UK

United Kingdom · Procurement · Director/VP (16-20 years)

Director, Supplier Development & Quality

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  • Experience bandDirector/VP (16-20 years)
  • Direct reports3-8 reports
  • Reports toVP, Procurement
  • UK framework levelUsually a director, accountable for a division and its numbers

Also advertised as Head of Supplier Excellence · VP, Supply Chain Quality · Procurement Director (Supplier Focus)

Built on 43,079 real UK job descriptions we analysed · grounded in qualifications employers recognise

Two short quizzes about you

1From this job to a course

The qualifications matched to this job

GQA Level 7 NVQ Diploma in Construction Senior Management GQA Qualifications Limited · Level 7 · covers 1 of 7 standards
Highfield Level 7 NVQ in Construction Senior Management (RQF) Highfield Qualifications · Level 7 · covers 1 of 7 standards
ProQual Awarding Body Level 7 Vocationally-Related Qualification in Construction Management ProQual Awarding Body · Level 7 · covers 1 of 7 standards
SFEDI Awards Level 6 Diploma in Strategic Procurement Management (IoSCM) SFEDI Enterprises Ltd. T/A SFEDI Awards · Level 6 · covers 1 of 7 standards
ETCAL Level 5 Advance Diploma in Project Controls ETC Awards Limited · Level 5 · covers 1 of 7 standards
SFEDI Awards Level 5 Diploma in Procurement Management (IoSCM) SFEDI Enterprises Ltd. T/A SFEDI Awards · Level 5 · covers 1 of 7 standards

Matched from the standards this job is measured against: a suggestion, not an official ruling.

The units you would start with

Implement, monitor and control strategic procurement systems in construction management GQA Level 7 NVQ Diploma in Construction Senior Management
Strategic Quality Management SFEDI Awards Level 6 Diploma in Strategic Procurement Management (IoSCM)
Supply Chain and Procurement ETCAL Level 5 Advance Diploma in Project Controls
Managing Quality SFEDI Awards Level 5 Diploma in Procurement Management (IoSCM)

The future skills this job leans on

AI Fluency working with AI as a thinking partner
Data Fluency turning numbers into a decision
AI Governance Fluency using AI responsibly
Foresight Fluency seeing round the corner
Trust Fluency keeping the digital world safe
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Your Plan Illustration

Built for Director, Supplier Development & Quality

4 units that map to this job, from the qualifications that cover it.

  1. Implement, monitor and control strategic procurement systems in construction management GQA Qualifications Limited · covers 1 of 7 standards Level 7
  2. Strategic Quality Management SFEDI Enterprises Ltd. T/A SFEDI Awards · covers 1 of 7 standards Level 6
  3. Supply Chain and Procurement ETC Awards Limited · covers 1 of 7 standards Level 5
  4. Managing Quality SFEDI Enterprises Ltd. T/A SFEDI Awards · covers 1 of 7 standards Level 5
These are the real units behind this job, in the order they rank for it. Nothing here is marked done, because this plan has not been started by anyone yet. Yours would fill in as you go.

2AI and this work

Will AI change your work as a Director, Supplier Development & Quality?

Nobody can say exactly how. Here is what this job is being asked for next, and where to start.

The new skills this role is being asked for

  • Ethical AI & Data Governance in Supply Chain
  • Geopolitical Risk & Resilience Strategy
Why each one is rising

The future skills this job leans on

We'll only ever tell you what we can actually back up. No hype, no scare tactics.

What happens when you start

Next, a free account. We build your Director, Supplier Development & Quality plan as you set up, starting with a Future Fluency module on using AI in your job. No card.

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3What this role really is

This job means running the Supplier Development and Quality function for a business unit or region. It involves shaping supplier strategy, making sure partners meet high standards and are ready for change ahead. It calls for thinking long term while working closely with teams on the detail.

4What you'd actually use

The tools this job runs on, and how well you'd need to know each one.

SAP S/4HANA (MM Module) / Oracle Fusion Cloud SCM Strategic

Involved in module implementation/upgrade decisions, defines master data governance policies for suppliers, interprets high-level reports for strategic insights. You're not using it daily, but you understand its capabilities and limitations at an architectural level.

Coupa / Jaggaer / Ivalua (Supplier Management Platforms) Architect

Leads platform selection and integration with ERP, designs enterprise-wide supplier segmentation and risk workflows. You're defining how these tools are used across the organisation to manage suppliers, not just using them.

Power BI / Tableau (Data Analysis & Visualisation) Strategic

Defines the key metrics (KPIs) for the entire procurement function. Commissions and interprets dashboards for executive-level reporting. You're consuming and challenging the data, not necessarily building the dashboards yourself, but you know what good looks like.

Asana / Jira / Smartsheet (Project & Portfolio Management) Strategic

Manages the entire portfolio of supplier development projects, allocates budget and resources, and reports on programme ROI to leadership. You're overseeing the execution, not just updating tasks.

EcoVadis / ServiceNow GRC / Achilles (Risk & Compliance) Architect

Sets the enterprise supplier risk appetite, selects and implements GRC platforms, reports on supply chain risk to the board. You're defining the risk framework and the tools we use to manage it.

5What you get to decide, and how that grows

Power in a job isn't your title. It's what you're allowed to decide. Here's how it grows as you move up.

The choiceComing in Where you are nowThe step above
Strategic Supplier Selection/De-selection No involvement, may provide data. Propose potential suppliers based on technical capability, contribute to evaluation. Lead the technical evaluation, recommend strategic partners, negotiate terms.
Supplier Quality Management System (QMS) Design Follow existing QMS procedures. Suggest minor improvements to QMS processes. Design and implement specific QMS modules (e.g., CAPA process, audit checklist).
Budget Allocation (Functional) No budget authority. Request budget for specific project expenses. Manage project budgets up to £5K, recommend larger investments.

6How you'll be judged

The scoreboard, and what is not on it. The hard targets, how often each is actually looked at, and the quiet signals that never reach a dashboard.

Supplier Quality (PPM Reduction)
Overall reduction in parts per million (PPM) defects across your managed supplier base.
Target · Reduce average PPM by 15% year-on-year for critical suppliers.

If our top 20 suppliers averaged 150 PPM last year, we'd expect that to be 127.5 PPM or lower this year. This isn't just a number; it means fewer customer returns and less scrap.

On-Time Delivery (OTD) Improvement
Increase in the percentage of orders delivered on time and in full (OTIF) from strategic suppliers.
Target · Achieve 98% OTD for Tier 1 suppliers within 18 months.

Improving OTD from 92% to 98% for a key component supplier means our production lines run smoothly, and we don't have to pay for expensive air freight to catch up.

Supply Chain Risk Mitigation
Reduction in identified risks (e.g., single-source dependencies, geopolitical exposure, financial instability) across the supply chain.
Target · Reduce revenue-at-risk from single-source suppliers by 20% annually.

If we currently have £5M of revenue tied to a single supplier in a high-risk region, your target would be to bring that down to £4M or less by finding alternative sources or building buffer stock.

Supplier-Driven Cost Savings
Realised cost reductions through collaborative VAVE (Value Analysis/Value Engineering) projects and process optimisation with suppliers.
Target · Deliver £1.5M+ in verified annualised savings through supplier development initiatives.

Leading a VAVE workshop with a supplier that redesigns a component, saving £150 per unit on 10,000 units annually, translates to £1.5M in savings. This isn't about beating them down on price; it's about making the pie bigger for everyone.

Strategic Supplier Engagement
How effectively you build and maintain deep, strategic relationships with our most critical suppliers, moving beyond transactional interactions.
  • Suppliers proactively bring us innovation ideas
  • we're jointly developing new products
  • you're regularly invited to their executive strategy sessions
  • our teams feel like true partners, not just customers. We'd expect to see formal joint development agreements and shared IP.
Team Leadership & Development
Your ability to lead, mentor, and grow a high-performing team of Supplier Development and Quality professionals.
  • High team retention rates
  • clear succession plans for key roles
  • your managers are effectively developing their direct reports
  • your team is seen internally as a centre of excellence, with people wanting to join. We'll look at 360-degree feedback and observed coaching behaviours.
Organisational Influence
Your effectiveness in shaping broader Procurement and Supply Chain strategy, influencing decisions at the VP and C-suite level.
  • Your recommendations are regularly adopted into company policy
  • you're a go-to expert for executive-level problem-solving
  • you successfully champion new programmes or technologies that require significant investment. People genuinely listen when you speak, and you're seen as a thought leader.
Proactive Problem Anticipation
Your ability to foresee potential supply chain issues and implement preventative measures before they become crises.
  • We avoid major disruptions because of your early warnings and mitigation plans
  • you've established robust early warning systems (e.g., predictive risk monitoring)
  • your teams are always a step ahead, not just reacting to fires. This means fewer 'urgent' calls from Operations.

7Would you like it

Both sides. What people enjoy, and what grinds them down.

What people enjoy
Building & Transforming

You'll spend your days designing new supplier programmes, overhauling existing quality systems, and seeing your strategic vision take shape across a large team and supplier base. It's about leaving a lasting mark on the organisation.

Leading the complete redesign of our supplier onboarding and qualification process, seeing it reduce time-to-market for new products by 20%.

Leading & Developing Others

A huge part of your role is coaching and mentoring your managers and their teams. You'll get immense satisfaction from seeing your people grow, take on bigger challenges, and deliver outstanding results. You're building the next generation of leaders.

Mentoring a new manager who, under your guidance, successfully turns around a critical underperforming supplier relationship.

Solving Complex, High-Stakes Problems

You'll be tackling the really big, hairy challenges – the ones that keep the C-suite awake at night. Think major supply chain disruptions, geopolitical risks, or integrating a newly acquired company's supplier base. The problems are tough, but the impact of solving them is huge.

Developing a multi-source strategy for a critical raw material after a major supplier in a high-risk country goes offline, preventing a £10M revenue loss.

What frustrates people
  • The constant tension between short-term cost-cutting and long-term supplier development goals.
  • Getting buy-in from other departments for initiatives that require their resources but don't directly benefit their immediate KPIs.
  • Inheriting legacy supplier relationships and contracts that offer little leverage for improvement.
  • The sheer amount of time it takes to see significant, systemic change in a large, complex supply chain.
  • Dealing with global events (e.g., pandemics, wars, natural disasters) that completely derail your carefully laid plans.
What this role does not give you
  • A quiet, predictable work environment with minimal surprises.
  • The ability to make decisions in a vacuum without needing cross-functional alignment.
  • A role where you only focus on one or two specific projects; you're managing a portfolio of initiatives.
  • A job where you don't have to deal with difficult conversations or manage underperforming teams/suppliers.

8Who you work with

You'll directly influence our operational efficiency, product quality, and overall market competitiveness. Your work ensures we have reliable, high-performing suppliers who can meet our growth ambitions. Frankly, you're a critical defence against supply chain disruption and a key driver of innovation through our external partners. You'll also be a significant voice in our broader Procurement strategy.

Inside the business
  • VP, Operations
  • VP, Engineering
  • VP, Product Management
  • CFO and Finance Leadership
  • Head of Legal and Compliance
Outside the business
  • Strategic Supplier C-Suite and Senior Leadership
  • Industry Bodies and Regulators
  • Key Technology Partners

9What you need before you start

Not a wish list. The things you would be expected to already have.

  • Extensive experience (10+ years) leading complex supplier development or quality programmes in a relevant industry (e.g., manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, high-tech).
  • Proven track record of managing and developing high-performing teams, including other managers.
  • Demonstrable experience in defining and implementing enterprise-level supply chain strategies and quality management systems.
  • Strong financial acumen, including managing significant budgets (£2M+) and understanding P&L implications.
  • Experience presenting to and influencing C-suite executives and, ideally, Board members.
  • A deep understanding of Lean, Six Sigma, APQP, and TCO principles, with practical application at a strategic level.

10What to practise next

Where the job is going, and what to do about it starting this week.

Advanced Supply Chain Analytics & Digital Twins

We're moving beyond basic dashboards to predictive and prescriptive analytics. Digital twins of our supply chain will allow for real-time simulation and optimisation, giving us unprecedented visibility and control. You'll need to champion and interpret these technologies.

Predictive modelling for demand and supply · Network optimisation algorithms · Real-time visibility platforms · Simulation and 'what-if' analysis with digital twins

  • This quarter: Research leading supply chain analytics platforms and digital twin providers.
  • Next 6 months: Sponsor a pilot project for a digital twin of a critical part of our supply chain.
  • Next 12 months: Work with IT to define the data infrastructure needed to support advanced analytics.
  • Ongoing: Attend industry conferences focused on supply chain digitalisation.

Quick win: Challenge your current data team on what predictive insights they can offer beyond historical reporting. Push for more 'what if' scenarios.

Blockchain & Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT) in Supply Chain

Blockchain offers immutable records, enhanced transparency, and improved traceability, which is game-changing for areas like ethical sourcing, product authenticity, and dispute resolution. You'll need to understand its strategic implications.

Immutability and transparency of DLT · Smart contracts for automated compliance · Traceability and provenance tracking · Consortium blockchains vs. public blockchains

  • This quarter: Read a foundational book or take an online course on blockchain for supply chain.
  • Next 6 months: Identify one use case in our supply chain where blockchain could significantly improve traceability (e.g., high-value components, ethical sourcing).
  • Next 12 months: Engage with a blockchain solution provider to explore a proof-of-concept.
  • Ongoing: Monitor industry pilots and success stories in blockchain adoption.

Quick win: Start a conversation with your legal and compliance teams about the potential benefits and challenges of using smart contracts with suppliers.

11Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up
  • Regularly attend industry conferences and executive summits on supply chain, procurement, and manufacturing trends.
  • Participate in executive leadership programmes focused on strategy, negotiation, and global business.
  • Actively mentor junior and mid-level professionals within Procurement, sharing your knowledge and experience.
  • Publish articles or speak at industry events, positioning yourself as a thought leader in supplier development and quality.

12The rising capability

The rising capability

Zavmo analysis

What's rising in its place

This is where the work is heading, and the higher pay with it. Get fluent here and the shift stops being a threat and starts being your edge.

Ethical AI & Data Governance in Supply Chain

AI is becoming central to risk monitoring, supplier selection, and performance prediction. As we use more AI, ensuring it's ethical, unbiased, and compliant with data privacy laws becomes paramount. You'll be accountable for how AI is used across your function.

  • AI bias detection and mitigation
  • Explainable AI (XAI)
  • Data lineage and provenance
  • AI regulatory compliance (e.g., EU AI Act)

Geopolitical Risk & Resilience Strategy

Global supply chains are more fragile and exposed to geopolitical shocks than ever before. As a Director, you'll be expected to build a supply chain that can withstand wars, trade disputes, and natural disasters, not just react to them.

  • Scenario planning for geopolitical events
  • Supply chain mapping beyond Tier 1
  • Regionalisation and nearshoring strategies
  • Economic nationalism and trade policy impacts

13What you’ll use

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

  • Lean / Six Sigma (Strategic Application)
  • Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Modelling & Strategy
  • Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) & PPAP Governance
  • Supplier Auditing (QMS & Process Audits) - Oversight
  • Strategic Sourcing & Category Management (Integration)
  • Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) Frameworks

14The pathway

The pathway

How you actually get there, here

How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.

  1. 1

    VP, Global Procurement (Category or Regional)

    3-5 years as a Director

    Skills to master

    • Enterprise-wide category strategy, P&L ownership for multiple categories/regions, global team leadership, M&A integration.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully transformed a major business unit's supply chain performance.
    • Consistently delivered significant, measurable impact on quality, cost, and risk.
    • Developed a strong external network and reputation as an industry expert.
    • Proven ability to influence and lead at the C-suite level.
  2. 2

    Director, Global Supply Chain Operations

    3-5 years as a Director

    Skills to master

    • End-to-end supply chain planning, logistics, manufacturing operations, demand forecasting, inventory management.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Deep understanding of operational challenges beyond just supplier management.
    • Demonstrated ability to optimise complex, integrated supply chain processes.
    • Strong track record of collaboration with manufacturing and logistics teams.
    • Experience leading large, diverse operational teams.
  3. 3

    Head of Quality (Enterprise-wide)

    4-6 years as a Director

    Skills to master

    • Total Quality Management (TQM), customer quality, product reliability engineering, regulatory compliance across the entire product lifecycle.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Exceptional track record in driving quality improvements at scale.
    • Deep expertise in various quality management systems and standards.
    • Strong ability to influence product development and engineering teams.
    • Experience managing quality across internal operations and external suppliers.

15Where this role leads

The long view: This work can lead to senior leadership roles across procurement, sustainability, and global operations.

The ten Future Fluencies

Zavmo analysis

The credential is what you can do today. These are what keep you valuable.

A qualification proves you can do the job as it's defined today. These ten are what decide whether you're still the obvious person for it in five years. They're the capabilities employers are now writing into senior roles faster than people are learning them. Zavmo weaves them through whatever you study, so you come out with both: the credential and the fluency.

The highlighted ones are the Fluencies your role leans on hardest, from how Director, Supplier Development & Quality is actually changing.

Where it leads

Roles this leads to

The record names a next step, but the catalogue has no page for it yet:

  • VP, Procurement
  • Chief Operations Officer (COO) / Chief Supply Chain Officer (CSCO)

How you would learn this

One to one, on the work you already do

A tutor sets the task against your own job and marks the reasoning, at your pace. There is no cohort to fall behind.

A lesson from Implement, monitor and control strategic procurement systems in construction management, worked against Director, Supplier Development & Quality.

Implement, monitor and control strategic procurement systems in construction management Level 7

Applied to your work in Director, Supplier Development & Quality

The objective of this unit is to enable learners to implement, monitor, and control strategic procurement systems in construction management, ensuring value for money and compliance with organisational policies. Learners will be able to agree and implement systems with suppliers and service providers, establishing clear performance expectations and monitoring mechanisms, while also understanding the principles of effective supplier relationship management and contract administration.

How the thinking builds
  1. 1 Remember
  2. 2 Understand
  3. 3 Apply
  4. 4 Analyse
  5. 5 Evaluate
  6. 6 Create
An illustration of a Zavmo lesson, built from this role’s own route. The unit, its objective and every criterion above are the awarding body’s own words, not an example.

It is £70 a month, billed monthly. Your free first module is Future Fluency, and you can cancel any time.

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See Your Progress Grow Illustration
Director, Supplier Development & Quality
  • Lean / Six Sigma (Strategic Application)
  • Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Modelling & Strategy
  • Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) & PPAP Governance
  • Supplier Auditing (QMS & Process Audits) - Oversight
  • Strategic Sourcing & Category Management (Integration)
  • Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) Frameworks
This is your Mind Palace on learn.zavmo.ai. Every skill above comes from this role's own record, not an example borrowed from another job. A node lights up when you evidence it, and what you build stays yours between jobs. That is the part a course cannot do.

16The detail, folded away

Everything else the record holds

The career branches in full, how AI is already showing up in the day-to-day, and the questions people ask about this job. Here when you want them, out of the way while you decide.

Where it leads next, rung by rung

Where it leads

The career path, and where it branches

Director, Supplier Development & Quality is a start, not a ceiling. Each step below asks for new skills and hands back more autonomy.

  1. VP, Procurement

    3-5 years

    From L6 to L7 (C-Suite equivalent)

    • Defining global category strategies across all spend areas
    • Leading large, multi-functional procurement organisations (100+ people)
    • Driving innovation through strategic partnerships and emerging technologies
    • Managing multi-billion-pound spend portfolios

  2. Chief Operations Officer (COO) / Chief Supply Chain Officer (CSCO)

    5-8 years

    From L6 to L7 (C-Suite)

    • Leading all aspects of manufacturing, logistics, and customer service
    • Driving end-to-end supply chain digital transformation
    • Managing large-scale capital expenditure projects
    • Developing and executing global operational strategies
Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

Let's be real, as a Director, your time is precious. You shouldn't be bogged down in manual data crunching or drafting routine reports. AI isn't here to replace you; it's here to amplify your strategic capabilities, giving you back hours to focus on what truly matters: shaping our supply chain's future.

Imagine having a co-pilot that handles the grunt work, sifts through mountains of data, and even flags critical risks before they escalate. That's the power AI brings to a Director of Supplier Development & Quality. It's about getting faster, smarter insights, and freeing up your leadership capacity.

Automated Executive Reporting

AI pulls performance data from all systems (ERP, QMS, SRM platforms) to auto-generate your monthly and quarterly executive reports. It'll highlight key trends, anomalies, and even draft initial commentary, leaving you to focus on strategic interpretation and decision-making for your board presentations. No more late nights wrestling with Excel and PowerPoint.

Proactive Risk Intelligence

An AI engine continuously scans global news, geopolitical reports, financial filings, and even social media for your key suppliers. It provides real-time alerts on potential disruptions (e.g., factory fires, labour disputes, financial distress) with a predicted impact, allowing you to proactively develop mitigation strategies and brief the C-suite before anyone else even knows there's a problem.

Strategic Opportunity Identification

AI analyses our entire spend cube, supplier performance data, and market trends to identify hidden opportunities for VAVE projects, new technology adoption, or strategic supplier consolidation. It'll present you with data-backed recommendations, helping you prioritise where your team's development efforts will yield the biggest returns. Think of it as a super-powered consultant, always on call.

Policy & Process Optimisation

Use AI to review your existing supplier development policies and QMS procedures. It can identify inconsistencies, suggest areas for simplification, and even draft updated versions based on best practices. This ensures your governance frameworks are always 'best-in-class' (sorry, couldn't resist) and easy for your teams to follow, without you spending weeks on legal reviews.

Common questions

Common questions

How do you become a Director, Supplier Development & Quality?

Common routes in include VP, Global Procurement (Category or Regional) (3-5 years as a Director), Director, Global Supply Chain Operations (3-5 years as a Director) and Head of Quality (Enterprise-wide) (4-6 years as a Director). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Director, Supplier Development & Quality progress to?

This role can lead on to VP, Procurement (3-5 years) and Chief Operations Officer (COO) / Chief Supply Chain Officer (CSCO) (5-8 years), depending on the skills you build.

What new skills matter most for a Director, Supplier Development & Quality?

Increasingly, Ethical AI & Data Governance in Supply Chain and Geopolitical Risk & Resilience Strategy. These are the skills our record of this role lists as growing.

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17Where to go from here

Other roles at Level 7

Same depth of qualification, different job. Useful if the work appeals but this particular role does not.

 More jobs in procurement

Stay in the field you know and move sideways rather than up.
If you leave this industry

The skills built in this role, strategic leadership, complex problem solving, supply chain management and team development, carry across industries. They can lead to senior roles in other manufacturing sectors such as consumer goods, pharmaceuticals or aerospace, or into consulting work focused on operational change.

This role profile is © 2026 Growth Engineering Technologies Ltd. Built from UK occupational standards and regulated qualification data, and written for Zavmo.

You're not behind. You're right on time. The shift is only just beginning. Your role won't look the same in two years. Be the one who leads the change, not the one it happens to. Start my plan, free What happens next: a free account, then we build your plan as you set up. No card. Build your plan, see your roadmap and meet the twelve tutors matched to you. All free. When you're ready to start learning, it's £70 a month, billed monthly. Cancel any time and billing stops.