Senior Category Manager

Main Duties:

Be the procurement expert for the Fleet category ensuring accountability for the delivery of the Fleet Category Plan
Lead on the delivery of procurement strategies and tactical approaches which maximise the successes of our business in line with procurement processes and policies including the development of frameworks
Creation of contractual agreements with suppliers ensuring they are fit for purpose and deliver commerciality to the business
Ensure the UK laws and industry standards regarding purchasing and contract activities are communicated at every opportunity by the post holder to all managers and other appropriate staff to reduce the risk of non-compliance
Management and approval of PO’s through the Financial system to ensure a clear auditable trial and compliance to policies and procedures
Hold suppliers accountable to support the delivery of their contractual agreements through clear and robust contract management
Drive and lead on the delivery of Procurement KPIs throughout the National Rail Contract taking appropriate measures to ensure KPIs are met and surpassed.
Proactively look for opportunities collaborate on the delivery of the group procurement sourcing strategies to ensure best value from procurement exercises.
Management and Governance of the contracts database to ensure that contracts remain valid, and any contractual breaches are identified and resolved.
Drive and lead the continuous improvement of the ISO20400 sustainable procurement by capturing sustainability improvements and initiatives within our supply chain
Ensure that, all managers and staff across department are made aware of the status of contracts controlled by the post holder and are fully aware of the company policy with regard to the process of purchasing and the letting of contracts.
Develop reports which demonstrate activities, progress and financial performance achievement to the Head of Procurement.
Prepare or assist in preparation of papers recommending action to the appropriate company meetings, and Performance Based Fee reports e.g. Executive Directors Group
Lead stakeholder meetings and ensure compliance of policies are regulations through governance within the business.

Skills and Experience Needed:

Degree level qualified or equivalent experience
MCIPS qualified, or working towards
Ability to coach and mentor Category Managers, including identifying any training needs and workload planning
Working to multiple deadlines often under time constraints without compromising quality
Ability to manage requirements independently, especially while remote working. Creative thinking in order to seek out new opportunities and benefits for the business and procurement function.
Team player with the ability to work with a wide range of stakeholders internally and externally to the business. Adaptable to business change.
Strong analytical skills to analyse complex spend data
Excellent level of knowledge in ICT systems, including e-procurement systems and Microsoft suite
Strong negotiation skills in a professional and influencing manner to maximise commerciality
High degree of commercial acumen coupled with excellent organisational and documentation skills.
Ability to complete a procurement process from start to finish independently
Has excellent communication skills and the ability to communicate to all levels of the business (including Exec and Management)
Has a flexible attitude and willing to embrace new challenges
Strong knowledge and experience of contractual agreements relating to NEC4 contracts.

As well as a competitive salary, we’ll also offer you;

A great pension scheme
75% discount on national leisure travel (inc partner and dependants)
Flexible working hours
32 days holiday per year
…and many more!

We have an hybrid working policy which is applicable for this role.

This means the role can be based at home 2-3 days per week and in the office 2-3 days per week. Should you wish to work full time in the office this is also an option.

We want to proactively embrace diversity across our workforce and recognise that we are under-represented in terms of females and ethnic minority groups. We’re therefore taking positive steps to promote a positive and inclusive culture; we welcome applications from those that identify with these groups to better represent our communities.

Tagged as: commercial, Governance, line, manager