BAE Systems: Maritime Naval Ships - Supply Chain Graduate

What is Supply Chain?

Supply Chain is an integrated system of functions, people, processes, information and resources that adds value to the two-way flow of goods and information between source and user.

Based around a through-life approach, this holistic view covers the product or service delivery from cradle to grave, from initial concept, to contract and management all the way through to final disposal. In order to maximise performance throughout this life cycle, the delivery of supply chain capability must be managed across all functions working through customer interfaces and the wider supply base.

The Supply Chain function plays a key role within the Business because 60% of the end product cost is in materials.

What does the role entail?

A Supply Chain Graduate will sit within the Supply Chain function and during their 2 year graduate scheme could find themselves working in some of the following areas:

Supplier Management

Supplier Management provide the Naval Ships business with process and behavioural capabilities to measure and mature the performance of its optimised supply base, to deliver safe, affordable, compliant & sustainable performance to a Best-In-Class standard in the defence industry by 2015. 

Supplier Development, Supplier Quality Assurance (SQA), Quality Maturity Matrix (QMM)                

The team look at process and system improvements using lean tools and techniques to improve supplier performance.

Major Systems & Equipment                                                                                                            

Major Systems & Equipment has specific responsibility pertaining to major subcontract negotiations and management/maintenance of the subcontracts, commercial interface with suppliers and deployment of benchmark procurement processes and practices.

Governance                                                                                                                                    

Supply Chain Governance ensures adherence to departmental and business related policies and procedures to ensure compliance with standards.

Capability & Resource                                                                                                                            

To operate successfully we have to plan our resources and continually review our capability, ensuring we have the correct skill sets available to meet the demands of production. Furthermore we also have to enforce functional governance to make sure we are conforming to the correct processes and delivering a quality product to our customers.

Business Management                                                                                                                

Business Management within Supply Chain encompasses Cost Account Management, Supply Chain Transformation and the Programme Management of functional plans.

Safety, Health & Environment (SHE)                                                                                                            

The purpose of the Safety, Health & Environment team is to implement the highest standards of Safety behaviours within the function.

Queen Elizabeth Class (QEC) Programme                                                                                               

BAE Systems Maritime – Naval Ships is a member of the Aircraft Carrier Alliance, a unique partnering agreement between BAE Systems, Babcock, Thales and the UK Ministry of Defence, working to deliver the two QE Class aircraft carriers. Our business provides overall leadership and programme management to the QE Class, and has played a central role in the design of the ships.

Type 26 Programme                                                                                                                            

The Global Combat Ship (GCS) will provide any Commander with a versatile platform that can conduct global deployments, spanning a wide spectrum of warfare operations. The UK programme to develop the Type 26 variant of GCS for the Royal Navy is underway. This will replace the capabilities of the UK’s Type 23 frigates, with the first Type 26 set to enter service as early as possible after 2020.

Combat Systems                                                                                                                                 

The Combat Systems team has more than 45 years’ experience in the delivery and support of the combat management systems for every major surface ship and submarine in the Royal Navy. Combat Systems delivers optimum solutions that give their customers the competitive edge. Combat Systems have one of the world's highest concentrations of systems integration skills providing operationally proven systems. With an unmatched presence in every aspect of system solution, they aim to help the naval force operate as a single, synergistic entity.

Indirect Procurement Services                                                                                                           

Indirect Procurement Services (IPS) is part of the Shared Services business group and is responsible for the purchase of Indirect Goods and Services.  Indirect means those goods and services that do not form part of a finished product that is sold on to a customer.  IPS manages around £1bn spend per annum across 60 categories and 40 UK sites. 

IPS is a distributed organisation of about 100 people operating on 15 sites in the UK, and is organised in a way that couples the concepts of "Strategic Sourcing" and "Local Service." The enterprise-wide Category Management Team is organised on a category by category basis and looks to aggregate requirements and expertise across all locations, whilst each internal customer is supported by dedicated resource to deal with the myriad of local capital and revenue requirements, and the smooth integration of any enterprise wide arrangements. The combined team provides a range of procurement services which span:

Demand managementSourcing and Category managementContract managementOrder administrationSupplier management

All roles will have a level of general management and safety responsibility that go with them. Some of the management related tasks involve coordinating the work force (often multiple trades) to ensure processes perform to cost and to schedule (to the deadlines within the plan of work). There is often a significant element of problem solving and liaising with other departments. Additionally we have to be conscious of safety and take appropriate mitigating actions to reduce our exposure to risks. With this in mind a good appreciation and approach to risk and safety management has to be implemented.

What sort of person would be suited to the role?

Supply Chain roles are set in a challenging, fast paced environment. These are ideally suited to people who enjoy using technical knowledge and people skills to solve real world problems and who are tenacious, resourceful whilst maintaining a cool head under pressure. The ability to see tasks through to completion and ensure all details are complete is advantageous. As much of the work involves liaising with other team members and people from other departments the roles suit someone with good interpersonal and relationship management skills.

What sort of skills and qualifications are we looking for?

For roles in Supply Chain a qualification in the following would be preferred; Procurement, Material Management, CIPS or Business Management with a predicted or obtained 2:1 degree. Good interpersonal skills are a must due to the large involvement of liaising with team members and personnel from other departments. An ability to question, can this be done in a better way, is also advantageous.

What career progression may be possible?

The roles people undertake within Supply Chain readily lend themselves to future development and career advancement. The skills in negotiation, influencing, Risk Management, Stakeholder Management, Analytical and interpersonal communication/management form a firm foundation from which career advancement can be built on. Graduates could take up senior positions such as Supply Chain Managers or Specialists in years after their scheme or larger roles out-with the department using the people management skills which they have developed.

What can you expect?

The Graduate Development Framework (GDF) is our main graduate entry route into Supply Chain via a structured training plan, developed between you and your business mentor who will help you to meet all the requirements of professional accreditation and practical experience. The aim is to allow you to gain experience around the Supply Chain function in two years of the GDF through a valuable mix of on-the-job training and external learning designed to build in-depth knowledge and skills tailored to your individual needs.

What you’ll need

Candidates should be able to demonstrate excellent team working, communication and organisation skills, have broad based capabilities, make a positive contribution and be able to work closely with a range of internal and external customers.

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