Colleague Spotlight: Emily Sharman, Group Supply Chain Team Leader

This International Women’s Day, we’re delighted to celebrate the leadership of Emily Sharman and how throughout her career she has given respect, training, mentoring and opportunities to the team of people who work with her.

Tell us a bit about the role you do within the Tibbetts Group?

“I’m a Group Supply Chain Team Leader, responsible for ensuring product availability across our UK and Europe supplier base.

“I manage supplier performance, oversee ordering, ensure we receive stock OTIF, while driving continuous improvement and building strong supplier relationships to be able to deliver a reliable service to our customers.”

Have you worked in this role throughout your career?

“No, my career journey has evolved over time. I started in administration and data-focused roles before moving into a transport coordinator role. From there, I progressed into Senior Transport Coordinator, which was my first experience managing a small team. I then went into a Junior Commercial Manager role, focusing more on pricing, before stepping into my current Supply Chain Team Leader position.

“Each role has given me different skills, from resilience, negotiation, and people management – all of which I use every day in my current position.”

What is your favourite aspect of your role?

“Firstly, I have the most amazing team around me. My favourite aspect of my role is building and strengthening supplier relationships. Creating open, honest relationships allows us to improve performance, solve problems effectively, and deliver real results.

“By investing time, communication, and trust into those relationships, we gain stronger collaboration, greater accountability, and more sustainable long-term performance.”

What are your future goals?

“I’d like to continue growing within supply chain, taking on broader responsibilities, and further developing my leadership skills.

“Personally, my goal is to always become the best version of myself… always learning, evolving, and making a positive impact on all those around me including suppliers, and the business.”

Are there any significant projects which you are currently working on?

“I’m currently focused on improving OTIF performance and strengthening our supplier relationships across UK and Europe.

“This includes reviewing supplier scorecards, analysing root causes for delays, and working collaboratively on improvement plans. As a team, we are always looking to continually refine our processes for efficiency.”

What is something that people tend to under-estimate about the role you do?

“One thing people underestimate about supply chain is how much happens behind the scenes.

“It’s not just placing purchase orders; it’s building strong supplier relationships, balancing priorities, solving problems early, chasing late deliveries, managing short lead times, handling non-conforming shipments, negotiating pricing, and keeping everything aligned so customers get what they need, when they need it.”

What advice would you give your younger self?

“Growth happens outside your comfort zone. Just be yourself, trust your instincts, and embrace every opportunity to learn and grow.”

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

“Outside of work, you’ll usually find me spending time with family and friends, at the gym, or planning my next day out or holiday. I always like having something to look forward to. I’m also planning to get married in 2027, which definitely keeps me busy!”