Partner Network Manager (UK region)

Partner Network Manager (UK region) We’re not just another tech company — we’re building the future of manufacturing. 💼 We're hiring: Partner Network Manager — based in Manchester Fractory is changing the way manufacturing works, and our Manufacturing Partner network is the engine behind it. Right now, no single person owns the health and composition of that network — the work is spread across Sales and engineering, which means nobody is accountable for who gets added, who gets removed, and where we need to grow. Dead-zone partners keep absorbing RFQ volume, and our purchasing power stays diluted. We're looking for someone to take that ownership into one accountable seat. You'll own the relationships with our Manufacturing Partners, decide who belongs in the network and who doesn't, and make sure Fractory always has the right capability and capacity to deliver — while keeping partner data and governance reliable as we scale. 👉 This is a portfolio role with real authority. You decide where the network expands, where it consolidates, and which partners earn more of our volume. If you've sat on either side of a manufacturing relationship and know what separates a partner worth investing in from one that just quotes cheap, this is your role. 👀 What we are looking for… Based in Manchester and happy to work hybrid, with regular travel to partners across the network on a rolling schedule A solid technical grounding in mechanical engineering — degree or equivalent hands-on industry experience — you can read a drawing, understand tolerances and materials, and judge manufacturability Working knowledge of Fractory's core processes (laser cutting, bending, CNC machining, welding, surface treatment and coating, assembly) — enough to judge partner suitability on process fit, not just price Commercial instincts and real negotiation experience — price, lead time, invoicing terms — and the judgement to know when to push, when to switch, and when to invest in a partner Comfort with operational data — you can look at partner performance views and turn them into add, cut, and expand decisions Strong relationship-management instincts — you build trust-based, long-term partnerships while holding partners accountable to our standards, including the hard conversations Structured, self-directed and accountable — clear KPI ownership, not a lot of hand-holding ⭐️ Bonus points if you: Have worked at a contract manufacturer, fabrication shop, job shop, or metal/engineering service provider — you know the partner-side view first-hand Have sat in strategic sourcing, category management, partner development, or supply-base management within mechanical engineering, metal fabrication, or distributed manufacturing Are familiar with quality management systems (ISO 9001, AS9100) and partner quality auditing Can evaluate technical quotes and specs and spot mispriced complexity, unrealistic lead times, or capability mismatches before they become delivery problems Have worked in a scale-up, marketplace, or digital manufacturing platform before 🛠 What you'll do: You'll own the Manufacturing Partner network end to end — its composition, its performance, and its commercial terms. You'll be the escalation point and strategic counterpart to our Regional Sourcing Managers, who run order-level execution in their regions, and you'll work closely with Sales, Project Engineering, and our Manufacturing Partner Engineer to keep the network performing at the level our operations require. Your day-to-day will include: Owning the end-to-end relationship with each partner in your portfolio, with monthly performance-and-feedback reviews wherever cadence allows Visiting partners on a rolling basis to represent Fractory as a customer, run audits, and give direct feedback on performance Acting as the single point of contact for serious partner issues above day-to-day execution Negotiating the best achievable terms on cost, lead time, and invoicing Reviewing network and partner performance data to confirm we hold the right network — in both capability variety and capacity — to execute our critical business functions Deciding when to add, when to remove, and where to expand — combining performance statistics with the qualitative signals raised by Regional Sourcing Managers Onboarding partners that close capability or capacity gaps, and removing partners that fail on quality, communication, or timeliness Consolidating the active partner list so we meet customer expectations on timeliness and quality — and concentrate enough purchasing power to carry real weight Feeding the Manufacturing Partner Engineer with signals to sharpen MP scoring and Lighthouse logic, and supporting innovations such as Order Pooling Owning the accuracy of partner data across Airtable, the Fractory platform and related APIs — plus onboarding documents, credit agreements, NDAs, SLAs and audit records 📊 How we'll measure success: The right network coverage — no critical capability or capacity gaps, with identified gaps closed inside agreed timeframes On-time, error-free delivery (OTEF) across managed partners — target 95%+ Rising partner responsiveness and falling dead-zone RFQ volume across the network Active partners operating under current NDA, SLA and Fractory Quality Standards, with network data accurate in Airtable and the Fractory platform 🎁 What you get: • 💸 Competitive salary • 📈 Equity options • 🏖 25 days’ holiday + bank holidays • 🧘 Juno flexible benefits platform • 💊 MediCash healthcare reimbursement • 💼 Pension scheme (3% from Fractory) • 🎉 Regular team events & socials • 📍 UK office + hybrid working (office days: Monday–Wednesday) • 🚲 Cycle to Work scheme • 🌍 International team and modern tooling 🚀 A genuinely scoped role with clear KPIs and real ownership, in a function that’s being built around you — not a seat in a rigid org 📅 Hiring process (quick & clear): 30-minute deep dive video call with Villem Hion (Head of Partner Network) Technical case exercise Office / partner-visit meet-up with the Partner Network team and Martin (Co-Founder/COO) 30-minute call with our Head of People Final 30-minute call with leadership We aim to keep the process smooth and respectful of your time — expect 2–3 weeks from the first chat to the offer. 📬 Ready to apply? At Fractory, we prioritise respect and honesty, responsibility, and courage. If you enjoy solving real-world problems, getting into the technical details, and making hard commercial decisions that move the business, you'll feel at home here. Department Operations Locations Manchester Remote status Hybrid Employment type Full-time Manchester Perks working in Fractory Just the right time to join us 🚀 The rocket in manufacturing is taking off. We have all the right tools to bring our vision to life - proven model, funds and ambition. Yet we are still in the beginning of our journey, so now is probably the best time to join and help us build a unified platform for manufacturing industry. Stock options 📈 In addition to competitive pay, we offer stock options to ensure that everyone is fairly rewarded for their efforts. Every employee should own part of the company. Sports and healthcare 🏋️ It is very important for us to have healthy employees, therefore we have joined Viveo Health which provides instant access to doctors in case of any issues. Also each team member is able to use 100€ per quarter for health activities via Stebby app. Flexible work 🤘 We have hybrid to remote working arrangements. International team 🙋‍♀️ We have offices in the Nordics and the UK, so you’ll get to meet people from all over the world from different walks of life. Who are the people we are looking for? In the first place, we really look for drive and intelligence. Hence people who learn quickly and care about those around them. Skills and experience only add to these trades. As we grow, people at Fractory have started off with one position, but quickly grew to lead a team of people, thus making an even greater impact on how manufacturing can be more sustainable and efficient. About Fractory Fractory is a software company providing a platform solution to optimize outsourcing in the manufacturing industry. Please find out more by watching a video about how our client found our on-demand metal fabrication platform and how it works!