JOB TITLE: Head of Supply Chain & Customer Journey
LOCATION: Aylesford, Kent
WORKING HOURS: 8am - 4.30pm
A bit about the role..
Are you a commercially savvy and strategically driven leader ready to make a big impact? We're looking for a Head of Supply Chain & Customer Journey to take the lead in shaping and advancing our Supply Chain and Customer Service functions.
In this high-profile role, you'll be responsible for creating and executing a forward-thinking strategy that delivers commercial value, builds resilience, and drives efficiency across our business and the wider Group.
We're seeking someone with a strong commercial mindset and a hands-on approach. You'll play a crucial role in optimising our end-to-end supply chain while enhancing every stage of the customer experience.
Some of your responsbilities
- Develop and lead a long-term, group-wide procurement strategy aligned to mid - long term business goals.
- Work closely with the COO to forecast and anticipate business needs and ensure the supply chain is future-ready, resilient, and aligned with strategic objectives.
- Work collaboratively across cross functional stakeholders within the Operations, Finance, Product and Executive teams to understand business needs and drive procurement excellence.
- Drive supplier innovation, risk mitigation, and sustainability across the supply chain.
- Lead sourcing strategy and supplier evaluation processes, ensuring optimal cost, quality, service, and compliance.
- Manage and challenge suppliers to deliver the required standards and measure their performance against agreed objectives / SLA's, putting in place corrective actions as necessary.
- Analyse current and future products to identify supply chain options accordingly in advance of product launch so alleviate any delays in product launch and identify any cost savings.
- Build strong and long-lasting supplier relationships through regular interaction and onsite in person visits with key contacts.
- Negotiate high-value, complex contracts and commercial agreements.
- Conduct thorough audits and risk assessments as required for suppliers to ensure regulatory compliance and mitigate any supply chain risk as far as possible.
- Establish and maintain robust procurement governance, policies, and ethical standards.
- Analyse and leverage procurement data and insights to drive cost saving, performance monitoring, and continuous improvement.
- Actively manage NPS scores.
- Any other reasonable adhoc duties as necessary for the proper fulfilment of the role.
Leadership:
- Driving the department to meeting and exceeding set goals.
- Overseeing the direction of day-to-day activities of the team in close collaboration with the team leader.
- Utilising your unique expertise and skills to empower the team, evenly distributing knowledge to aid individual and team confidence, growth and development.
- Motivating the team to achieve business goals.
- Developing and implementing a timeline to achieve targets.
- Working with team leaders to monitor productivity and output.
- Regularly assessing capacity of the team and ensuring resources are in place and planned for forecasted pipeline projects.
- Coordinating and delegating tasks to team leaders and members.
- Identifying areas of training needed for individual team members to maximise their potential.
- Conducting regular one to ones and annual appraisals with direct reports.
- Contributing to the growth and development of the company through a successful, high performing team.
- Creating a vibrant and collaborative working environment that inspires the team.
- FCIPS or MCIPS Level 5 or above.
- Proven experience in a senior, strategic procurement function in a mid-sized or growth business.
- Deep understanding of the full procurement lifecycle: sourcing, contracting, purchasing, supplier management, and risk mitigation.
- Familiarity with procurement technology and reporting tools.
- Ideally a strong background in FMCG or manufacturing.
- Willingness and ability to travel within the UK and internationally on a regular basis.
- Strong negotiation, analytical, and stakeholder management skills.
- Commercial thinker with a track record of instigating and driving cost reduction across purchases.
- Naturally proactive and solutions-oriented; always looking for opportunities to improve.
- Strong relationship builder who can influence and collaborate across all levels.
- Strategic thinker with the ability to balance short-term wins with long-term goals.
- Driven by results, hungry to deliver cost savings and operational efficiencies.
- Responsive, able to work in a very fast paced, agile environment.
- Excellent people leadership skills.
- A confident, rational and practical decision maker.
- Able to challenge constructively.
- Flexible and adaptable with the ability to manage operational business change within a fast paced, rapidly expanding company.
- Persistent and determined when it comes to securing better supplier terms and unlocking value.
- Positive, can-do attitude with a passion for driving change and making an impact.
- Self-motivated and organised with excellent attention to detail and can-do attitude.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- You embody our company people values:
- Teamwork - Collaborate effectively with humility, appreciating and integrating individual skills and perspectives to achieve collective goals.
- Committed - Dedicate yourself fully to your role, going above and beyond with self-motivation and loyalty to achieve individual, team, and company goals.
- Ownership - Take full responsibility for your work, performance, and conduct, acting with integrity, staying organised, and learning from feedback and mistakes.
- Positive - Approach tasks with optimism and innovation, viewing challenges as opportunities, and bringing energy and enthusiasm to inspire and motivate others.
- Responsive - React quickly and effectively to needs and feedback, prioritising tasks with urgency, embracing change, and maintaining a proactive approach.
Why work for us
Pineapple is a leader in designing and manufacturing innovative furniture solutions for challenging environments. A family run company started in 1975, Pineapple is now a global business with headquarters in Kent (UK) and offices in France, Germany and the USA.
Pineapple still runs by its original ethos of creating mindfully designed furniture that not only works effortlessly and looks great but also helps foster a calm and supportive environment. Join Pineapple and be part of a team that is dedicated to making a difference through quality, innovation, sustainability and exceptional customer care.
What we offer you
- We were proudly featured in The Sunday Times as one of the Best Places to Work 2024 & 2025
- Competitive pay
- Pension scheme
- A Healthcare Cash Plan – You can claim for medical expenses, dental or optical services, as well as access to 100s of deals and discounts
- 23 days annual leave + UK bank holidays
- An extra day's leave for your birthday
- All new starters, we'll plant a tree in your honour. We currently have trees planted in the UK, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, and Madagascar
- Sustainability-focused – We're committed to reducing our environmental impact through low carbon operations, renewable energy, and recycled materials
- Regular team socials and events, including summer and Christmas parties. As well as football and netball teams, and other ad hoc events
- Monthly pizza Friday
- Enjoy free fruit, snacks, hot drinks, and cold beverages
- Employee referrals bonus scheme
- Access to our Learning & Development platform, offering a wide range of online courses, certifications, and professional development tools to support your career growth and skill enhancement
- Company volunteering day, 2024, we were at Port Lympne Safari Park picking leaves ready to be frozen for the animals through the winter
- High-quality office environment
- Free onsite parking / within walking distance from the train station
We are an equal opportunities employer.We welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons.
Agencies we know where you are if we need any support, thank you for your interest in working with Pineapple.
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