Subcontract Manager

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About Us

A career at Hitachi Rail will help create a legacy. With operations in every corner of the world our work goes to the cutting-edge of digital transformation and technology. From the multi-cultural strength of our global organisation to the sustainable and innovative ways we work to bring people together theres something for everyone to get stuck into. And thats where you come in.

Job Description:

Your new role

The Subcontract Manager is responsible for developing managing and strengthening effective collaborative relationships with key strategic suppliers and selected external clients. The role focuses on building trust-based partnerships influencing supplier behaviours negotiating balanced outcomes and driving continuous improvement across performance capability and delivery.

This role places a strong emphasis on interpersonal skills stakeholder engagement and relationship ownership. The role holder acts as the primary interface between the organisation its suppliers and where appropriate external clients ensuring expectations are aligned and issues are managed constructively.

The role requires regular external engagement and the flexibility to travel to supplier premises client locations and operational or project sites on an ad-hoc basis. This is a hybrid working role with 2 days in the office.

Key Responsibilities:

Supplier Relationship Management

Act as the primary relationship owner for allocated key and strategic suppliers.

Build and maintain long-term trust-based relationships that support organisational supplier and client objectives.

Develop and maintain Supplier Relationship Plans where appropriate including engagement cadence joint objectives and improvement initiatives.

Facilitate regular supplier reviews including senior-level and executive engagement where required and ensure monthly or quarterly supplier 360 scoring and feedback is completed to support reporting cycles.

External Client Engagement

Support engagement with external clients to help align suppliers delivery teams and client expectations.

Assist in joint meetings with suppliers and clients as a professional point of contact.

Contribute to client discussions on supplier capability performance risk and improvement plans.

Negotiation Influence & Issue Resolution

Work with Project Procurement Managers to negotiate with suppliers focusing on collaboration value creation and sustainable outcomes rather than purely contractual leverage.

Influence supplier behaviours through effective communication credibility and relationship management.

Proactively manage emerging issues resolving conflict at the lowest possible level and avoiding formal escalation wherever possible.

Performance & Continuous Improvement

Monitor supplier performance using agreed metrics with a strong focus on continuous improvement rather than punitive enforcement.

Collaborate with suppliers and the quality assurance team to determine the root causes of underperformance and agree on corrective or improvement actions.

Encourage innovation efficiency improvements and best-practice sharing across the supplier base.

Internal Stakeholder Management

Act as a key interface between suppliers and internal stakeholders (projects engineering quality operations commercial).

Manage competing priorities and expectations through clear communication influence and stakeholder alignment.

Provide insight to internal teams and leadership on supplier capability risks constraints and behavioural dynamics.

Risk Ethics & Governance

Proactively identify relationship capability and dependency risks within the supplier base and support mitigation planning.

Promote ethical transparent and professional conduct in all supplier and client interactions.

Ensure activity is aligned with organisational policies and governance requirements applying judgment rather than rigid process adherence.

About you

Relevant Skills:

Strong relationship management and stakeholder engagement capability

Excellent communication skills (verbal written and interpersonal)

Proven ability to influence negotiate and manage conflict constructively

High levels of emotional intelligence and cultural awareness

Ability to build credibility and trust with suppliers clients and internal stakeholders

Problem-solving mindset with a collaborative solutions-focused approach

Comfortable operating in complex matrix and sometimes ambiguous environments

Willingness and flexibility to work externally and travel as required

Essential Criteria:

(professional accreditations / qualifications)

Demonstrable experience managing key or strategic supplier relationships

Experience working directly with external suppliers and ideally clients

Track record of resolving complex or sensitive issues through negotiation and influence

Experience in a procurement supply chain operations or project-based environment

Working knowledge of contracts and commercial frameworks

MCIPS qualification preferred

Desirable Experience

Experience supporting supplier development or continuous improvement initiatives

Exposure to rail infrastructure engineering or regulated environments

Experience working with senior stakeholders or supplier leadership teams

Travel Requirement

The role requires ad hoc travel to supplier premises client locations and operational or project sites to support effective relationship management engagement and issue resolution.

Closing date for applications is 8th November 2026.

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Thank you for your interest in Hitachi Rail. If your application is of interest we will be in contact. Please do not hesitate to discover more about us and our latest jobs at Hitachi Rail there is a place for everyone. We welcome and value differences in background age gender sexuality family status disability race nationality ethnicity religion and world view. It is our commitment to create an inclusive environment - we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

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