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General Information

Salary
£42,914 - £46,182
Working Pattern
Full Time
Vacancy Approach
External
Location
Burton-upon-Trent
Region
East Midlands
Closing Date
16-Apr-2026
Post Type
Permanent
Civil Service Grade
SEO
Number of jobs available
1
Reserve List
12 Months
Job ID
16355

Descriptions & requirements

Job description
Job Title    Supply Chain and Performance Manager
Job Grade    SEO
Job Location    National Distribution Centre, Branston, Burton on Trent. 
DE14 3EG 
Contract Type    Permanent 
Business Area    Ministry of Justice Commercial 
Working pattern    Full-time
Number of Posts    1

The National Distribution Centre

The National Distribution Centre (NDC) provides a critical logistics and supply chain service to all public sector prisons including the collection, storage and delivery of a wide range of products.  Products stored and carried include goods from commercial suppliers, raw materials into workshops and a wide range of internally manufactured products.As part of the Ministry of Justice, the site also supports other front line delivered services where required.

The in-house NDC fleet is designed to operate on a specialised demount system which is largely governed by challenges that arise from physical vehicular access restrictions across the prison estate, necessitating a mix of vehicle types and heights. The fleet delivers to the public sector prison estate on a national 5 day working week basis, operating a single shift system, supported by nights out as and when required.

The current logistics and supply chain solution for prisons has been operating in much the same way for many years.  Challenges including prison capacity increases, aging technology, limited space and sustainability pressures are all contributing to an environment where specific focus needs to be given to the future shape and scale of the logistics function, to deliver transformational change linked to the adoption of new technology and the efficiencies that can be delivered.

Commercial

The Logistics and Supply Chain function sits within the Commercial Directorate within the MoJ.  The Ministry of Justice has one of the largest and most complex spending profiles in central government. Each year we spend more than £5 billion with our suppliers and it’s our job to help coordinate the sourcing of what we need. We support the management of our contracts across the department, its agencies and non departmental public bodies.

Commercial is responsible for coordinating procurement and contract management across the MoJ, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies.   Commercial is organised into category teams, each with an interesting portfolio of contracts and diverse customers and suppliers to manage. We also have systems, programme management office, supplier relationship and risk management teams who work across all areas.

Role Summary

The Supply Chain and Performance Manager is responsible for optimising the end to end supply chain by driving operational performance across inventory, logistics, and fulfilment functions. This role ensures that stock availability, warehouse operations, transport efficiency, and supply chain processes consistently meet organisational targets for cost, accuracy, service, and speed.

Working closely with warehouse teams, procurement, logistics partners, and senior leadership, the role uses data-led insights to monitor performance, identify improvement opportunities, and implement solutions that enhance reliability, reduce waste, and strengthen overall supply chain resilience.

Key focus areas include performance reporting, continuous improvement initiatives, KPI development, inventory optimisation, logistics efficiency, risk mitigation, and cross functional collaboration. The Supply Chain Performance Manager plays a critical role in supporting operational excellence, enabling growth, and ensuring a high performing, customer focused supply chain.

Key Responsibilities

The job holder will be required to undertake the following duties and responsibilities:

•    Manage the day to day running of the Logistics Office.
•    Carry out administrative tasks on behalf of the Operations Manager, including the creation and running of ad hoc reports.
•    Ensure permanent and agency staff remain up to date with all paperwork, policies, and job related requirements.
•    Ensure all daily Warehouse Management System (WMS) activities are completed and recorded accurately.
•    Formulate and produce statistical information on operational performance.
•    Respond promptly to issues raised by Logistics staff, Team Leaders, and Managers.
•    Maintain clear and effective communication with Warehouse, Transport, and wider operational teams.
•    Achieve the highest standards of quality, customer service, and operational excellence across all responsibilities.
•    Monitor transactional activity and ensure all paperwork is completed, checked, stored, and forwarded appropriately.
•    Provide daily line management to a team within logistics and administration.
•    Manage Administration functions at the NDC to meet SLA requirements.
•    Deliver a cost effective service to the Prison Service within agreed budgets.
•    Manage Logistics team activities including order processing, receipts, inbound deliveries, stock checks, and discrepancy investigations.
•    Oversee the Admin Support function providing administrative, clerical, HR, and purchasing support.
•    Maintain close liaison with Warehouse Manager, Transport Manager, and their teams to ensure aligned operations.
•    Manage stock checks in line with audit schedules and fully investigate discrepancies.
•    Oversee the Warehouse Management System and associated IT requirements; provide management information systems to support NDC and wider HMPPS logistics operations.
•    Ensure all administrative and operational staff are suitably trained and supported.
•    Support new business implementation in conjunction with the Warehouse Manager, working closely with stakeholders to meet requirements.
•    Attend customer/stakeholder liaison meetings and deliver presentations where required.
•    Provide regular management information on team and operational performance.
•    Undertake warehouse based duties when required, including physical stock checks.
•    Develop, maintain, and report against supply chain KPIs including inventory accuracy, fulfilment rates, logistics efficiency, and service performance.
•    Analyse operational data to identify performance trends, risks, inefficiencies, and areas for improvement.
•    Lead continuous improvement initiatives to drive operational excellence, reduce waste, and enhance service quality.
•    Conduct root cause analysis of stock variances, process failures, delays, and operational incidents, implementing corrective action plans.
•    Improve supply chain visibility through dashboards, reporting tools, and regular performance reviews.
•    Support forecasting, planning, and resource management using performance data.
•    Ensure ongoing compliance with audit standards, SLAs, and contractual obligations.
•    Develop and maintain strong working relationships with Warehouse, Transport, Procurement, and external partners to ensure consistent supply chain performance.
•    Identify supply chain risks and implement mitigation strategies to support resilience.
•    Support digital improvement, systems development, and WMS enhancements to improve accuracy and reporting.

Team Management
•    Complete performance monitoring returns accurately and on time. 
•    Manage all staff within area of responsibility including: 
•    Performance management
•    Development and training
•    Annual appraisal
•    Sickness absence monitoring
•    Disciplinary procedures (where required)
•    Recognition and reward of high performance
•    Foster a positive, motivated, and high performing team culture.

Health, Safety and Welfare
•    Responsible for creating a safe working environment for staff, visitors and contractors by adhering to Health and Safety legislation, ensuring Safe Systems of Work (SSOW) and Risk Assessments (RA) are followed, and by reporting any incidents to the Operations Manager

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The job holder is expected to accept reasonable alternations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary.

Essential Criteria

•    Please note this is a full time, onsite only position (no remote or hybrid options)
•    Experience in logistics, warehousing, supply chain, or operations management. 
•    Strong leadership and people management skills. 
•    Experience managing administrative and operational teams. 
•    Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and produce reports. 
•    Proficient in Warehouse Management Systems, stock control processes, and performance monitoring. 
•    Ability to work collaboratively across multiple departments. 
•    Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills. 
•    Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple priorities.
•    Excellent organisational and prioritisation skills
•    Ability to plan and manage workload and resources, to work under pressure and to tight deadlines
•    Ability to prioritise workload and to share information and resources with others
•    Strong leadership skills with the ability to influence at all levels
•    The ability to quickly build positive relationships with stakeholders, colleagues and suppliers
•    Advanced IT skills
•    Excellent judgement combined with the ability to spot and manage risk, and bring solutions to problems
•    Excellent communication and engagement skills, with the ability to persuade and influence others

Desirable Criteria

•    Familiarity with the use of Warehouse Management Software, and reporting tools
•    Previous warehousing operations experience

Application Stage

An initial sift will be performed against the following elements and will be assessed against the Civil Service success profiles framework:

Experience
•    CV
•    Statement of Suitability (up to 750 words):  this should be based around your experience the key responsibilities and essential criteria

Behaviours

We will assess your application on the following behaviours (250 words).  Please use the STAR method in your examples. 
•    Managing a Quality Service
•    Leadership
•    Making effective decisions

Please note in the event of a large number of applications being received we may run the initial sift against CV, Statement of Suitability and lead behaviour of “Managing a Quality Service”.

If shortlisted, you will be invited to an interview and will be assessed on the selected success profile elements at the interview stage.
 
Interview stage

The interviews will be held at National Distribution Centre, Burton Road, Branston. DE14 3EG.  The site is shared with B&Q distribution, please follow the road signs for MoJ once entering the site and report to the security gate where you will be directed to the reception to sign in.  The interviews will be held on an Industrial Site and all staff and visitors are required to wear Hi-Vis Vests whilst moving around site; these will be provided by security on arrival, please ask for a vest if not offered one.

There is one interview stage for this vacancy which will be held in person and as part of the interview process you will be required to provide evidence on the following, and will be assessed against the Civil Service success profiles framework: 

Behaviours
•    Working together 
•    Changing and Improving
•    Delivering at pace 

Experience
At interview there will be questions around your similar experience of managing a service and leading a team.

Strengths maybe assessed at the interview, and these are not shared in advance. 

To learn more about the Civil Service success profiles framework and how they are assessed please click here.


Please use STAR approach to structure your examples for both the application and interview for behaviours.  Using the STAR method can help you give examples of relevant experience that you have. It allows you to set the scene, show what you did, and how you did it, and explain the overall outcome.

Situation:  Describe the situation you found yourself in. You must describe a specific event or situation. Be sure to give enough detail for the job holder to understand.
•    Where are you?
•    Who was there with you?
•    What had happened?

Task:  The job holder will want to understand what you tried to achieve from the situation you found yourself in.
•    What was the task that you had to complete and why?
•    What did you have to achieve?

Actions:  What did you do? The job holder will be looking for information on what you did, how you did it and why. Keep the focus on you. What specific steps did you take and what was your contribution? Remember to include how you did it, and the behaviours you used. Try to use “I” rather than “we” to explain your actions that lead to the result. Be careful not to take credit for something that you did not do.

Results:  Don’t be shy about taking credit for your behaviour. Quote specific facts and figures. Explain how the outcome benefitted the organisation or your area. Make the outcomes easily understandable.
•    What results did the actions produce?
•    What did you achieve through your actions and did you meet your goals?
•    Was it a successful outcome? If not, what did you learn from the experience?

Keep the situation and task parts brief. Concentrate on the action and the result. If the result was not entirely successful describe what you learned from this and what you would do differently next time. Make sure you focus on your strengths.
Additional Information

Working Arrangements & Further Information

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity.

Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.

For nationally advertised role: all successful candidates will be appointed to the nearest viable office nearest to their home postcode and on its respective pay scale.  This will be at either a HQ building (subject to desk allocation, a Justice Collaboration Centre (JCC) or a Justice Satellite Office (JSO) – See Map. All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity). 

For current MoJ employees, your base location will need to be changed to the nearest viable office (to your home postcode), either at a HQ building, JCC or JSO within the National Office Network and moved its location’s respective pay scale (any legacy arrangements/locations will need to be amended).

Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.

MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain their grade on lateral transfer.

All candidates who are currently in receipt of Mark Time / Pay Protection should ensure they are familiar with the new policy on permanent and temporary promotion which can be found on the employee intranet.

Flexible working hours

The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. MoJ welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the MoJ’s Flexible Working policy.

Benefits

The MoJ offers a range of benefits:

Annual Leave

Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service.

There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.

Pension

The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.

Training

The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.

Networks

The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.

Support

  • A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
  • Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
  • For moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found on www.GOV.UK or Childcare Choices. You can determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
  • Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
  • Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order

As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.

For more information on applying for a role as a candidate with a disability or long-term condition, please watch our animated videos.

You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the TBS Recruitment Enquiries Team.

Diversity & Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

A Great Place to Work for Veterans

The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces.
For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans

Redeployment Interview Scheme

Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ is committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.

MoJ is able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidates will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.

Civil Service Nationality Rules

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

  • UK nationals
  • nationals of the Republic of Ireland
  • nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
  • nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families
  • nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
  • individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
  • Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules

Reserve list

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.
Contact Information

MoJ:

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Please quote the job reference 16355

HMPPS

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Please quote the job reference 16355

Application form stage assessments

Behaviours
A sift based on the lead behaviour, Managing a Quality Service, may be held if a large number of applications are received. If a large number of applications remain after the initial sift, your application will be progressed to a full sift, where all behaviours will then be considered.
Behaviours Application Form Question Word Limit
250
Managing a Quality Service
Leadership
Making Effective Decisions
Experience
We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods
CV or Work History, Experience Questions, Statement of Suitability
Experience Questions Application Form Question Word Limit
500
Statement of Suitability
Guidance for the Statement of Suitability
This should be based around your experience the key responsibilities and essential criteria
Evidence of Experience
CV or Work History, Experience Questions, Statement of Suitability

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates
To Be Confirmed - Expected Mid May
Behaviours
Working Together
Delivering at Pace
Changing and Improving
Experience
Your Experience for this role will be assessed at interview. To learn more about Experience and how they are assessed please click here.
We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods
Experience Questions
Strengths
Strengths will be assessed but these are not shared in advance. To learn more about Strengths and how they are assessed please click here.
Level of security checks required
Baseline Personnal Security Standard (BPSS)

Use of Artificial Intelligence (Al)

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.  Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.