Strategic Supply Chain Lead - Defence Campaigns (Europe)

Title:

Strategic Supply Chain Lead - Defence Campaigns (Europe)

KBR manage over $3bn of global spend with supply chains. KBR delivers science, technology and engineering solutions to governments and companies around the world.  We employ over 38,000 people in 29+ countries globally, with around 4,000 employees based across the UK in 18 different locations.

We are deeply committed to the defence and national security of the UK and its allies and proud of our deep and longstanding commitment to the UK MoD, as a strategic supplier.

Our capabilities across all military domains are diverse and growing as the battlefield landscape changes; from infrastructure management and platform development to cybersecurity, system engineering and safety and assurance. We are a global community of innovators, thinkers, creators, explorers, volunteers and dreamers. We bring together the best and brightest people to deliver technology and solutions that help our customers accomplish their most critical missions and objectives. In doing so, we strive to create a better, safer and more sustainable world.

There has recently been a shift in the Supply Chain function within our Defence, Nuclear & Technology Solutions (DNTS) Business and KBR are actively supporting new growth opportunities for our Europe Campaign, with an initial focus on campaigns and opportunities in Poland and Germany.

As a result, KBR is looking for a Supply Chain Lead, to join the team and support our Europe Campaign. 

About the Role

The Supply Chain Lead will provide dedicated supply chain and commercial leadership to support the Europe Campaign, with an initial focus on Poland, Germany and NATO opportunities, supplier intelligence, and bid readiness. The role is intended to strengthen KBR’s market knowledge, build a credible supply partner network, shape supply chain and commercial approaches that improve probability of win, and provide continuity across multiple campaign workstreams over the next 12 to 24 months.

This role may be structured initially as a fixed term appointment, with potential to transition into a longer-term role based on campaign success and future pipeline. The role is expected to operate with flexibility across Europe Campaign priorities and may require travel and engagement across Europe, in particular Poland and Germany, as well as the UK. The postholder should be comfortable working across early capture, bid, and market development activities, with a balance of strategic analysis, stakeholder engagement, and hands-on delivery.

Purpose of the Role

• Lead supply chain market analysis for Europe Campaign opportunities, including mapping of supplier capability, capacity, pricing dynamics, risk, and route-to-market options.

• Develop and maintain an informed view of potential partners, subcontractors, and local suppliers across relevant service lines, particularly logistics, sustainment, and integrated support services.

• Initiate and manage early supplier engagement activity to build relationships, gather intelligence, and improve readiness for future bids and market entry decisions.

• Shape supply chain strategies and commercial approaches for campaigns and bids, ensuring they are tailored to the country, opportunity, and mission segment.

• Provide continuity across campaign workstreams, maintaining stakeholder alignment and ensuring supply chain actions are tracked through to decision points.

• Support the development of a practical supply chain playbook for Europe opportunities, including use of segmentation tools such as Kraljic analysis to identify strategic partners and sourcing priorities.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and maintain Europe Campaign supply chain intelligence, including supplier long lists, market assessments, and opportunity specific partner strategies.

• Lead engagement with prospective suppliers and supply chain partners in target markets, including arranging introductory discussions, capability reviews, and follow-up actions.

• Advise campaign leadership on market entry considerations for Poland, Germany, and other relevant European markets, including local delivery models, partnering options, and risk considerations.

• Work closely with bid, commercial, legal, programme, and operational colleagues to translate market intelligence into competitive and deliverable bid strategies.

• Support the development of Day 1 and longer-term delivery approaches, ensuring supply chain considerations are built into both mobilisation and future state operating models.

• Produce concise briefings, recommendation papers, supplier summaries, and decision support material for senior stakeholders.

• Assess supplier capability, compliance, resilience, and strategic fit, and recommend priority partners for further pursuit activity.

• Contribute to the development of commercial models and go-to-market approaches that improve competitiveness while maintaining delivery confidence.

• Track and manage supply chain actions across 6–9 month workstreams, ensuring progress is visible and aligned to campaign priorities.

• Represent supply chain input in campaign reviews, gate meetings, and internal planning sessions as required.

Your Deliverables

• Develop a Europe Campaign supply chain and partner landscape covering priority markets and opportunity areas.

• Delivery supplier and partner engagement plans for key pursuits, including target lists, status tracking, and recommendations.

• Shape market entry support for Poland and Germany, including options appraisal and local partner intelligence.

• Provide bid ready supply chain inputs, including strategy, supply chain solutions, partner recommendations, and commercial considerations.

• Regular stakeholder updates summarising supply chain insights, risks, opportunities, and recommended actions.

The Candidate We are Hoping to Find

• Strong experience in supply chain, strategic sourcing, procurement, or commercial roles, ideally within defence, government services, logistics, infrastructure, or complex bid environments.

• Proven ability to conduct market analysis, identify and qualify suppliers, and translate insights into practical sourcing or partnering strategies.

• Experience supporting bids, business development campaigns, or market entry activity in new or developing markets.

• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to work across campaign, commercial, legal, operational, and leadership teams.

• Commercially aware, with the ability to assess delivery models, partner propositions, and competitive positioning.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce clear executive-level summaries and recommendations.

• Experience of supplier segmentation, category management, or strategic portfolio tools such as Kraljic analysis would be advantageous.

• Knowledge of European supply markets, particularly Poland and/or Germany, would be beneficial.

• CIPS qualification or equivalent professional experience desirable.

• Degree-level qualification in supply chain, business, engineering, commercial management, or a related field desirable.

#LI-SF1