At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead sourcing activities and drive down costs in third-party services.
- Company: Join the UK's largest mutual life, pensions, and investment company.
- Benefits: Enjoy 28 days annual leave, up to 14% pension matching, and private medical insurance.
- Why this job: Be part of a high-performing team that values innovation and collaboration.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in category management, degree, and CIPS qualified required.
- Other info: Hybrid working model with a focus on professional development.
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.
Contract Type: Permanent
Location: Alderley Edge, London or Edinburgh
Working style: Hybrid 50% home/office based
Closing date: 03/06/2025
We are seeking a Procurement Manager to join our high performing team and lead sourcing activity within the Professional Services category across the Royal London Group.
Taking a Category Management approach, this role will identify strategic opportunities to drive down costs in delivering third-party services, mitigate risk, and improve service performance in third-party relationships.
Acting as a trusted procurement business partner, this role will engage directly with a wide range of internal and external senior stakeholders, ensuring that Procurement collaboratively delivers innovation, value, strategic thinking, and fit-for-purpose customer-focused solutions that are aligned to Royal London’s purpose and strategy outcomes.
About the role
- Commercial leadership for medium spend, medium risk sourcing and contracts across the Professional Services category, with a principal focus on Consultancy.
- Working under the direction of the Senior Strategic Procurement Manager for Professional Services and Major Projects to lead and support specific projects and sourcing activity across all three business units.
- Responsible for creating new opportunities across third-party spend that drives down cost and risk and delivers value to the business, at pace.
- Lead negotiator to contracts and sourcing arrangements up to £5m in value.
- Design, lead and implement category market-leading sourcing arrangements for designated spend category. Technical market expertise across Professional Services.
About you
- Proven experience in category management and strategic sourcing, especially across Professional Services and ideally within the Finance / Asset Management sector.
- Excellent interpersonal and influencing skills, ability to build and maintain effective business relationships (internal and external).
- Results-focused team player.
- Proven negotiation skills and comprehensive knowledge of contract law.
- Strong commercial acumen and analytical skills – a strong attention to detail and capability to see, assess and mitigate commercial risks.
- Proven planning and organisational skills; a \”completer finisher\”.
- Ability to manage a variety of projects simultaneously.
- Represent the team in a wholly professional and ethical manner.
- Degree and CIPS qualified, 5+ years of experience.
About Royal London
We’re the UK’s largest mutual life, pensions and investment company, offering protection, long-term savings and asset management products and services.
Our People Promise to our colleagues is that we will all work somewhere inclusive, responsible, enjoyable and fulfilling. This is underpinned by our Spirit of Royal London values: Empowered, Trustworthy, Collaborate, Achieve.
We\’ve always been proud to reward employees by offering great workplace benefits such as 28 days annual leave in addition to bank holidays, up to 14% employer matching pension scheme, and private medical insurance. You can see all our benefits here – Our Benefits
Inclusion, diversity and belonging
We’re an inclusive employer. We celebrate and value different backgrounds and cultures across Royal London. Our diverse people and perspectives give us a range of skills which are recognised and respected – whatever their background.
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Procurement Manager employer: Royal London Group
Contact Detail:
Royal London Group Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Procurement Manager
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the Professional Services category, especially within the Finance and Asset Management sectors. Understanding the specific challenges and opportunities in these areas will help you engage more effectively with stakeholders during interviews.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with professionals in procurement and category management, particularly those who have experience in consultancy services. Attend industry events or join relevant online forums to build connections that could provide insights or referrals.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss your negotiation strategies and successes in detail. Be ready to share specific examples of how you've driven down costs and mitigated risks in previous roles, as this will demonstrate your capability to handle the responsibilities of the Procurement Manager position.
✨Tip Number 4
Research Royal London’s values and culture thoroughly. Tailor your conversations to reflect how your personal values align with theirs, particularly around collaboration and trust, which are key to succeeding in a role that requires strong stakeholder engagement.
We think you need these skills to ace Procurement Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in category management and strategic sourcing, particularly within Professional Services. Use specific examples that demonstrate your negotiation skills and commercial acumen.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that showcases your understanding of the role and the company. Emphasise your ability to build relationships with stakeholders and your results-focused approach. Mention how your values align with Royal London's Spirit of values.
Highlight Relevant Qualifications: Clearly state your degree and CIPS qualifications in your application. If you have additional certifications or training related to procurement or contract law, be sure to include those as well.
Showcase Your Achievements: In your application, include quantifiable achievements from your previous roles, such as cost savings achieved through strategic sourcing or successful contract negotiations. This will help demonstrate your capability to deliver value to the business.
How to prepare for a job interview at Royal London Group
✨Understand the Role and Company
Before the interview, make sure you thoroughly understand the role of a Procurement Manager and the specific responsibilities outlined in the job description. Research Royal London Group's values and recent projects to demonstrate your interest and alignment with their goals.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
Expect questions that assess your interpersonal and influencing skills. Prepare examples from your past experience where you've successfully built relationships or negotiated contracts, particularly in the Professional Services sector. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses.
✨Showcase Your Analytical Skills
As a Procurement Manager, strong analytical skills are crucial. Be ready to discuss how you've used data to drive decisions in previous roles. Bring examples of how you've identified cost-saving opportunities or mitigated risks through analysis.
✨Demonstrate Commercial Acumen
Highlight your understanding of contract law and commercial principles during the interview. Be prepared to discuss how you've navigated complex negotiations and the strategies you've employed to achieve favourable outcomes for your organisation.