The company

Protocol is a leading UK supplier of contract furniture and is part of a larger privately-owned group of companies who have offices and distribution facilities across the UK and in Europe.  We are based in Hutton, Brentwood and over 30 years we have developed a large selection of quality products for all design schemes and venues including hotels, restaurants, stadiums, offices, cafes, bars, universities and golf clubs.

Our values

We value openness and integrity in everything we do and like to build relationships with customers and suppliers who trust us and can be trusted by us. Our values are:

Stand Proud
Respect Others
Share Positivity
Embrace Teamwork
Show Integrity

The role

We are recruiting for an exciting role to manage and develop our supplier relationships and products across the UK and Europe. As well as managing existing relationships and product ranges, you will also source new furniture products and suppliers so that we can meet the future needs of our customers.   The role is a ‘hands on’ role and you will also be responsible for, and actively involved in, adding and maintaining the furniture product data in our PIM and curating our product portfolio for our website.

This is an exciting time for Protocol and is a great opportunity to make a difference in our growing business. Whether you are a seasoned Supplier or Product Manager or looking for the next step up in your career; if you are motivated, design focused and passionate about delivering results through professional and friendly relationships this could be the job for you. 

Description  

• Deliver cohesive supplier management to include building new supplier relationships and maintaining existing relationships with our product suppliers, including monitoring and addressing performance, and conducting dispute resolution 
• Negotiate with our supplies to ensure we are managing costs whilst also focusing on excellent quality, to providing the best outcomes for us and our customers
• Adding product data and images to our PIM which feeds the Protocol ERP system and website
• Ensure all price lists, brochures, discounts and terms are up to date and communicated to and understood by the business
• Improve key performance metrics in supplier contracts and mitigate contractual risks ensuring supplier contracts are comprehensive, robust and commercially focused
• Carry out on-going reviews of supplier contracts to maximise contract benefit, optimise contract costs and to move our supply chain towards helping us deliver our Corporate Social Responsibility objectives
• Resolve all supplier concerns or issues for both current and future projects and contracts across our business including coordinating investigation and remediation activities with the Purchasing team
• Management of the booking and cataloguing of furniture product samples
• Working with the Marketing Department to develop external and internal product marketing communications

What will help you succeed

• Experience of working within a supplier relationship management role 
• Experience of product marketing and data input and management of a PIM
• Experience of negotiating contracts
• Experience of working in commercial interiors industry with architects and designers
• Experience of importing goods into the UK from mainland Europe
• Ability to think and act strategically, commercially and operationally in order to add value
• Most of all, energy and enthusiasm to work as part of a growing team

We know that sometimes people don’t apply for a role if they think they can’t tick every box. But we realise the ‘perfect candidate’ may not exist. If you're excited about working for us and can do most of what we are looking for, go ahead and apply. You could be exactly what we need!

This is a hybrid role with your time balanced between working from home and our office in Brentwood with occasional travel to our suppliers.

What you'll get in return

• Competitive Salary
• Pension
• 25 days holiday + bank holiday

How to apply

Please apply by sending your CV to Jo Gibson at jgibson@protocoluk.com. No agencies.

Other information

We recruit and develop employees who are the best suited to the requirements of the role, regardless of gender, ethnic origin, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. If there are any adjustments we can make to the application or selection process so you can do your best, let us know. We will be happy to help.

We review CV’s as we receive them, and interview as soon as we have applications that are a good fit, we don’t use closing dates. We advertised this role on 26 April 2023.

26/04/2023