Head of Supply Chain

Salary - Negotiable, Package includes comprehensive benefits, including annual bonus, private health, travel allowance, retirement / pension scheme

Closing date - 17th September 2026

About us:

NATS is the UK’s leading air navigation service provider, handling over 2.4 million flights each year. We provide air traffic control services from two control centres and at airports around the UK. We also provide a wide range of commercial products and solutions internationally. Our people are at the heart of our purpose to advance aviation and keep the skies safe.

Role Purpose:

The Head of Supply Chain is responsible for building and leading the supply chain function for the NATS Growth organisation. This is a foundational role that will establish the policies, processes, frameworks, and supplier relationships needed to support the organisation’s international growth agenda in a commercially sound and risk-managed way.

The role owns the full supplier lifecycle, from sourcing, vetting, and onboarding through to ongoing management, performance oversight, and exit, and is responsible for ensuring that downstream contracting arrangements, including flow-down terms and back-to-back agreements, are appropriately structured and aligned with upstream customer commitments.

The Head of Supply Chain will think commercially and innovatively to ensure that the supply chain enables growth delivery effectively, while maintaining rigorous management of business risk and cost. The role works closely with the Head of Commercial on downstream contracting, and interfaces with NATS Group Supply Chain to navigate Group governance, leverage Group ISO certification, and access the Group’s broader supplier base under a set of processes and service levels.

This role operates without direct reports and requires a self-starting, supply chain professional who is comfortable building from a blank sheet, navigating ambiguity, and driving outcomes through influence in a matrix environment. It is an opportunity to shape and define the supply chain function for a fast-growing international organisation from the ground up.

Other duties include:

Supplier Lifecycle Management

• Own and manage the end-to-end supplier lifecycle for the NATS Growth organisation, including sourcing, due diligence, vetting, onboarding, ongoing performance management, and exit
• Develop and maintain a robust supplier base capable of supporting the organisation’s growth delivery requirements across multiple geographies and service lines
• Negotiate commercial terms, rates, and pricing with suppliers to achieve cost-effective and competitive arrangements that protect the organisation’s interests
• Monitor and manage supplier performance against agreed contractual obligations, service levels, and quality standards, escalating issues as appropriate
• Drive continuous improvement across the supplier base, identifying opportunities to enhance delivery efficiency, reduce cost, and mitigate supply chain risk

Downstream Contracting and Commercial Alignment

• Work with the Head of Commercial to establish and maintain appropriate downstream contracting arrangements, ensuring flow-down terms and back-to-back agreements are in place where required
• Ensure downstream supplier commitments are appropriately aligned with upstream customer obligations, managing any gaps or misalignments proactively
• Provide commercial input into supplier negotiations, drawing on an understanding of customer contract requirements and organisational risk appetite
• Support the commercial team on bid and proposal activity where supply chain inputs, costs, or subcontractor arrangements are required

Supply Chain Strategy and Innovation

• Develop and implement supply chain strategies that support efficient, scalable, and cost-effective delivery of the organisation’s growth agenda
• Identify innovative approaches to supplier engagement, sourcing, and delivery that enable the organisation to remain competitive and agile in a fast-moving market
• Assess and manage supply chain risk, developing mitigation strategies to protect the organisation from exposure arising from supplier dependencies, capacity constraints, or market conditions

Policies, Governance and Group Interface

• Develop, implement, and maintain supply chain policies, procedures, and systems appropriate to the needs of a growing international organisation
• Navigate NATS Group governance frameworks and approval processes, ensuring supply chain activity is appropriately steered and compliant with Group requirements
• Interface with NATS Group Supply Chain to establish clear processes and service level agreements, enabling the Growth organisation to efficiently and effectively leverage Group ISO certification, preferred supplier arrangements, and shared supply chain resources in a proportionate manner.
• Ensure compliance with applicable regulatory, ethical, and sustainability requirements across the supply chain
• Maintain accurate supplier records, documentation, and audit trails to support governance and compliance obligations

Essential Skills and Experience:

Essential:

• Significant experience in a senior supply chain, procurement, or vendor management role, ideally within a technology, engineering, aerospace, or similarly complex international environment
• Proven track record of managing the full supplier lifecycle, including sourcing, negotiation, onboarding, performance management, and exit
• Strong commercial acumen, with experience negotiating supplier contracts, rates, and terms and structuring downstream contracting arrangements
• Experience developing and implementing supply chain strategies, policies, and governance frameworks, ideally in a scaling or greenfield environment
• Ability to build and operate a supply chain function independently, with a self-starting mindset and comfort working from a blank sheet with limited precedent
• Experience working in a matrix organisation, with a proven ability to drive outcomes through influence rather than direct authority
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to navigate ambiguity, complexity, and competing priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Experience interfacing with Group or parent organisation governance structures and leveraging shared services or preferred supplier frameworks
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with confidence engaging at a senior level across commercial, operational, and finance functions

Desirable:

• Experience in aviation, air traffic management, aerospace, or large-scale government or defence supply chains
• Familiarity with ISO certification frameworks and the role of supply chain in maintaining organisational accreditation
• Knowledge of export controls, trade compliance, or regulatory requirements relevant to international technology supply chains
• Experience managing hardware procurement or technology supply chains in an international context
• Professional certification in supply chain or procurement (e.g. CIPS, APICS/ASCM or equivalent)
• Availability and willingness to travel internationally as required

Additional Vacancy Information:

We are proud to offer a fantastic total reward package to help you thrive both personally and professionally - for more information on what NATS can offer you please visit - Why NATS? - NATS

Please note: All staff at NATS are subject to UK Security Vetting and Clearance (SC) and must maintain valid clearance throughout employment. We are unable to progress applications where an applicant does not meet eligibility requirements for clearance. For further guidance click here Security Clearance - NATS

We have adopted agile working to provide greater flexibility and increased choice over working arrangements, with the opportunity for this role to work in our modern office facilities as well as remotely.

If you share our passion to advance aviation and keep the skies safe – we would like to hear from you whatever your age, sex, race, faith, visible or invisible disability. Individuals that bring different perspectives, skills, life experiences and backgrounds help us be at the forefront of our industry.