IT Category and Sourcing Manager

Salary: £50.6k - £60.8k per annum (Dependent on skills & qualifications)

Reference: REQ3673

Do you want to be a part of an innovative and supportive team, where there are great opportunities for career progression and development?

The IT Category Manager is responsible for the execution of a category management approach to the procurement of a specified portfolio of IT spend to ensure compliance, drive efficiencies, mitigate supple risks and drive down the total cost of ownership to the organisation. The IT Category Manager is responsible for conducting internal and external analyses and engaging effectively with stakeholders to determine optimum sourcing strategies. They will lease or project manage others to provide a range of sourcing activities in support of IT category plans and in accordance with all policies and procedures.

The IT Category Manager will liaise with the Head of IT Procurement and Supply Chain on a regular basis to provide updates on category performance and provide additional insight through reporting and commentary as required. They will manage the relationship with suppliers and monitor supplier performance and interface with the Business to understand demand for and the impact of sourcing activities.

What will you be doing day to day?

Stakeholder Management

• Work closely with internal and external stakeholders to ensure the development and delivery of category strategies are aligned with IT, corporate and business unit strategies and value drivers.
• Develop and foster relationships with stakeholders, technical specialists, suppliers, collaborative bodies and marketplace forums.
• Create an efficient interface for other departments to work effectively with the category team.
• Drive consultation processes with stakeholders to ensure procurement activities mirror actual service requirements.

Operational Activity

• Conduct IT category management in accordance with the overall procurement strategy, processes and procedures.
• Ensure IT category management deliveries against targets and objectives (such as cost avoidance/reduction and total cost of ownership/quality improvements)
• Periodically support the Procurement Officers during tender processes to ensure effective buying in accordance with sourcing strategies.
• Coach all relevant parties on IT category management to build the capability and awareness within the organisation.
• Proactive and effective support of the wider Procurement & Supply Chain (P&SC) team. Work closely with all P&SC colleagues to ensure they have clear priorities aligned with business objectives.

Market Analysis and Benchmarking

• Maintain and lead an expert level of knowledge of the IT supply chain for assigned IT categories of spend to ensure there is a sustainable value driver for required categories.
• To lead on continuous improvement activities in the following areas;
• Developing routes to procurement based on market developments and changes to service requirements, develop clear service specification documents that enable best service provision fit.
• Understand cost drivers and levers when reviewing or formulating specifications and make sure potential costs are fully understood.
• Use knowledge to ensure correct supplier performance KPI’s are in place and monitored to maintain and improve supplier performance for each category and across the Group.

Category Spend Analysis

• You will be responsible for analysing the spend per category to detail opportunities such as; savings, strategic importance to the organisation, level of risk or to simply identify any lack of compliance with the category plan.

Supplier Performance Metrics

• You will be accountable for measuring, analysing and managing the supplier ability to comply with, and exceed, their contractual obligations. This will include regular reviews throughout the duration of contract delivery.
• Reducing risk through implementation of contractual rigour, improving sustainability and facilitating the drive to improve the quality and reliability of the supply chain.

Compliance

• Adhere to all Company policies and procedures and relevant laws and regulations.
• Support external and internal audit activities as required, such as providing information as requested in a timely manner.
• Maintain an effective control environment and respond to breaches/weaknesses appropriately in conjunction with Internal Audit.
• Ensure that all category-related operational activity and documentation is captured and properly recorded.

What you’ll need

Business Knowledge

• Broad knowledge of IT markets and various aspects of IT products, solutions and services
• Broad understanding of IT marketplace
• Understand business needs and be able to put them in overall contact
• Knowledge of UK and EU Procurement Legislation

Essential Functional / Technical Skills

• Good understanding and experience of Category Management and its implementation
• Minimum of 5 years procurement experience in a similar industry
• CIPS qualification preferred but not essential
• Personal proven track record in executing complex procurement activities
• Project management skills
• Broad knowledge of contracts with ability to draft special terms, including dispute procedures
• Knowledge of relevant statutory and legal provisions
• Detailed knowledge of Company procurement policy and procedures
• Understanding of the supply chain and how to improve it
• Knowledge of Procurement related systems such as Oracle ERP, Jaggaer/e-sourcing tools, Achilles Utilities Vendor Database
• Ability to influence people outside own sphere of responsibility
• Advanced negotiation skills
• Highly numerate
• Highly developed drafting and writing skills
• Decision Maker
• Customer Focused
• Influencing and Leadership
• Strategic thinking
• High self confidence - confidence to challenge the norm and think creatively
• Self motivated
• Resilience
• Organised and systematic
• Good communications and presentation skills
• Analytical
• Finisher
• Good team player
• Conflict resolution