Category Manager - Infrastructure & Cloud - London Stock Exchange Group

At LSEG, we're looking for a Category Manager for our Infrastructure & Cloud Category, with a focus on management of our Cloud Service Providers and associated services.

Group Procurement is responsible for third-party supplier engagements and business partnership to drive high performing and sustainable value from our supplier relationships. We strive to make LSEG easier and more attractive to do business with, and we consider our suppliers as a source of competitive advantage and not just about cost.

We operate a business partnering and supplier relationship management (SRM) model, aligned to business groups and spend categories, ensuring value through early and strategic engagement and informative vendor spend analytics.

Some key characteristics of the new Group Procurement organisation:

• Supplier spend c £2BN and c. 5,000 suppliers
• Team structured around:
  • Three towers of spend – Technology, Services and Corporate – passionate about category management, strategic sourcing, renewals & SRM
  • A Strategy & Performance centre, enabling function to drive and implement the strategy of the Group Procurement function, outstanding procurement policy and processes
• Key hubs for the category teams in London, Bangalore with a small amount of decentralised activity to support local markets which are in various global locations including Europe and Asia

The purpose of this role is to create, develop and deliver a best in class" category procurement service with the express intent of delivering year-on-year benefit to the Group in terms of innovation, speed to market, quality, efficiency, risk mitigation and lower cost.

This role sits in the Technology tower as part of the Infrastructure & Cloud team, reporting to the Category Director. The team supports spend of c.£400m per annum, with key spend areas including Cloud, Mainframe, Compute, Databases and Infrastructure software.

The role activities are global and include the engagement and ongoing management of third-party suppliers, the sourcing and vendor strategy, and roadmap for the category. The role will perform a combination of sourcing, supplier and business relationship activities, with an emphasis on the ongoing management of our Cloud Service Providers – AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform (GCP).

It also entails working closely with the rest of the Technology Procurement team (in particular Networks and Data Centres) and the wider Group Procurement team to support the evolution of the wider procurement strategy and transformation roadmap, ensuring this is reflected across all categories of spend within this remit:

Budget Responsibility: None

Direct Reports: None

Indirect Reports: None

Key interfaces:

• With line management (Infrastructure & Cloud Category Director and Head of Technology Procurement)
• Other Category Directors, Managers, Senior Buyers and Buyers
• Group Procurement Centre of Excellence and Shared Services teams
• Finance Business Partners, FinOps, Software Asser Management, Legal & Tax
• Business: supplier business owners, budget holders and vendor management
• Key partnering functions: Head of Cloud, Head of Foundation Services and their functional leads

Key responsibilities of the role:

Establishing a Group Procurement Strategy for the Category

Define, gain agreement to and implement strategic sourcing Category plans (including a pipeline of procurement opportunities) for aligned Pillar within the Infrastructure & Cloud Technology category which includes both SP Services, Software and Hardware. Continue to develop and maintain Category strategies and plans in conjunction with the team and business partners

Lead the implementation of strategic and preferred suppliers and drive downwards the number of active suppliers. Implement a programme of supplier categorisation to drive value and focus Use internal and external data and analysis, relationships and specialist insight to provide a clear authority view on business investment decisions (e.g. spend analysis, supply markets, sourcing value levers, supply market reviews, business assessments etc.), to stimulate innovative problem solving within the business, develop and commit to performance targets and provide reporting in line with business compliance and procedures Provide support to business Category owners to drive upwards preferred supplier and channel compliance to global standards. Drive sourcing initiatives in support of defined business goals and business roadmaps

Anticipate future procurement challenges, ensuring the business is equipped with the right strategies to deliver the best possible commercial outcomes including risks, routes to market, resource commitments, supply market dynamics, competitive strategies and delivery plans

Implementing the Group Procurement Strategy for the Category

Develop and lead supplier performance improvement programs and develop strategies to effectively improve supply chain performance in quality, delivery, and cost management Lead and drive strategic sourcing engagement for the Category, focusing on commercial and contractual negotiations, working with business partners and legal to close negotiations with contracts which fully protect the Group's commercial interests and ensure mitigation of operational risks conduct competitive RFI's/RFP's and lead on supplier negotiations as required. Provide an advisory service within a matrix orientated business by utilising an appropriate level of commercial expertise and foresight to ensure cost management and alignment with budget. Lead the delivery of a breadth of procurement initiatives, of varying complexity and value, using best in class sourcing solutions such as e-Procurement, e-Auctioning, strategic sourcing etc. Work with the business to ensure strategic supplier relationship management is considered in all procurement decisions, facilitating the handover into the contract management team and providing ongoing support and insight to address challenges with incumbent suppliers. Ongoing proactive review of existing Category arrangements in collaboration with business partners, to include ownership of the Category policy to ensure full compliance and optimised cost position. Lead the negotiations, tendering and selection of suppliers for all affiliate companies. Responsible for sourcing leadership on strategic projects including attendance at relevant project / programme board. Ensure appropriate risk mitigation strategies are an intrinsic part of sourcing decisions including contractual protections and ongoing supplier risk management

Developing and maintaining relationships

Build strong relationships with key partners in the Group, technology and business teams. Work with the technology leadership team and their reports to understand business strategy and drivers; provide creative challenge and thought leadership which influences and supports business decision-making. Be a key point of reference for negotiation, vendor issues and supplier communications for commercial and governance aspects. Cultivate an environment of collaboration and innovation. Lead Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) of strategic supplier relationships (business critical and high spend). Facilitate regular supplier review meetings as well as joint steering group meetings with senior business and technology partners. Handle supplier risks and issues

BAU Activities

Facilitate workload with support from renewals teams and offshore senior buyers; ensure that resource is focused on the highest value opportunities in commercial risk management and cost benefit terms. Maintain Procurement systems and tools (e.g. pipeline management tool, savings tracker, supplier and contract databases, Category spend metrics), identifying and acting upon forthcoming renewals as required and identifying future cost reduction opportunities. Ensure compliance with corporate product, procedural, regulatory, quality, environmental and corporate social responsibility policies. Assist in the development of the wider procurement function across LSEG and different geographies. Provide assistance to the business and suppliers across the end to end sourcing process, i.e. reviewing and approving purchase orders, facilitating exceptions such as payment difficulties and ensuring timely delivery of goods and services, identifies the implications of a change and facilitates the variation of the contract

Essential experience and skills required:

• Strong procurement experience and industry / market knowledge relating to Technology Procurement. Preferred experience related to Cloud Service Providers, SaaS providers, Infrastructure Software and Hardware vendors and associated services
• extensive years general experience
• Deep knowledge of procurement principles and practices
• Significant contract negotiation experience with proven impact across a wide variety of spend categories with a particular focus on Hardware, Software & Professional Services. Deep knowledge of various types of pricing structures as well as associated contract terms and conditions and legal ramifications
• Understanding of risks of non-compliance, ability to identify when further advice and support is required
• Understanding of financial accounts, ability to assess the risk of contracting with an organisation based on a review of their company accounts and to identify when specialist financial advice may be needed
• Experience of reviewing and redlining contracts
• Familiar with intermediate IT tools and Procurement systems, ability to provide management information to assist sourcing and contract management process
• Ability to establish relationships, influence and act as a procurement authority across the organisation up to Executive level
• Consistent track record of running and leading business change and the transformation of business relationships
• Demonstrated analytical, problem solving, project management and decision-making skills in a senior sourcing leadership capacity for a major corporation
• Pro-active behaviour that demonstrates initiative and positive work ethic to ensure activities are delivered to the required time, budget and quality
• Maximise opportunities, i.e. challenges ways of working, adopts Group practices, seeks and provides information and clarification
• Strong planning and prioritising according to business needs
• Coaching and mentoring less experienced resources (e.g. buyers)
• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal)
• Strong top-down critical thinking and the ability to produce compelling narratives to guide business partners and peers to sound decision-making
• Educated to degree level

Desirable

• Procurement / supply operation qualification, e.g. MCIPS or IAACM.
• Experience of procurement in a Financial Services Regulated Environment, Information Services Companies; FinTechs; Global, multi-country organisations preferred

LSEG is a leading global financial markets infrastructure and data provider. Our purpose is driving financial stability, empowering economies and enabling customers to create sustainable growth.

Our purpose is the foundation on which our culture is built. Our values of Integrity, Partnership , Excellence and Change underpin our purpose and set the standard for everything we do, every day. They go to the heart of who we are and guide our decision making and everyday actions.

Working with us means that you will be part of a dynamic organisation of 25,000 people across 65 countries. However, we will value your individuality and enable you to bring your true self to work so you can help enrich our diverse workforce. You will be part of a collaborative and creative culture where we encourage new ideas and are committed to sustainability across our global business. You will experience the critical role we have in helping to re-engineer the financial ecosystem to support and drive sustainable economic growth. Together, we are aiming to achieve this growth by accelerating the just transition to net zero, enabling growth of the green economy and creating inclusive economic opportunity.

LSEG offers a range of tailored benefits and support, including healthcare, retirement planning, paid volunteering days and wellbeing initiatives.

We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer. This means that we do not discriminate on the basis of anyone's race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy or disability, or any other basis protected under applicable law. Conforming with applicable law, we can reasonably accommodate applicants' and employees' religious practices and beliefs, as well as mental health or physical disability needs.

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