples include industrial machinery, control systems, aerospace/defence equipment, or medical devices.
2. Why is SAP experience preferred?
SAP is a leading, complex Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system widely used in manufacturing. Experience with it indicates the candidate can handle sophisticated data environments, manage system health, and leverage its full capabilities for supply chain planning and control.
3. What does “establishing a dedicated planning department” involve?
This is a key project. You will be responsible for designing the structure, defining roles, hiring or training the team, and implementing the processes and systems for a new function focused on demand forecasting, production planning, and material requirements planning (MRP).
4. Is this a remote or on-site role?
Given the hands-on nature of managing procurement, stores, and logistics on a specific site, this is almost certainly an on-site role based in Newport, Isle of Wight. Candidates must be willing to relocate or commute to the island.
How to Apply
If you are an experienced Supply Chain Manager with a background in electro-mechanical manufacturing and the strategic vision to build a function for growth, this confidential client encourages you to apply.
Submit your application via the original listing:
👉 Apply for Supply Chain Manager Position