We have one simple promise – to make a positive impact. Through our ground-breaking research, teaching excellence and commitment to sustainable living, we are changing lives for the better.

The University of Derby is a modern university with a modern outlook. Everything we do is driven by delivering excellence and opportunities for our students, our staff and our region.

We have some of the best university facilities in the UK and achieve outstanding results for our teaching and research and have been awarded Gold in the prestigious Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023 – making it one of the top universities in the country recognised for its outstanding student experience and student outcomes. 

Financially strong and seriously ambitious we offer our employees an inclusive culture that centres itself around staff wellbeing, where you can be confident you will receive all the help and encouragement you need to build a rewarding career with lots of opportunities to enhance your skills.

About the College/Department

Based at our state of the art, £75 million Cavendish Building in the heart of Derby, at Derby International Business School, we are not just educating future business leaders – we’re shaping innovators, disruptors, and pioneers ready to thrive in a rapidly evolving world. 

Our diverse portfolio of undergraduate and postgraduate courses spans dynamic disciplines including accounting, business management, international business, economics and finance, marketing, event management, and tourism management. Each programme is expertly crafted to equip you with the cutting-edge skills, real-world experience, and strategic mindset you need to excel in today’s global marketplace. 

We pride ourselves on our commitment to academic excellence and industry relevance. Our curriculum is designed in partnership with leading organisations such as PwC, Rolls-Royce, and local enterprise hubs, ensuring our graduates meet the demands of a competitive business environment. With strong ties to local and national businesses, our students gain access to invaluable opportunities for placements, networking, and hands-on projects that bridge the gap between theory and practice. 

Our programmes are accredited by top professional bodies, including CIMA, ACCA, CIM, and CIPD, setting the gold standard for quality and credibility in business education. 

About Ocean King 

Ocean King is a family-run business, founded in 1997 and grown from modest beginnings into one of the UK's leading wholesalers of authentic Chinese and Far East Asian food. We supply fresh and frozen seafood, meats, noodles, sauces and specialist ingredients to restaurants, caterers and wholesalers across the country.

We've built our reputation on quality, authenticity and genuine personal service. Where larger national players compete on volume and price, we sit in the space between - big enough to deliver nationally, but small enough to care. As we enter our next stage of growth, we're investing in our systems, our data and above all our people, and this role sits right at the heart of that journey.

Our mission is simple: Creating Opportunities, Enriching Lives. It's guided by five core values that shape how we work every day:

• Us Before Me - we work as a team and put the collective first
• Do It Right - we hold ourselves to a high standard and do things properly
• Be Your Best - we keep growing, learning and raising the bar
• Own It - we take responsibility and see things through
• People Focus - our people, and our relationships, are at the heart of the business

About the Role

University of Derby’s Derby International Business School in partnership with Ocean King are offering an exciting career-development opportunity to manage and deliver a challenging strategic Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) project. Based at Ocean King’s premises in Derby, you will be employed by the University as a KTP Associate but work under the terms and conditions of the company.

We are seeking a Digital Transformation Lead – Supply Chain (KTP Associate) to deliver a high-impact, 24-months project. This is an exciting opportunity to lead a major digital transformation programme, applying cutting-edge technologies such as ERP systems, AI and advanced analytics to modernise supply chain, warehouse and logistics operations.

Working at the heart of the business, you will take ownership of the full project lifecycle from diagnosing current operations through to designing, implementing and embedding innovative solutions that improve efficiency, sustainability and commercial.

This is an exciting opportunity to manage and deliver a challenging strategically important project working with academic mentors and key support from the company to transfer academic expertise into a real-world business environment. This role offers direct engagement with senior decision-makers, and the opportunity to lead a strategic digital transformation at scale within a real-world operational environment.

Using your knowledge and skills to support the business and achieve specific project aims, you will receive on-going support by a Supervisor at Ocean King, an Academic Supervisor and Academic Lead from the University of Derby to help you deliver. A personal training and development budget will also be available for you to access, as well as receiving access to the same training opportunities and facilities as University staff. 

This is an exciting career-development opportunity to deliver a high-impact project, working with academic experts and industry professionals, and gaining hands-on experience.

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships

This full-time post is part-funded by the UK Government’s KTP programme. A KTP is a three-way project between a graduate, an organisation and a university. KTP is one of the UK’s largest graduate recruitment programmes and has been placing graduates on challenging, high profile projects for 50 years. In addition to a competitive salary and core KTP development training, you will have a dedicated budget of £4,000 further training and career development. To find out more about the scheme visit: ktp-uk.org/graduates 

Please note by completing an application form for this role, you are giving your consent for us to share your personal data with the KTP partner.

About You

We are looking for a highly motivated and analytical individual who is ready to take ownership of a complex transformation project. This role would suit someone who enjoys working at the intersection of data, operations and technology, and is keen to apply their academic knowledge in a real-world, commercial environment.

You will have a Master’s degree in a relevant subject such as supply chain management, operations, logistics, business analytics or a closely related discipline. Alongside this, you will bring practical experience or demonstrable understanding of supply chain or warehouse operations, and a clear interest in how digital tools can be used to drive performance improvements.

Just as importantly, you will be an effective communicator who can build strong working relationships across a wide range of stakeholders. The role involves collaborating with senior managers, operational teams, academic experts and external partners, so you will need the confidence and interpersonal skills to engage people at all levels, explain complex ideas clearly, and bring others with you on the journey of change.

We are particularly interested in candidates who are proactive, solutions-focused and commercially aware. You should be comfortable taking initiative, working independently and making decisions, while also recognising when to seek input and collaborate. An interest in emerging technologies such as AI, data analytics or ERP systems, as well as an awareness of sustainability and ESG considerations in supply chains, would be highly beneficial.

This role is particularly suitable for someone who is excited by the opportunity to make a tangible impact within an organisation and applying innovative thinking to improve operations, enhance sustainability and help shape the future direction of a growing business.

Benefits

Whilst you will be employed by University of Derby, your terms and conditions will be that of Ocean King Ltd.

Key Contact

For further information and informal enquiries regarding the role, please contact Dr Pouria Liravi, Senior Lecturer in Operations and Supply Chain Management via p.liravi@derby.ac.uk

For enquiries regarding your application and for sponsorship eligibility, please contact the recruitment team via recruitment@derby.ac.uk

Important Information

The University is unable to sponsor the employment of international workers under the Skilled Worker route for this role; however, applications are welcome from candidates who are able to demonstrate an alternative right to work in the UK.

Please visit our website for more information.

The University of Derby is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all our staff, students and children. At the University of Derby, safeguarding is everybody's concern.

Please find our Safeguarding pages including our Safeguarding Policy here.

Closing Date: 13 Jul 2026

Area: Teaching and Research

Salary: £33,000 to £35,000 per annum