BOC Limited, a Linde company Associate Director – Supply Chain & Logistics United Kingdom | req25092 What You Will Enjoy Doing Reporting to the Senior Director, Operations & Services, this is an exciting and pivotal role to shape the strategic vision and provide functional expertise across Supply Chain, Logistics, Transport, and Planning value streams for the UK & Ireland business. It combines governance, cross-business alignment, and forward-thinking strategy to ensure the UK & Ireland supply chain network operates seamlessly, effectively and efficiently, with continual commitment to safety, compliance, and sustainability. You will head up a small, central team of experienced and trusted subject matter experts tasked with driving performance, embedding best practices, and providing oversight of supply chain and logistics activities across the region. Acting as the central authority for supply chain alignment, you will ensure that all business units operate cohesively and collaboratively as part of a unified, efficient, and resilient supply chain network. You will also play a key role in ensuring that supply chain operations are consistently safe, compliant, and aligned with Linde’s group standards while optimizing resources and delivering efficiencies. Leveraging deep expertise in supply chain management, you and your team will develop and share medium-term strategic initiatives to strengthen our supply chain and logistics network. By identifying and integrating best practices—both within Linde and the wider industry—you will foster a culture of continuous improvement. Furthermore, your team will provide critical business services for the business units where objective management or specialised expertise is required. This will include areas such as fleet strategy and lifecycle management, compliance (including transport technical authorities and customs import/export processes), capital expenditure and lease oversight, and third-party contractor relationships. Strategic Development Shape the supply chain and logistics strategy for Region UK & Ireland, working closely with Business Unit (BU) leaders, global and regional experts, and key stakeholders. Develop medium-term strategies that go beyond day-to-day planning cycles, addressing people, processes, systems, and infrastructure across planning, transport, and logistics value streams. Anticipate market trends and position the business to meet future needs. Holistic Supply Chain Management Serve as the central authority for supply chain management, ensuring alignment and cohesion across BUs Act as an unbiased and honest arbitrator to resolve conflicts, bridge gaps, and ensure that outcomes in one part of the organization support the efficiency and effectiveness of the broader supply chain. Provide oversight and governance to ensure that the supply chain operates as a unified, end-to-end network. Maintain a "big picture" view of the entire supply chain and logistics network, addressing interdependencies, systemic risks, and opportunities to enhance overall resilience. Performance Monitoring And Benchmarking Oversee the development of KPIs, dashboards, and regular reporting to measure performance across the supply chain, ensuring consistency, transparency, and accountability. Drive meaningful insights by benchmarking against internal and external standards, identifying areas for optimisation, development and improvement. Support Business Units in addressing performance, embedding a culture of data-driven decision-making. Continuous Improvement And Productivity Initiatives Identify and implement productivity initiatives in partnership with business units and global & regional experts. Evaluate tools, technologies and processes for potential adoption, supporting teams in building business cases. Act as a champion for change, coordinating cross-functional initiatives that deliver sustainable benefits. Regulatory And Legal Compliance Ensure that all supply chain and transport activities support the organisations needs to meet legal, regulatory, and internal compliance standards. Provide direction and accountability in areas such as transport technical authority, operator licencing with associated administration, maintenance oversight, and customs import/export compliance. Fleet Management Develop and implement a long-term fleet management strategy, including vehicle lifecycle planning, and maintenance requirements. Oversee timely fleet renewal and investment planning to meet business needs efficiently and sustainably, culminating with the preparation of the annual RUI Deliver GDE fleet capex submission. Serve as the signatory for fleet-related capex & leases Third-Party Contractor Relationships Manage relationships with external transport and logistics providers, ensuring seamless integration of third-party services into operations. Work in collaboration with procurement teams to deliver value through vendor partnerships, including reviews of strategic “make-or-buy” (in-source vs outsourcing) appraisal and conclusions. Monitor contractor compliance with SHEQ (Safety, Health, Environment, Quality) and service standards. Team Development Build, nurture and develop a high-performing central team of supply chain and logistics experts, fostering a collaborative and innovative working environment. Act as a trusted advisor to Business Units, equipping them with knowledge, tools, and support to strengthen their operational performance. What Makes You Great Interpersonal skills Ability to build a strategy and vision that translates into actionable plans. Visible change leader with proven ability to challenge the status quo and deliver business improvement preferably in an operational environment Strong communication & influencing skills at all levels with cross functional and matrix organisations Work with integrity, role modelling the behaviours aligned to being an inclusive workplace Functional & Technical Skills Broad knowledge of logistics, supply chain & transport processes and best practices Knowledge of planning & scheduling systems beneficial Knowledge of supply chain contractual and import/ export processes beneficial Why you will love working with us We are the largest provider of industrial, medical and special gases in the UK and Ireland. From cutting harmful emissions, to providing life-saving oxygen and keeping food fresh, our gases play an essential role in everyday life. Our values – Safety, Integrity, Accountability, Inclusion and Community are at the heart of everything we do. They help us create an environment that puts safety first, where people do things the right way, new ideas are welcomed and everyone can be themselves. At BOC, we take pride in our people and work hard to provide an enriching, enjoyable place to work. We have a clear vision: to be the place where a diverse mix of talented people want to come, stay and excel. We are always raising the bar, and because we are part of Linde, a global company, our people have limitless opportunities to grow and make a difference, all over the world. What we offer you! At Linde, inclusion is core to what we do. As part of our commitment to fostering an inclusive environment, we offer enhanced maternity pay, along with a range of leave options to support life’s important moments, such as fertility treatment, adoption and shared parental. Our dedicated menopause policy, champions and employee resource groups, empower you to feel fully supported both professionally and personally. We’re passionate about helping our employees grow through excellent career progression opportunities. From tailored training programs to ongoing learning and professional development, you’ll have access to the resources you need to thrive! Here’s a Snapshot Of The Benefits We Offer Bonus scheme tied to both individual and company performance Generous pension with up to 10.7% employer contributions Holiday allowance of 25 days plus bank holidays, with the option to purchase up to 30 additional days Healthcare trust offering comprehensive coverage including neurodiversity assessments for you and your dependents Employee assistance programme for your well-being Exclusive access to our discount shopping portal Have we inspired you? Lets talk about it We are an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels welcome, valued and empowered to bring their whole selves to work every day. We are more than happy to work with you to provide reasonable adjustments to enable you to present your best self. Not sure if you fulfil the full criteria for this role? Regardless, we'd still like to hear from you! We look forward to receiving your application via our online careers site, hearing your story and getting to know you better! Your contact person BOC Limited, a Linde company Jon Black Any designations used of course apply to persons of all genders. The form of speech used here is for simplicity only. BOC Limited, a Linde company acts responsibly towards its shareholders, business partners, employees, society and the environment in every one of its business areas, regions and locations across the globe. The company is committed to technologies and products that unite the goals of customer value and sustainable development.