Supply Chain Leader

We are seeking a highly capable supply chain leader who combines strategic thinking with strong operational execution.

Leadership & People Development

• Lead, inspire and develop the Material Control & Planning team, fostering a high-performance culture that embraces accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Drive effective hybrid working practices, ensuring productivity, engagement and strong team connectivity.
• Promote a “One Team” culture by building strong relationships across the wider Logistics function.
• Oversee recruitment, onboarding, coaching, performance management and succession planning, ensuring individuals are empowered to make informed decisions and achieve their full potential.

Material Planning & Supply Chain Operations

• Lead the planning and control of production materials to ensure uninterrupted manufacturing operations.
• Manage supplier schedules to optimise material availability while minimising inventory and associated costs.
• Ensure parts are available at the Point of Fit (PPoF), supporting build stability and first-time-through manufacturing targets.
• Monitor inventory levels, balancing customer demand, operational requirements and cash flow objectives while minimising obsolete and excess stock.

New Model Launch

• Represent Material Control & Planning within cross-functional New Model Launch activities.
• Collaborate closely with Engineering, Manufacturing and Programme teams to ensure material readiness for new vehicle introductions.
• Provide regular cross-functional reporting on launch readiness, risks and recovery actions.

Supplier Relationship Management

• Build and maintain strong strategic relationships with suppliers across short, medium and long-term planning horizons.
• Act as the senior escalation point for supplier performance, capacity constraints and delivery issues.
• Drive supplier performance improvement through robust KPI management, business reviews and corrective action plans where required.

Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement

• Foster a culture of innovation by challenging existing processes and identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, resilience and service performance.
• Lead improvement initiatives from concept through implementation, ensuring measurable business benefits are delivered.
• Utilise operational metrics and KPIs to monitor performance, identify trends and support informed decision-making.

Issue Resolution & Risk Management

• Lead the resolution of critical supply chain issues including line stops, supplier shortages, freight disruptions, system constraints and scheduling challenges.
• Conduct structured root cause analysis to identify underlying issues and implement sustainable corrective actions that prevent recurrence.
• Support commercial discussions relating to supply risk, contracts and recovery planning where required.

Business Partnership

• Develop strong working relationships with key internal stakeholders including Purchasing, Quality, Manufacturing, Legal, Aftersales and McLaren Special Operations (MSO).
• Ensure Material Control & Planning requirements are represented throughout business planning and operational decision-making.

Strategic Planning & Financial Management

• Develop and implement long-term material planning strategies aligned to future business growth and product plans.
• Ensure the function has the appropriate systems, processes, resources and capability to support future operational requirements.
• Analyse complex operational and financial data to support forecasting, investment decisions and cost optimisation initiatives.

What You'll Bring

• Degree-level qualification or equivalent relevant industry experience.
• Significant experience in Supply Chain, Material Planning or Logistics within a manufacturing environment (automotive experience desirable).
• Proven leadership experience, including leading teams through organisational change and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex, end-to-end global supply chains.
• Strong analytical capability with experience interpreting operational and financial data to drive decision-making.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to influence across all levels of the organisation.
• Strong commercial awareness and negotiation capability.
• High proficiency in ERP systems (SAP preferred) and Microsoft Office applications.

What We'll Do for You

• Structured career development framework
• 25 days’ holiday, plus bank holiday. Annual buy & sell up to five days
• Enhanced company pension scheme
• Discretionary annual bonus award
• Private medical insurance and health cash plan
• Life assurance benefit
• Ability to apply for a sabbatical of up to one year after only two years’ service
• Benefits you can adapt to your lifestyle, such as discounted shopping
• Generous parental leave policies
• A range of wellbeing initiatives, such as employee assistance programme and free financial & mortgage advice