ICT Category Manager in Bedford

Croda is a FTSE100 organisation where we truly believe our people are our difference and this, along with our values of Innovative, Responsible and Together, create 'our Purpose, Smart science to improve livesTM'. With over 5,000 employees globally, we specialise in the research and development of innovative ingredients for the Life Science and Consumer Care markets.

We are looking for an IT Category Manager, on a 12 month fixed term contract, to lead and/or support negotiations in alignment with business stakeholders within the IT, Telecom and Professional Services categories. The role is accountable to reduce and minimise costs, ensure proper scoping and risk mitigation of contracts, and meeting the needs of stakeholders through identifying suppliers to engage, negotiating commercial terms, and gaining sign off to confirm commercial agreements.

• Strong experience in procurement, category management or strategic sourcing.
• Previous experience in managing IT, Telecom and Professional Services categories of spend.
• In-depth experience managing IT categories such as: software licensing (e.g. Microsoft, Adobe, SAP), Cloud, Infrastructure and networks, Managed services outsourcing, Cybersecurity solutions, SaaS and subscription-based licensing models.
• Must have solid examples and references for IT, Telecom and Professional Services procurement including examples of cost reduction, descoping, and risk mitigation through procurement activities.
• Experience of Supplier Relationship Management, setting commercial performance metrics, monitoring and reporting supplier performance across the category portfolio.
• Strong data analytical skills, working with Excel and pivot sheets.
• Knowledge of risk mitigation considerations to incorporate into Croda planning, supplier selection, and contracting.
• Strong understanding of sourcing practices, market insights, complex contract negotiation, commercial modelling and supplier management for the supply of IT, Telecom, and Professional Services.
• Good understanding of contract law, commercial risk, competition law and IP protection.
• Knowledge of IR35 legislation and how it applies to consultancy, interim labour, SOW-based services and contractor engagements.
• Experience supporting or conducting IR35 status assessments.

The initial focus will be aligning the IT supplier portfolio with current and long-term strategic needs for the CIO. Ensure a strategic sourcing approach to supplier engagement, engaging stakeholders to confirm needs and scoping, facilitating bids, negotiation of pricing, contract execution, risk mitigation, and supplier performance management activities for IT, Telecom and Professional Services categories.

Develop and execute a robust IT category strategy aligned with business objectives, covering software, hardware, telecoms, cloud and IT services. Accountable for managing the full IT spend portfolio, from strategic partner relationships through to transactional tail spend. Collate financial data and conduct detailed spend analysis to develop a category tree, with weighted risk assessment and list of opportunities. Lead the full category lifecycle: demand planning, sourcing, contract management, supplier performance and risk mitigation.

Ensure procurement processes align with internal governance, compliance and legal frameworks (e.g. data protection, cyber security standards etc.). Lead complex end-to-end sourcing events (RFIs, RFPs, RFQs, negotiations) to deliver optimum commercial value. Develop innovative commercial models and negotiation strategies to maximise value, reduce total cost of ownership (TCO) and strengthen supplier partnerships.

Manage contract renewals, retenders and renegotiations across a diverse portfolio to avoid risk, ensure service continuity and maintain competitive advantage. Establish strong, strategic relationships with key technology suppliers, service providers and partners. Lead commercial performance reviews, supplier scorecards and continuous improvement activity.

Act as a trusted advisor (both regional and global) to IT and Professional Services business leaders on market trends, category insights and commercial levers and expand the procurement franchise within Croda. This role can be home based or hybrid. Some travel to Cowick (HQ in Snaith, East Yorkshire) to meet with key stakeholders may be required.

We are people-led, driven by the desire to do good and deliver value, a unifying principle shaped by all the great people that have travelled through Croda since our beginning in 1925. We pride ourselves on bringing together diverse teams and talents from across the globe and, guided by our values of Responsible, Innovative, and Together, we are passionate about building an inclusive, collaborative, and diverse organisation with innovation and customer focus underpinning all that we do.

Croda is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief.