Supply Chain Specialist - Projects

Building the space between proven and possible, MDA Space is a trusted mission partner to the global space industry. A robotics, satellite systems and geointelligence pioneer with a 55-year+ story of world firsts and more than 450 missions, MDA Space is a global leader in communications satellites, Earth and space observation, and space exploration and infrastructure. The global MDA Space team of more than 3,800 space experts has the knowledge and know-how to turn an audacious customer vision into an achievable mission – bringing to bear a one-of-a-kind mix of experience, engineering excellence and wide-eyed wonder that’s been in our DNA since day one. For those who dream big and push boundaries on the ground and in the stars to change the world for the better, we’ll take you there. For more information, visit www.mda.space.

MDA Space’s international footprint in the UK creates opportunities to work with some of the most exciting space industrial players in the country. Delivering all three business area capabilities in Geointelligence, Robotics & Space Operations, and Satellite Systems, our UK team provides support to our European-based customers while specializing in the development of advanced space sensors for exploration missions as well as space-based communication technology. As our presence grows overseas, so does our need for new ambitious team players to help us advance our place in the Universe and beyond.

We're on the hunt for a Supply Chain Specialist / Project Manager

Responsibilities:

The Supply Chain Project Manager is responsible for leading and managing supply chain activities across assigned programmes and projects, ensuring that third-party suppliers and subcontractors are selected, contracted and managed to deliver the required cost, quality, schedule and technical requirements.

The role will provide an integrated supply chain interface between Project Management, Engineering, Quality, Procurement, Commercial, Finance and suppliers. The post holder will ensure that supply chain activities are aligned with the overall project strategy, customer requirements and contractual obligations.

The role will cover the complete supply chain lifecycle, from bid and procurement strategy through supplier selection, contract placement, delivery, performance management and subcontract closure.

Key Responsibilities

Supply Chain Strategy & Project Planning

• Develop and maintain project-specific supply chain and procurement strategies in conjunction with the Project/Bid Manager and relevant functional stakeholders.
• Identify long-lead items, critical suppliers and supply chain dependencies that could affect programme delivery.
• Ensure procurement and subcontract activities are appropriately integrated into the overall project schedule.
• Identify opportunities to reduce cost, risk and lead time while maintaining technical and quality requirements.
• Ensure supply chain risks are identified early and incorporated into the project risk and opportunity management process.

Bid & Business Development Support

• Provide supply chain input during the bid and business development lifecycle.
• Support Bid/No-Bid reviews by identifying supply chain requirements, risks and opportunities.
• Develop supplier strategies to support competitive and deliverable bids.
• Identify and assess potential suppliers, taking account of technical capability, commercial position, quality performance, capacity and previous performance.
• Obtain and evaluate supplier quotations and proposals.
• Ensure supplier proposals remain valid and appropriately aligned with the proposed programme schedule.
• Identify commercial and supply chain assumptions that need to be reflected within the bid.
• Provide supply chain cost, resource and risk inputs into the bid cost model.
• Support the development of teaming arrangements, NDAs, framework agreements and other pre-contractual arrangements where required.

Supplier Selection & Due Diligence

• Lead or coordinate supplier selection activities as part of a cross-functional project team.
• Ensure supplier selection considers technical, commercial, quality, delivery and performance criteria.
• Coordinate supplier due diligence and onboarding activities.
• Ensure appropriate NDAs and contractual arrangements are in place before confidential information is released.
• Evaluate existing supplier performance and capability when considering future opportunities.
• Manage competitive RFP/RFQ processes in accordance with the agreed procurement strategy.
• Ensure appropriate evaluation criteria are established and documented.
• Work closely with Engineering, Quality, Commercial, Legal and Procurement to reach robust supplier selection decisions.

Contract & Subcontract Management

• Coordinate the development of the contractual baseline for assigned suppliers.
• Ensure contractual deliverables, milestones, acceptance criteria and reporting requirements are clearly defined.
• Coordinate the resolution of supplier deviations, assumptions and areas of non-compliance.
• Support contract negotiations with suppliers in conjunction with Commercial and Legal.
• Ensure contractual changes are formally controlled.
• Maintain accurate subcontract records and project documentation.

Supplier Delivery & Performance Management

• Take ownership of the day-to-day project management of key suppliers and subcontractors.
• Establish effective supplier relationships based on clearly defined requirements, outcomes, KPIs and delivery expectations.
• Establish appropriate supplier review cadence, including regular progress meetings and formal reporting.
• Monitor supplier schedules and identify potential delays at the earliest opportunity.
• Challenge supplier schedule slippage and ensure appropriate recovery plans are developed where required.
• Escalate significant supplier risks and performance issues to the appropriate project and functional stakeholders.
• Maintain visibility of supplier critical paths, long-lead items and key programme dependencies.

Project Reporting & Governance

• Establish and maintain effective supplier reporting and governance arrangements.
• Coordinate weekly supplier progress reviews where required.
• Review monthly supplier reports and ensure actions are captured and followed through.
• Provide clear and timely reporting to Project Managers and programme stakeholders.
• Ensure supply chain information is incorporated into overall programme reporting.

Technical, Quality & Programme Interface

• Work closely with Engineering and Technical Leads to ensure suppliers understand and deliver the required technical baseline.
• Coordinate with Product Assurance / Quality to ensure supplier quality requirements are established and monitored.
• Ensure supplier documentation requirements are clearly defined and tracked.
• Ensure supplier deliverables are available to support project milestones and internal activities.

Risk, Compliance & Customer Requirements

• Proactively identify and manage supply chain risks throughout the project lifecycle.
• Ensure customer contractual requirements are appropriately flowed down into supplier arrangements.
• Support management of financial and non-financial supply chain risks.
• Consider export control requirements when sourcing from suppliers outside the UK.
• Support major programme reviews throughout the project lifecycle
• Ensure appropriate consideration is given to controlled or classified programmes.
• Work with Legal and Commercial teams on contractual flow-down requirements, including relevant DEFCON/DEFFORM requirements where applicable.
• Ensure supplier arrangements remain commercially viable while recognising the particular risks and capabilities of SME suppliers.

Delivery & Acceptance

• Coordinate supplier delivery activities against agreed contractual milestones.
• Ensure delivery schedules are aligned with internal project, manufacturing and AIT requirements.
• Track supplier documentation and hardware deliverables.
• Coordinate readiness for delivery and acceptance activities.
• Ensure open actions are closed and required documentation is available before final acceptance.
• Support the project team through final supplier acceptance and completion.
• Ensure subcontract closure is formally recorded once hardware, documentation and contractual actions are complete.

Qualifications, Experience and Competencies:

Essential Experience

• Proven experience in Supply Chain, Procurement, Subcontract Management or Supply Chain Project Management.
• Experience managing suppliers within complex project or programme environments.
• Demonstrable experience managing suppliers against cost, quality, schedule and technical requirements.
• Experience of developing and managing procurement or supply chain strategies.
• Experience of supplier selection, RFP/RFQ processes and commercial evaluation.
• Experience of supplier performance management and resolving delivery issues.
• Strong project management capability, including planning, risk management, action tracking and reporting.
• Experience working across multiple functions and managing conflicting priorities.
• Strong commercial awareness and ability to understand the impact of supplier decisions on project cost, margin, schedule and risk.
• Experience of working with contractual requirements and supplier terms and conditions.

Desirable Experience

• Experience within the aerospace, space, defence, electronics, engineering or high-technology sectors.
• Experience managing development and qualification programmes.
• Experience working with long-lead, technically complex or high-value products/services.
• Knowledge of customer contractual flow-down requirements.
• Experience working with UK Government / MOD requirements, DEFCONs and DEFFORMs.
• Understanding of export control requirements, including ITAR considerations.
• Experience working with SME and specialist technology suppliers.
• Experience of supplier quality and Product Assurance requirements.

Skills & Competencies

Project Management

• Strong planning and organisational skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, suppliers and competing priorities.
• Strong understanding of project schedules, milestones, dependencies and critical paths.
• Ability to identify issues early and drive recovery actions.

Supply Chain & Commercial

• Strong understanding of supply chain management and supplier lifecycle management.
• Commercially astute with the ability to balance cost, risk, quality and delivery.
• Confident negotiating with suppliers and challenging supplier performance.
• Ability to develop practical and commercially viable supply solutions.

Stakeholder Management

• Strong communication and influencing skills.
• Ability to operate effectively with technical, commercial and senior stakeholders.
• Comfortable working across organisational boundaries.
• Able to establish constructive but appropriately challenging supplier relationships.

Problem Solving

• Structured and analytical approach to identifying and resolving supply chain problems.
• Comfortable working with incomplete or changing information.
• Able to assess risk and make evidence-based recommendations.
• Persistent in driving actions through to completion.

Personal Attributes

The successful candidate will be:

• Proactive and delivery focused.
• Commercially aware.
• Structured and organised.
• Comfortable challenging suppliers and internal stakeholders where required.
• Collaborative and relationship focused.
• Resilient when dealing with complex or high-pressure programmes.
• Able to work independently while operating effectively within a wider project team.
• Detail conscious without losing sight of the wider programme objectives.
• Comfortable working in a technically complex and changing environment.
• Successful delivery and acceptance of supplier deliverables.
• Effective closure of subcontract and supplier activities.

We’re a dream team of purpose-driven, collaborative and passionate people, and we are constantly looking for others to join #TeamMDA to ignite new and innovative approaches to problem-solving that push us forward to improve life on and above Earth. If you’re excited to expand our place in space and driven to inspire the next generation, we’ll take you there.

We have entered a new era of exploration and development, and MDA Space welcomes all who yearn to suit up and be part of it. An equal opportunity employer prizing diversity, integrity and collaboration, we are committed to growing MDA Space’s leadership in this next golden age.

Comments/Special Considerations:

We are required to conduct a BPSS (Baseline Personnel Security Standard) screening in which we will check your:

• Right to work: To confirm that you are entitled to take up the position as well as check your nationality and immigration status
• Identity: Full ID check
• Criminal records: Basic Disclosure
• Employment history check: Confirmation of past three years of employment (minimum) history/activity
• Reference checks

Benefits statement:

MDA Space provides competitive compensation and benefits packages for its employees at all locations. As a team member of MDA, you and your qualified dependents are eligible to participate in a benefit plan that ensures a comprehensive level of protection through competitive health care including; private healthcare, disability income protection, life insurance, pension plan; and an employee assistance program. We also have a Hybrid work model in place, for a better work/life balance.

Equal opportunity statement:

MDA Space is an equal opportunity employer prizing diversity and inclusion. We are committed to treating all employees and applicants for employment with respect and dignity. If you require assistance and/or reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please feel free to notify us.

Accommodations

MDA Space is proud to provide accommodation(s) during the recruitment process. Should you require any accommodations, please indicate this on your application/cover letter and we will work with you to meet your accessibility needs.