Supplier Relationship Manager

Job Introduction

As a Supplier Relationship Manager, you'll be managing relationships with suppliers through implementation of the SRM strategy across the UK & Ireland region, ensuring the maximum benefits in terms of efficiency, cost savings and ease of operation are derived, and risk is mitigated or eliminated to protect the organisation and our clients.

You will build strategic relationships with the suppliers and encourage joint business plans to drive mutual benefit and strengthen relationships. Design and implement adequate strategies to achieve the high performance of suppliers, engaging with stakeholders both within Service Operations and the business segments ensuring continuous improvement, continuity and risk mitigation.

Role Responsibility

Leadership and Management

• Ensure strong professional leadership of the SRM Co-ordinators, ensuring they are clear about their role, have a complete customer focus, and understand how they contribute to the strategic direction of Sodexo
• Take responsibility for the professional development of staff, ensuring that EPA’s are undertaken on a regular basis, and personal development plans are achieved

Alignment & Strategy

• Implement the SRM strategy, ensuring it meets the operational and commercial needs of the organisation
• To proactively seek and build continuous and meaningful engagement with the business and suppliers to shape services and improve value delivered from the supply chain
• Support the preparation of meetings with the supplier at various management levels including Top to Top meetings involving platform directors / other key contacts.
• Develop and implement joint business plans with strategic and collaborative suppliers which ensure that ‘customer focus’ is paramount

Governance

• Conduct supplier review meetings with suppliers to review performance to Sodexo SLA/KPI’s
• Continually seek communication of organizational updates from the supply chain and share relevant Sodexo updates with them in the spirit of two-way communication.
• Support the creation of a monthly supplier newsletter and encourage feedback on the value of the newsletter and answer queries they may raise.

Contract Management

• Support Category Management during Category Review through provision of accurate and meaningful data & feedback regarding the supplier’s performance to enable the creation of a Category Plan
• Support the creation of service/goods specifications / SLA / KPI's which are tailored to individual category requirements for inclusion within supplier agreement.
• Drive growth incentives within contract to generate PI/savings

Performance Management

• Develop and implement joint two-way score cards to capture performance and improvement.
• Review & Manage KPI Performance of supplier
• Create & mobilise robust corrective action plans for poor performing suppliers to ensure immediate improvement to meet Sodexo SLA’s.

Continuous Improvement

• Design and implement supply chain initiatives which optimise the products/services provided by the supplier to improve quality and reduce the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
• Track and report specific savings achieved to commercial accounts / finance.
• Develop logistics initiative which reduce average delivery frequency, increasing Average Order Value’s and drive both commercial and environmental benefits.
• Work with internal and external stakeholders regarding innovation including Generation, cleansing, selecting, trialling, and deploying ideas of innovation (new product, equipment, service)
• Support the implementation of Responsible Sourcing priorities including Ecovadis, Net Zero & tackling Modern Slavery

Supply Chain Management

• Effectively plan for potential impacts on the supply chain including site openings, major events, major changes
• Manage stock position with supplier including forecasting, underwriting, monitoring, risk mitigating to ensure the business maintains access to the goods they require as much as practicably possible.
• Management of upstream sourcing issues within category including raw material shortages, service capacity issues as appropriate.
• Support Business Partners to effectively bid and mobilise new business across all segments within the region.

The Ideal Candidate

• Strong experience in supply management (> 3 years)
• Proven track record in complex relationship management
• Be able to build and maintain strong relationships at all levels of the business.
• Be organised, methodical and self-motivated whilst having an ability to work independently or as part of a team.
• To be able to demonstrate a flexible ability to predetermine workload demand and prioritisation skills, to be able to identify the urgent business need for support.
• Ability in working in a matrix environment
• Financial acumen and result orientated with ability to present results in a structured and professional manner
• Excellent external networking capabilities and presentation skills 

Package Description

Competitive Salary, annual bonus and excellent benefits package.

We also offer Sodexo Discounts site promoting discounted mobile phone tariffs, savings across restaurant chains and days out, where you and your family can save money on everything from your weekly food shop to the latest cinema blockbuster and much more

About the Company

In the UK and Ireland, Sodexo employs around 30,000 people, and partners with clients in many sectors across business and industry; schools and universities; sports and leisure; energy and resources; government and agencies; healthcare; justice and defence.

Sodexo’s connected; people-centric approach brings together a diverse range of expertise. The breadth of services it offers ranges from food and hospitality; cleaning; reception; concierge (Circles); security; property management and technical services through to data driven workplace strategy and design (Wx); employee engagement and recognition services (Sodexo Engage) and personal home services through Prestige Nursing + Care and the Good Care Group.  

Vital Spaces is Sodexo’s value proposition that puts people at the heart of everything we do, bringing together services and solutions and focusing on the productivity and wellbeing of people wherever they are.

Sodexo is committed to being an inclusive employer; we welcome and encourage applications from people with a diverse variety of experiences, backgrounds and identities.

We’re a Disability Confident Leader employer. We’re committed to changing attitudes towards disability, and making sure disabled people have the chance to fulfil their aspirations. 

We are building on our support to the Armed Forces community through the development of specific pathways within our recruitment process to  support ex-forces personnel and reservists, those applying for jobs with us who meet the ideal candidate criteria for the role advertised are guaranteed to progress to the selection process