Category Manager

Manage the sourcing activities for multi-million pound, medium cost and business risk opportunities, to include idea generation and innovation across complex spend categories and work collaboratively with relevant customers and stakeholders to create and deliver significant commercial and contractual value

Client Details

An organisation in Milton Keynes.

Description

1. Develop and manage the sourcing process from business requirement to contract signature, on behalf of key customers and stakeholders, for multi-million pound medium cost and business risk opportunities, where expert levels of indirect and direct influencing techniques and political savviness are required, utilising, where relevant, commercial purpose-built models, to create and deliver significant commercial and contractual value, in support of the C&P Director's annual savings target
2. Implement approved Integrated Category Strategies (ICS) through the development and delivery of the qualified Sourcing pipeline, in collaboration with the relevant Category Manager and relevant customers and stakeholders, to release the full defined savings and benefits value committed to within the ICS, with the ambition to deliver beyond the maximum value approved, in support of the C&P Director's cost savings target
3. Apply the Sourcing Framework for sourcing led opportunities outside of ICS creation and where total annual spend ranges between £100m to £300m and within an OJEU environment, to manage all risk, governance, legislative and regulatory requirements, validated by the Procurement Risk and Assurance team
4. Expert negotiator of sourcing enabled savings and benefit opportunities, in collaboration with all relevant customers and stakeholders, approved by Finance and applied to budgets, in support of the C&P Director's savings target, with the commercial capability, tenacity and ambition to deliver value beyond the ICS commitment
5. Develop and implement of sourcing specific ideas and innovation-based business cases, working in collaboration with relevant customers and stakeholders, to address existing business problems that require external sourcing specific market expertise to solve
6. Facilitate the transition of Sourcing led execution to Strategic Supplier Management, to manage a seamless customer experience from business requirement through to post contract signature and position the Supplier Management team to optimise their delivery of full contractual and relationship value
7. Demand manage and challenge customer and stakeholder common sourcing requirements to maximise overall Group-wide commercial value, adopting politically savvy engagement, direct and indirect influencing and selling strategies across multiple Routes and Regions, in a complex, devolved organisation
8. Develop and manage sourcing aligned continuous improvement activities, demand pipeline assessments and annual customer satisfaction surveys, to deliver an enhanced customer experience, aligned to the Vision and best in class Procurement ambition
9. Develop the external market sourcing practices, to include commercial models and total cost of ownership assessments, within the Sourcing team, to enable the implementation of good practice and move towards a recognised best in class capability, in support of the employer of choice ambition

Profile

• Educated to a Business or Economics degree standard or equivalent business experience
• Deep level of Sourcing experience, with a demonstrable track record of savings delivery
• Demonstrable level of negotiation and dispute resolution skill set
• Demonstrable experience of contract law and financial management
• Demonstrable experience of driving value from complex sourcing opportunities
• Experienced with agile cross-functional collaborative working methods
• Politically savvy, with the proven ability to use direct and indirect influencing strategies at an executive level
• Demonstrable level of problem-solving experience of complex sourcing specific challenges
• Completer finisher mindset

Job Offer

• Annual leave (28 days plus statutory days), with the option to buy/sell days
• Defined benefit pension scheme
• 75% subsidy on rail and underground season tickets
• Up to 75% off leisure travel for you and your family (subject to terms and conditions)
• Interest-free travel loan for train and car park season tickets
• Discounts at stations with your pass
• Volunteer leave to make a positive impact
• Healthcare Scheme, GymPass discounts, Cycle to work plus more
• Maternity, paternity, and adoption leave to support our employees during significant life moments