Supplier Development Manager

We’re looking for a Supplier Development Manager to focus on the sustainable development of our key strategic suppliers.

We’re tails.com, a dog food subscription company with a big difference. We create truly tailored food for each and every dog we serve. We start by asking people a few simple questions about their dog. Then we use that information to create their dog’s unique tails.com recipe – so their dog gets exactly the nutrition they need, in the taste they love, delivered to their door every month. It’s clever stuff.

We’ve got ambitious plans. Having created an entirely new category in pet food, we’re now scaling fast in the UK and Europe – backed by Purina, one of the world's largest pet food companies. You’ll join a bunch of smart people working towards the same goals – and a bunch of smart-ish dogs, all working on their own thing.

Together, we’ll change the world of pet food for good.

That’s what supply and procurement at tails.com is all about. People first – because it takes good people to build the kind of long-term, trusted partnerships with suppliers that we do, and it takes great people to create and deliver an exceptional product.

Process, because we can only do what we do by being able to see how the whole system – physical product, digital product, and personal service – fits together. Then we make these complex processes as simple and streamlined as possible. So our team are pattern-spotters, insight-hunters, and change-makers; people ready to be flexible, adaptable, and help us improve in everything we do.

And planning, because we’re here to see as much of the future as we can - to make sure we have enough food for the dogs we serve. We’ve been data-driven from day one, finding new and better ways to draw the insights that help us plan for next week, next year, or five years from now.

Sound like a team you want to join? Here’s how you’ll make a difference:

The Supplier Development Manager delivers a purposeful, resilient and economically effective supply base fit to meet our high growth needs over the next few years. They manage the tails.com strategy for our critical supply partners, in both direct and indirect categories. They are responsible for shaping and developing our key suppliers. They optimise supplier performance, through agreed mutual initiatives. They ensure these partners can sustainably grow with us, by identifying our future business needs and managing the risk of our increasingly complex and critical supply base.

They achieve these aims through category forums, working closely with procurement managers and internal stakeholders, to build a robust and competitive supply network in the UK & Europe.

They will bring senior level procurement experience, having set a strategy and delivered it through a team.

The things you’ll do

• Lead process for supplier re-segmentation

• Lead process of supplier development and transformation

• Negotiate high risk and high dependency terms

• Optimise multi territory and multi category supply agreements

• Agree and deliver mutual sustainability and profitability initiatives with key suppliers

• Single point of contact for key strategic supplier relationship management

The skills you’ll bring

• Strong strategic, commercial and critical thinker

• Experienced practitioner of strategic procurement

• Previous experience of working with contract manufacturing

• Experience working on diverse procurement categories

• Ideally CIPS level 5 Advanced Diploma

• Proficient in senior stakeholder management, influencing and building high trust relationships

• Excellent communication and presentation skills in English - written and verbal

• A supportive and collaborative leadership style with experience in developing high performing teams

• A track record in cross-functional team working, with internal and external stakeholders

• Experience in delivering change through rapid growth environments

• Confident and experienced negotiator of complex strategic spend portfolios

• We’ll review your CV and application

• You will then have a 30 minute phone interview with our Talent Acquisition Manager

• You’ll be interviewed by the Head of Procurement for a 1 hour video call.

• If you are successful, the next stage will be a challenge and Q&A with a panel of interviewers.

• The final stage is a 45 minute interview with our Chief Finance Officer.

• Competitive salary, reviewed annually.

• Annual bonus, based on company performance.

• Flexible core hours, giving you true work life balance.

• Hybrid role to ensure this role works for you.

• 25 days of holiday (excluding bank holidays) which increases over time to a max of 27 days.

• 9/10 day working week - meaning every other Friday off to enhance your wellbeing without a reduction in pay and leave allowance.

• Optional 5 days unpaid leave and 1 paid volunteer day each year.

• When you need a change of scenery, you can work from abroad 2 weeks every 6 months.

• Health insurance for you, paid by tails.com (starting mid 2023) & discounted gym membership.

• Extended maternity, shared parental and adoption pay. Up to 6 months at 70% pay, linked to statutory parental pay.

• Flexible paid care leave to support immediate dependants, people close to you and pets.

• An external financial coach to support a range of topics - debt management, savings and investments.

• Vet service - to support with all pet related questions.

• In house L&D team, with access to year round courses to help drive your development.

• 50% discount on all tails.com and 40% on Republic of Cats products.