Supply Chain Manager

Title: Supply Chain Manager

Location: Office based in Granta Park, Cambridge UK

Salary Range: £37,000 - £45,000 per annum

Functional Area: Operations

Reports to: Head of Supply Chain

Travel required: This role is predominantly based at Granta Park, Cambridge, UK. However, occasional travel may be required for business related trips.

Sphere Fluidics, a leader in single cell analysis and isolation technologies, seeks a passionate and results-oriented Supply Chain Manager to join our growing team.

About Sphere Fluidics:

Our innovative platforms are built on scientific and engineering expertise spanning over a decade. Originally spun out from the University of Cambridge, we specialize in helping researchers find their most critical cells. Leveraging our picodroplet microfluidic technology, we offer high-throughput solutions for single cell isolation and analysis across various applications, including biologics discovery, cell engineering, and synthetic biology. Work small, think big, with us.

Role Overview:

The Supply chain Manager will support the company strategic objective of Deliver Operational Excellence by the running of a well organised and efficient supply chain and procurement function, including line managing of a small team. The role includes organising the complete cycle of materials flow; procuring raw materials, manage inventory and work processes through to the creation of finished goods inventory. Maintaining forecasts and executing procurement activities with suppliers is a key deliverable, as is ensuring our cutting edge instrumentation is professionally shipped and delivered to customers around the world.

Responsibilities:

Leadership:

• Responsible for organising a small team of Technicians and allocating their time across the various tasks within Operations. Put employee development plans in place and actively seek opportunities for junior staff to learn and grow.
• Communicate key progress updates throughout the business, developing relationships to help solve problems efficiently and effectively.
• Set a great example at all times by being an ambassador for H&S, Company Values & Behaviours and Kaizen. Ensure best practice for workplace management is cascaded throughout the organisation.
• Communicate directly with customers and manage freight partners to ensure smooth delivery of our high value scientific instrumentation.
• Day to day responsibility for inventory management, production planning and supply chain risk management, demand management and forecasting, supply chain synchronisation, vendor managed inventory and supply chain management.
• Work with Engineering Department to interface with external suppliers to ensure efficient management of Transfer to Manufacture for new products.

Operations:

• Send forecasts and purchase orders to key vendors for critical production materials, ensuring inventory levels align with sales projections to support uninterrupted production and meet customer demand.
• Identify key drivers of cost and negotiate with suppliers.
• Create and implement contingency plans for major supply chain operations.
• Collaborate with the logistics department to conduct, develop, and implement efficient processes for planning and shipping of instrumentation and consumables to customers.
• Line manage a team of two senior assembly technicians, overseeing work planning, progress tracking, and developing weekly KPIs for regular reporting. Anticipate and surge resource to address priorities as required.
• Document and maintain key documents such as batch records, SOPs and KPIs in line with the company’s ISO9001:2015 accreditation.
• Contribute to the delivery of a best in class ERP system to upgrade the team’s processes.
• To ensure that Sphere Fluidics and our supply chain partners utilise relevant ISO, CE/CB and other relevant standards including Sustainability and Environmental Management.
• Generate professional reports on agreed basis for inventory, forecasting and other key activities.
• Maintain excellent personal and social relationships with other Sphere personnel and Third Parties including (potential) clients and service providers.
• Support other ad hoc tasks as required.

Qualifications and Experience:

• At least 2 years of experience as Supply Chain Manager or Procurement Team Leader, Logistic Manager or Senior Buyer
• Experience in a Life Sciences or Engineering sector
• Proven track record in implementing efficient processes for planning and shipping goods, with an emphasis on handling instrumentation and navigating customs challenges.
• Experience of global shipping of high value instrumentation
• Extensive experience as a key user of ERP systems.
• Experience operating within an ISO9001:2015 environment.
• Minimum A-level or equivalent educational experience.
• Passionate about providing great service and achieving operational excellence.
• Applies a structured and methodical approach to key planning activities.
• Organised, diligent and pays high attention to detail.
• Competent negotiator with ability to understand interests of all parties.
• Aspires to achieve world class standards.
• Proactive, self-sufficient and highly motivated.
• Great communication skills.
• Confidence to raise issues and work towards resolutions collaboratively.
• Team oriented.

The Benefits:

• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
• Employee Share Options (EMI Scheme)
• Company pension scheme with Aviva (employer contributes 8%)
• 4x Life Insurance & Critical Illness Cover
• Private Medical Insurance with Vitality
• Health Cash Plan
• Group Income Protection
• Employee Assistance Program
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Learning & Development opportunities for career growth
• Long Service Bonus – up to 5 extra days holiday
• Recruitment referral scheme (£1,000)
• Flexible working hours to support work-life balance

What’s Next? We will review your application and whilst we would love to get back to every applicant, it is not always possible. If you haven’t heard from us within 4 weeks, please note that your application has not been successful on this occasion.

Sphere Fluidics strives to be an equal opportunities employer. Our policy is to recruit a diverse workforce and follow the guidelines of the Equality Act.