A leading Defence organisation are looking for an experienced Supply Chain Manager to join their team in Bolton. Role: Supply Chain Manager Duration: 6-month contract Pay: Up to £50 p/hr (Inside IR35 via Umbrella) Location: Bolton Working Pattern: Hybrid 2 days You'll play a key role across multiple programmes, driving supplier capability, performance improvement, and risk reduction in a fast‑evolving high‑technology environment. Key Responsibilities: Managing a portfolio of suppliers, ensuring performance is aligned to programme needs Leading supplier assessments covering planning, control, relationship management, and manufacturing excellence Driving improvements in supplier delivery and quality Carrying out process flow validation, lead‑time analysis, bottleneck identification, capacity and resource reviews Conducting root‑cause analysis using DMAIC and delivering clear, actionable improvement plans Identifying, escalating and mitigating supply chain risks, and driving them to closure Producing high‑quality executive summaries and communicating effectively at all business levels Supporting international supply chain activities where required This is a great opportunity to influence strategic supplier relationships, support new and mature technologies, and contribute to critical defence and manufacturing programmes. Key Skills & Experience: Background in Defence, Aerospace, or similar environments Proven ability to influence suppliers and stakeholders Experience managing supplier risk and delivering performance improvement Skilled in problem‑solving and structured improvement frameworks (e.g., DMAIC) Experience working internationally SC21 Practitioner experience If you're an experienced Supply Chain Manager, local to Bolton and looking for a new contract opportunity in the Defence sector, apply now