Supply Chain Network Lead

Role: Supply Chain Network Lead

Location: Hybrid (Required Travel to Liverpool on Occasion and Supplier Offices across the UK)

Working Hours: 37.5 Hours per week, Monday to Friday 09:00am – 17:30pm

Salary: £65,000 - £70,000 DOE plus up to 15% Annual Performance Bonus

We are seeking a Household Supply Chain Network Manager to join the Household Claims team. Reporting to the Household Claims leadership team, you will be responsible for maintaining strong supplier relationships, embedding best practice and delivering excellent performance across our household claims supply network.

The role will focus on ensuring that suppliers deliver safe, high-quality, timely and cost-effective claims solutions, with customer outcomes at the centre of every decision. You will work closely with suppliers and internal stakeholders to monitor performance, identify improvement opportunities and ensure the network operates effectively in line with The Acorn Group’s claims strategy, regulatory requirements and customer focused principles.

What you will be doing:

• Collaborate closely with household claims suppliers to ensure services are delivered safely, fairly, efficiently and cost-effectively, always prioritising good customer outcomes.
• Manage and oversee supplier performance against agreed service standards, contractual commitments, SLAs and KPIs.
• Develop strong working relationships with suppliers across the household claims network, which may include building repair and restoration providers, loss adjusters, surveyors, drainage specialists, contents suppliers, temporary accommodation providers and other specialist claims partners.
• Create, monitor and interpret performance MI to identify trends, root causes, emerging risks and opportunities to improve supplier delivery, customer outcomes, indemnity spend and claims costs.

Develop, agree and track supplier improvement plans, ensuring actions have clear ownership, realistic timescales and measurable outcomes.

Conduct performance reviews with suppliers, including regular operational and business reviews, ensuring appropriate challenge, documented decisions and follow-through.

Support the management of escalations, complaints, service failures and remediation activity.

Work closely with The Acorn Group teams to include technical specialists, complaint teams, finance, procurement, risk and compliance colleagues to share insight, best practice and ideas for continuous improvement.

Support supplier audit, assurance and control activity, ensuring identified issues are understood, actioned and closed within agreed timescales.

Ensure suppliers operate in accordance with relevant regulation, internal policies, contractual requirements and delegated authority arrangements.

Identify and develop new customer-centric and cost-effective solutions through improved processes, supplier capability, systems, technology or network design.

Visit suppliers and attend relevant industry events where required to maintain market awareness, strengthen relationships and understand operational delivery first-hand.

What we’re looking for:

• Demonstrable experience of working in claims supply chain, supplier management or supplier governance environments.

 

• Strong understanding of the household claims journey and the importance of delivering customer-focused outcomes during what can be a distressing time for customers.

• Experience of working with external suppliers, including building constructive relationships while providing robust challenge and holding partners to account for performance, quality and customer outcomes.

• Experience supporting supplier onboarding, due diligence, contract mobilisation and ongoing performance governance across a multi-supplier claims network.

• Commercial awareness, including an understanding of supplier contracts, rate cards, bordereaux, invoice controls, indemnity spend, leakage and cost management.

• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interrogate, interpret and present data from a range of sources, translating insight into practical actions and measurable performance improvements.

• Ability to use complaints, customer feedback, audit findings and operational MI to identify root causes and drive continuous improvement in supplier performance.

• Good understanding of governance, risk, controls, audit readiness and regulatory expectations within a claims or regulated environment.

• Understanding of supplier risk management, business continuity, surge planning and operational resilience.

• Experience working with claims systems, supplier portals, dashboards or digital workflows to improve visibility, control and performance management.

• Good understanding of Consumer Duty principles and the importance of delivering fair outcomes for customers, including vulnerable customers.

• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to influence operational colleagues, senior leaders and supplier partners.

• A proactive, hands-on and quality-focused approach, with a strong commitment to continuous improvement.

• Strong leadership skills and the confidence to lead discussions, challenge performance constructively and drive delivery.

Desirable experience

• Experience of household claims suppliers, such as building repair networks, loss adjustors, restoration and drying, surveying, drainage, specialist contractors and contents management.
• Knowledge of household perils and claims processes, including escape of water, flood, fire, storm, impact, subsidence and accidental damage.

Experience in supplier governance, audit, delegated authority oversight and risk management.

Experience using claims, operational reporting or data-visualisation systems to monitor supplier performance and identify trends.

Grow with Acorn

At Acorn Insurance, we’re proud of our Liverpool roots — and even prouder of how far we’ve come. As part of the Acorn Group, we bring over 40 years of specialist insurance expertise to the table. From humble beginnings, we’ve grown into a national leader, now employing 1,700+ people across the UK and reached a milestone £750 million in total value of insurance policies written in 2024.

We’re growing fast, with new opportunities emerging every week. That growth is largely due to the values we share:

• 🦏 We run through walls for our customers and each other
• 🐐 We challenge the status quo
• 🐧 We succeed when we help those around us succeed
• 🐆 We decide quickly when the smart thing to do is use our judgement

Benefits:

• 🌴 35 days’ holiday (including bank holidays) with additional buy/sell options
• 🧠 24/7 mental health support & free counselling available
• ☝ Grow with us: Through career fairs, leadership programs, and learning on the go!
• 💸 Flexible benefits, including early access to salary via our internal platform
• 🏡 Hybrid working options to support work-life balance and individual needs
• 🎉 Recognition awards, social events & more

Our Commitment to our colleague’s:

These aren’t just words — they’re the principles we live by. And we’re proud to back them up with real action, earning recognition and accreditation from leading organisations that share our commitment to people and growth:

• 🧠 Mindful Employer – championing mental health and wellbeing
• ♿ Disability Confident Level 1 & 2 – creating accessible, inclusive opportunities
• 🌸 Menopause Friendly accredited – supporting every stage of life
• 🎖️ Armed Forces Covenant signatory – honouring those who serve
• 🏆 Great Places to Work 2024/25 – fostering an engaging and positive workplace culture
• 📈 Best Place to Work for Development – proud to be investing in people’s future
• 👩‍💼 Best Place to Work for Women – breaking down barriers to women's career progression

If you’re looking for a company with a strong culture, real career progression, and a people-first approach — all rooted in the heart of Liverpool — Grow with Acorn.

A Few Things to Know Before You Apply

We’re really excited that you’re considering joining Acorn! To help everything go smoothly, here are a couple of things to keep in mind:

If your application is successful, we will commence relevant employment checks prior to you commencing employment with us. These will include a standard criminal record check and an insolvency register check.

🌍 Visa Requirements
Because our training is quite comprehensive, we can only consider applicants who have at least one year remaining on their Graduate or Post-Study Work visa. At the moment, we’re not able to offer visa sponsorship.

💬 We’re Here to Support You
We’re committed to creating an inclusive, supportive workplace where everyone can flourish. If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process—or once you’re part of the team—just let us know. Whether it’s flexible hours, adapted equipment, or a bit of extra support, we’ll work with you to make sure you can do your best work.

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