IT Category Manager (Procurement)

Job description / Role

As the IT Category Manager, you will play a critical role in developing category strategies, leading strategic sourcing activities with respect to overall business strategy in order to achieve significant cost reductions.

You will be managing all aspects of the hardware, software and telecoms categories including both sourcing and supplier management activities

• Provide accurate and timely reporting to IT senior management and Head of Procurement & SRM as well as advice on procurement strategy aligned to the overall IT strategy.
• Undertaking competitive tendering for IT requirements to demonstrate value for money.
• Ensuring value for money is delivered (savings & cost avoidance) whilst demonstrating full compliance in all 3rd party IT contracts through analysis, planning, negotiation and adherence to the procurement and contracting policies.
• Develop and manage a category strategy and a rolling programme of areas to be addressed
• Track forecasted vs actual benefits (e.g. savings) for the Category and be responsible for communicating performance against these measures and their potential budgetary impact.
• Establish and lead cross-functional teams to manage the development and implementation of the procurement category strategy and agree the strategy with the Head of Procurement and internal customer departments
• Deliver the procurement category strategy including sourcing activities which generate benefits and achieve financial savings targets through insight, benchmarking and analysis of procurement spend, supply markets, internal and external cost drivers and industry standards.
• Identify and recommend best practice procurement tools to develop and implement the sourcing strategies.
• Develop and deploy expertise within a particular area of spend (category) as required to achieve value for money procurement solutions when letting contracts and provide support to departments as required to ensure the organizations best interests are protected and promoted.
• Lead on procurement related negotiations with suppliers to ensure savings are achieved, and value for money and efficiencies are secured

Requirements

• University degree, preferably in business or related field
• 10+ years of experience in Procurement
• Experienced professional comfortable working within a cross-functional team environment or individually, as well as collaborating with and advising stakeholders at all levels, both internally and externally.
• Strong leadership skills with excellent follow-up and sense of urgency.
• High drive for results.
• Strong impact and influencing skills.
• Exceptional ability to foster both internal and external relationships
• Solid organizational skills and the ability to operate in a fast paced environment with multiple priorities
• Global experience preferred
• Ability to create strategies to balance day-to-day activities with long-range business objectives
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal skills.

About the Company

Michael Page is one of the world's leading professional recruitment consultancies, specializing in the placement of candidates in permanent, contract, temporary and interim positions with clients around the world.

The Group has operations in the UK, Continental Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Americas. In the Middle East we focus on the areas of:

Finance & Accounting Banking & Financial Services Procurement Property & Construction Engineering & Supply Chain Oil & Gas Technical and Engineering Human Resources Sales Marketing Technology Secretarial Executive Search Legal

The Group operates through 161 offices in 33 countries and employs over 5,000 employees worldwide.