Supply Chain & Procurement Director
Automata
Level: 6
Salary band: £95,000 - £110,000
Bonus: 15% performance-based, discretionary
Location: London, UK with flexible hybrid working
At Automata, we're on a mission to transform how scientists work by making automation accessible to every lab in the world. We believe that by giving labs the power to automate, we can unlock discoveries that will shape the future of life sciences—from diagnostics and drug discovery to synthetic biology.
But we’re more than just a company disrupting the industry—we're a team of innovators, problem-solvers, and creators passionate about empowering scientists. Our LINQ platform combines hardware and software to streamline workflows, making lab automation fast, flexible, and affordable. This means our customers can focus on groundbreaking research, while we take care of the rest.
Why Work at Automata?
- Impact: Your work will directly contribute to advancements in science and medicine, supporting labs around the globe as they push boundaries in research and innovation.
- Innovation: You’ll be part of a team solving complex problems (seriously, no one else has figured out how to do this yet), using cutting-edge technology (we have robots).
- Growth: We invest in our people. Whether through hands-on experience, professional development, or collaborative projects, you’ll grow both professionally and personally.
- Community: Join a diverse, passionate team that values collaboration (golf on a Thursday, Soccer once a month, movie nights whenever we fancy it).
We’re ambitious and fast-scaling, building on a strong foundation of growth across the UK, US, and EU Life Science markets. As we continue to expand our global footprint, we are seeking an experienced Director of Supply Chain & Procurement to elevate and optimise our procurement and logistics operations.
This role is ideal for a results-driven individual who is looking for a new challenge, thrives in a scale-up environment and can bring structure, global thinking, and efficiency to support rapid international growth.
The Role
We’re looking for an energetic and forward-thinking Supply Chain & Procurement Director ready to step into a broader leadership role. You’ll take the lead in shaping and scaling our procurement and supply chain operations globally — across the UK, US, and EU — at a pivotal stage in our growth.
This is a unique opportunity for someone looking to move into a more senior, strategic position while remaining hands-on and deeply embedded in operations. You’ll bring credibility, commercial awareness, and a drive to build — not just manage — high-impact processes and partnerships.
While experience in IT procurement is a plus, we’re more focused on your potential, mindset, and appetite to lead from the front.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Procurement Development
Design and roll out scalable procurement and supply chain strategies that evolve with the business across three key regions.
Hardware & IT Procurement
Take ownership of all hardware procurement (components, infrastructure, custom builds), with growing involvement in IT (SaaS, software, cloud) categories.
Supplier Management
Build and maintain strong supplier relationships that deliver value, performance, and innovation at scale.
Financial Collaboration
Work closely with Finance on forecasting, margin tracking, and reporting for both product spend and customer deals.
Customer-Centric Delivery
Collaborate with Customer Success to ensure procurement is aligned with project timelines, deployment goals, and customer satisfaction.
Cross-Regional Operational Consistency
Standardise procurement and logistics practices across the UK, US, and EU to support efficiency and compliance.
Logistics & Compliance
Manage global logistics, trade regulations, and tariff exposure — proactively identifying and mitigating supply chain risks.
Team Building & Development
Lead and grow a small, distributed team — shaping a culture of ownership, continuous improvement, and accountability.
Performance & Insight
Track and report on procurement KPIs, supplier performance, and margin insights for leadership visibility and action.
About You
You’ve held a senior procurement or supply chain role and are now ready for the next big step.
You bring global experience or strong exposure to international supply chain operations (UK/US/EU ideally).
You’re commercially astute and comfortable balancing cost, quality, and operational delivery.
You’ve successfully built or optimised processes, not just maintained them.
You’re a natural relationship builder, able to collaborate across technical, commercial, and executive teams.
You’ve led small teams or projects and are excited to grow into a more strategic people leader.
You bring a proactive, adaptable mindset, and you thrive in high-growth, ever-evolving environments.
Experience in IT procurement or life sciences is a bonus — but not a blocker.
Preferred Experience
Familiarity with ERP systems and procurement automation tools
Exposure to international logistics, customs, and tariff strategy
Experience supporting procurement within tech, hardware, or life sciences sectors
What We Offer
High-impact, high-visibility role with direct influence on company growth
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Supportive, ambitious leadership team
A chance to shape global operations at one of the most exciting growth stages
We are an equal-opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Discrimination of any kind based on race, colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status is strictly prohibited.