Category Manager in London

Overview

Business Area/Function: Central Function – Central Procurement Team

Reports To: Category HUB Leader – Indirects & Professional services

Location: Hybrid worker – Office location London

General Overview for UKBU / purpose of the job

Our Category Managers play a pivotal role in maximising the value of Procurement at company UK&I by executing a structured, collaborative approach to category projects that optimises the procurement of similar products and services. This specific role within the UK BU Central Procurement Team will focus on the Indirects & Professional Services HUB, encompassing a wide range of categories including:

• HR Services: Recruitment, Training, Travel, Meetings & Events, Employee Rewards and Benefits, etc.
• Fleet Management: Leasing, Rental, Fuel, Telematics, and associated vehicle services.
• General Goods & Services: Office supplies and services, Postal and distribution services, and other support functions.
• IT & Telecoms: Technology solutions and telecommunication services.
• Professional & Financial Services: Consultancy, Insurance, Banking Services, and related professional services.

By strategically managing these sub-categories, Category Managers drive efficiencies, enhance collaboration, and secure value-driven outcomes for the business.

Role Accountability

This pivotal role within the Procurement Function is essential in delivering a unified, centralised support service across a diverse, autonomous, and nationally dispersed organisation. Reporting directly to the Category HUB Leader, the role is specifically accountable for:

• Strategic Management of the HR Services Category: This involves conducting comprehensive spend analyses, assessing current and future business needs, and analysing supplier markets and industry dynamics to optimise procurement strategies.
• Supplier Engagement and Relationship Management: Engage with the HR Services supply chain to identify those best positioned to fulfil company business requirements, overseeing these relationships to ensure continued alignment with quality, functionality, and cost-effectiveness standards.
• Value Chain Optimisation and Savings Generation: Proactively identify opportunities to drive value across the entire procurement spectrum, prioritising cost savings through a structured Category approach, with a focus on achieving transparent and measurable results.
• Innovation: Champion the integration of innovative solutions to enhance customer offerings within the HR Service categories.

The successful applicant will provide category-specific expertise to the business, working closely with the HR support functions and operational teams, divisional key stakeholders and the broader Procurement team to ensure:

• Compliance with the company UK&I Procurement Strategy, Policies, and Processes for category-specific spending.
• Delivery of solutions that address diverse business needs within the HR Services category.
• Engagement with the parent company at Group level, affiliates and sister companies relevant stakeholders, domestically and internationally.
• Proactive input on reporting, including compliance, spend, and savings, with an eye toward continuous improvement.
• Fulfillment of local procurement needs through a structured category approach wherever feasible.
• Promotion of Category-led Framework Agreements and Contracts, ensuring all colleagues are informed of procurement protocols and pricing.
• Support for bid, mobilisation, and de-mobilisation activities as required.
• Alignment of Category strategies with company sustainability (CSR), DE&I and IT commitments.
• Continuous alignment of solutions with business needs and market developments.

The Procurement Function operates in close partnership with suppliers and both internal and external customers to foster innovation, delivering value-driven, transformational outcomes for our clients, profitability for our business, and inspiration for our people. The post holder may need to undertake other tasks as and when needed to support the priorities of the Procurement Function. National travel is part of this role.

Key Accountabilities

• Strategic management of the HR Services category: analysis of spend & business needs, anticipation of future needs, supplier market analysis and market dynamics - Management of the related supply chain, contract extension/renewal, launch and drive end to end RFP/RFQ processes, etc.
• Leading the development of procurement strategies in close cooperation with business operations and procurement stakeholders activating all spend reduction levers;
• Defining and implementing an action plan to deploy strategies for BUs/entities to effectively reduce their external spend on the category and/or mitigate market increases;
• Steering economic performance (external spend reduction), supplier performance on category;
• Adapting strategy in response to changes (market, internal budgets, technologies);
• Supporting operational entities in the implementation and monitoring of supplier policy defined for the category;
• Delivering large scale programme such as the renewal of our UK Purchase to Pay system, renegotiation of our mobile telephony contract, appointment of UK LMS system provider, printer transformation programme, etc.
• Assisting the Delivery and Commercial teams in efficient subcontract procurement;
• Working to and supporting supply chain deals, working with procurement department to ensure the BU achieves the best potential in terms of supplier arrangements;
• Understanding and protecting the companies commercial and legal position in relation to its contractual engagement with supply chain arrangements clearly setting out the terms and proposals;
• Overseeing and managing the recovery of retrospective rebates with regards;
• Setting annual rebate collection targets;
• Promoting rebate arrangements across group to maximise utilisation;
• Providing pre-tender specialist commercial input as required to ensure accurate net cost pricing;
• Supporting subcontractor procurement by benchmarking and interrogating costs to ensure additional contribution opportunities are realized (re‑invigoration of cost benchmarking database and e‑procurement);
• Attending and participating in Design Team Meetings to influence and steer specifications towards most commercially advantageous products;
• Maintaining and publishing regular and accurate reports demonstrating the effectiveness of strategic sourcing arrangements and contribution to the group profit improvement / efficiency plan;
• Monitoring supplier / category expenditures and trends;
• Building and maintaining excellent supplier relations;
• Assisting each project carries out regular risk reviews;
• Reviewing and provision of accurate and timely information regarding opportunities and threats and management of these;

Health, Safety and Environment

• Promoting HS&E across the projects in all procurement activities;
• Working with projects teams to promote a culture of safe working and ensure compliance with HS&E rules;
• Taking a lead in procurement terms on matters relating to sustainability;

Other Responsibilities

• Working with projects teams to develop a cohesive team;
• Lead by example, train and develop staff;
• Ensuring procurement processes are compliant with group standards and are fully embedded within the business;

Dimensions of the Role

Procurement portfolio responsible of is c£110+ million Work on projects/activities involving multiple BUs (Lead or support role)

Key Relationships

• HR Senior leadership team – including but not limited to UK CHRO, Head of Resourcing, HR Senior leadership team, Head of Learning and development
• Sister companies’ procurement teams

Knowledge and Skills

• Demonstrate high levels of personal and business probity in both self and team
• Demonstrable ability to create collaborative working relationships and effective partnerships
• Ability to provide creative solutions to issues/ problems
• Proven ability to provide straightforward, clear and easy to understand information and documentation
• Ability to use own initiative as well as working effectively as part of a team
• Excellent time management skills with the ability to prioritise own workload
• First rate communication skills both written, verbal and technical
• Strive to find most effective and efficient ways of working
• Show a proactive, flexible and resourceful approach to delivering solutions
• Proven commercial acumen, with an eye for detail and accuracy
• Familiarity with standard forms of contract
• Proven track record in successful negotiations, balancing cost restraints, customer and practical requirements
• Ability to manage and organise a team to ensure the correct level of performance and secure deliverables
• Strong analytical abilities, and the ability to analyse complex category data to drive supply chain selectivity and risk mitigation.
• Being capable of contributing to technical discussions specific to the category and supporting the development of valued engineering or alternative product selection.

Experience

• 5+ years’ experience in a similar role – Senior Procurement role
• Experience of stakeholder management and influencing
• Experience in developing work winning solutions with operational and business development stakeholders to drive better technical solutions and outcomes.