EUROPEAN CATEGORY MANAGER - IT/INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY in Maidenhead

Exciting Transformational Change role for ambitious IT/Information Technology procurement specialist with experience of purchasing outsourced IT/Information Technology Infrastructure, Cyber Defence and Application Development.

Location: South East Commutable from Uxbridge, Stoke Poges, Maidenhead, West Drayton, Slough, Heston, Marlow, High Wycombe, Beaconsfield, Amersham, Princes Risborough, Chesham, Aylesbury, Rickmansworth, Windsor, Hayes, Hillingdon.

Our client is a global player within the specialist energy, electricity and power generation sector. As part of a strategic transformation of the procurement function moving to a shared service and category management model across its global operating units, our client seeks to strengthen its team with the appointment of an ambitious, university degree educated category and procurement management professional into the newly created role of European Category Manager - IT/Information Technology.

Our client is focused on delivering efficiency to its global operations and rising to the challenge of ensuring that its data and systems are secure and robust. As a consequence, they have embarked on a major transformation programme to deliver a significant change to the way IT/Information Technology works within the organisation. Currently IT Infrastructure, Cyber Defence and Application Development are outsourced and our client is reviewing Operational Information Technology for its plants. The focus will be on next generation outsourcing with high levels of customer satisfaction as a key driver for our client’s IT strategy.

The role of the European Category Manager - IT/Information Technology working in close collaboration with the IT Director will be of paramount importance to a successful transformation. Reporting to a Global Category Manager for Corporate Services, you will be working closely with the IT/Information Technology team both in the UK and internationally and therefore your role will take on a global perspective.

The Role:

• Working within cross functional teams develop medium to long term sub-category plans setting out the value drivers for the category and the roadmap of actions to deliver them.
• Shape and manage supplier relationships to ensure value is delivered including value definition, value creation including opportunity development and supply chain execution process; value capture including governance and compliance management and value protection to mitigate risk.
• Management and development of robust business partner relationships will be critical to success in the role. You will be expected to leverage experience of procurement strategy and delivery in your field of expertise to build these relationships.
• You will be happy to accept responsibility for delivering the value set out in your sub-category strategy.
• Your experience of influencing and shaping contracts, supplier relationships and contract management will ensure you deliver the expected business benefits from the spend you are managing.
• You will contribute to the development of the Procurement function’s capability bringing experience of best practice from other industries and employers.

The Ideal Person will possess the following qualifications, experience, skills and competencies:

• A university degree and ideally CIPS (or equivalent) qualification.
• Experience of working across global operations or multi-site environments and a keen sense of cultural awareness.
• Understanding of the nuances of IT/Information Technology contracts and knowledge and skill in the development of IT/Information Technology specific contracts which secure value for our client and mitigate risk as much as possible.
• A proven track record in value delivery, improvement activity and best practice development in IT/Information Technology procurement.
• Understanding Information Technology markets, suppliers and technologies and how to leverage them for value for our client.
• Building IT/Information Technology sub-category and category strategies to describe how value will be delivered in the short, medium and long term.
• Negotiating with IT/Information Technology suppliers to drive the right commercial and contractual outcomes.
• Building relationships internally and externally to enable you to be successful in your role and to contribute to the development of our client as a world-class procurement organisation.
• A thirst for knowledge, an inquisitive mind-set and drive for results.
• A knowledge of Procurement systems and technologies and the ability to put operational measures in place to ensure contracts deliver brilliantly.

In return our client offers a very competitive salary and blue-chip benefits package and the opportunity to develop your career within a market leader.