Procurement Manager – Global Media – Waterloo/Hybrid

Daily rate: £350 – £450 (inside IR35). Duration: 6 months. Hybrid: 4 days per week in office. Start: ASAP.

My new client is looking for a Procurement Manager, who will support the Director of Procurement Global Markets, Technology and Indirect to maximise value from spend and drive savings while balancing other business requirements, including quality, service, risk, and security of supply across the full bandwidth of global technology products and requirements. This role will also lead the delivery of the procurement technology strategy and work closely with customers to challenge existing delivery models and legacy contracts, ensuring corporate objectives and service needs are met while driving our vision of being a centre of excellence in commercial procurement.

Responsibilities

• Work closely with the Procurement Leadership Team (PLT) providing technology category insights to help design and improve procurement procedures and deliver a strategic sourcing strategy.
• Work with key customers and stakeholders to scope, plan and deliver technology strategies.
• Support and drive change management initiatives to drive strategic procurement decisions.
• Manage all licensed products ensuring usage falls in line with planned budget to avoid true ups.
• Manage all existing technology contracts, keep track of renewal and termination dates to negotiate in line with the procurement strategy, driving cost savings/avoidance.
• Develop and plan programmes and activities to support brands and support functions to become intelligent customers when engaging with suppliers.
• Coordinate initiatives to bring together employees from different parts of the organisation to analyse and review third party spend, and identify the most appropriate and effective approach.
• Ensure robust governance of category management at key decision making stages.
• Ensure the coordination of activity and knowledge sharing across the category, wider service and beyond, through regular, formal and informal communication and collaboration with other Procurement Managers and teams.
• Work with the business to conduct strategic reviews of individual suppliers and categories, using high quality market and supplier intelligence to develop strategies that deliver breakthrough results.
• Ensure framework and mechanisms are in place to monitor, review and validate contract and supplier performance data.
• Provide leadership, direction, and challenge on performance reviews, including the review of supplier KPIs.
• Deliver and lead knowledgeable and professional procurement support, ensuring processes are efficient and effective, adopting best practices techniques to ensure the very highest quality service that delivers true value for our customers.
• Undertake external research and analysis, ensuring the identification of best practice, and assessing potential synergies with other critical and strategic contracts and wider collaborative opportunities.
• Develop and use intelligence on the current supply base, market, and financial data.
• Design and lead market shaping and development activities, participate in stakeholder engagement and consultation activities.
• Plan and lead negotiations with suppliers on all major issues regarding commercial elements of the contract, adding strategic value by influencing negotiations regarding any contractual changes to ensure value for money and introducing best practice processes.
• Plan, prepare and ensure timely delivery of sourcing activities, including tender process and documentation, evaluation criteria, and the contract mobilisation and contract management framework to ensure compliance with processes.

Qualifications

• Build strong relationships with Executive/Senior Leadership and other key or senior stakeholders.
• Strong business acumen with high-level numerical, literacy and analytical skills.
• Experience managing procurement exercises in a large, complex and matrixed organisation.
• Excellent knowledge and experience of global contract and commercial negotiations and the rationale underpinning it.
• Relevant professional qualification such as MCIPS or international equivalent.
• Degree or equivalent level of international qualification.
• Skilled in identifying procurement strategies and tendering processes for operational and tactical contracts.
• Proven experience of effective written and verbal communication at the highest levels, including public speaking and preparation of complex written reports.
• Skilled negotiator with the ability to identify and negotiate terms and conditions, contractor performance milestones, and method to monitor and report performance.
• Strong problem solving and analytical skills.
• Strong customer focus and actively listens to customers to ensure excellent services are provided.
• Able to challenge and interpret complex management and financial data and use this to make decisions that deliver the best possible commercial solution.
• Passion for delivering quality, measurable services with a proven ability to set and deliver realistic, coordinated objectives in accordance with agreed priorities.
• Professionally represents the department, directorate, and liaises with other service areas and through working with a variety of external organisations.
• Able to take a flexible and proactive approach to problem‑solving, developing alternative approaches to resolving issues and mitigating risks.

Rates depend on experience and client requirements.