Global Category Leader (Procurement) in Langley

Travelport is the brains behind your travel bookings, whether plane, car or hotel. Our technology simplifies the technical parts of travel and we’re looking for the best thinkers to help us do it.

About the Role

The Global Procurement Category Leader develops the strategy and directs the implementation of category initiatives for strategic partnerships across key business services categories, including Finance, Legal, Workplace & HR, Marketing & Commercial Operations, Technology and Telecom. The role leads initiatives to optimise category spend, drives strategic sourcing, contract negotiations, and procurement activities, and leverages scale across the organisation. Specifically, the leader will work collaboratively to understand business needs, translate them into specific supplier requirements, establish target pricing, terms, SLA’s and success measures, and drive execution and ongoing monitoring to ensure objectives are realised and sustained.

Responsibilities

• Partner with Business Units and Supplier Relationship Teams
• Engage business units on their strategies and resulting needs for third‑party goods or services.
• Lead and coach internal business partners and team members on the sourcing process, including requirement gathering, market analysis, source identification, proposal evaluation, negotiations, contract creation, contract management, spend analysis, PR creation assistance, contract execution and invoicing/accounting support.
• Maintain effective relationships with key internal customers and support organisations.
• Set and achieve clear goals for cost savings, value creation and supplier performance within business unit operating plans.
• Participate in scorecard development, quarterly business reviews and problem resolution for supplier performance issues.
• Collaborate with internal clients on procurement forecasting, demand management, requirement development and identification of purchasing channels and sources.
• Create collaborative partnerships with stakeholders to plan and execute procurement activities and category strategies.
• Manage vendor service utilisation and reduce under‑utilised consumption.

Strategic Sourcing

• Develop and execute strategic sourcing plans for assigned commodities and services.
• Use category expertise to establish or refine category strategy.
• Conduct market analysis to develop supply market strategies.
• Apply understanding of industry, supplier dynamics and market trends to identify leverage opportunities.
• Ensure optimal global spend leverage across LOBs and geographies.
• Support new business activities within LOBs by identifying appropriate sources within existing strategy.
• Create and model Total Cost of Ownership for categories and sourcing decisions.
• Lead supplier‑selection processes.
• Lead company‑wide efforts to identify new suppliers, including supplier development and new programme implementation for technology products and services.
• Facilitate meetings that drive cost savings initiatives and publish critical results.

Contract Strategy and Execution

• Lead the contract negotiation process with internal partners and suppliers and own closure of contracts.
• Develop negotiation strategy, fallback positions, acceptable terms and conditions through to closure, and evaluate, qualify and select suppliers.
• Understand contractual frameworks and negotiate appropriately with technology, business users and legal.
• Measure savings and manage off‑contract spend opportunities.
• Lead cross‑functional project teams for successful project launch, implementation and compliance.

Management and Leadership

• Participate in a Global Sourcing team supporting the company’s objectives for this function.
• Create an environment that emphasises partnership with technology processes within and outside service delivery.
• Motivate and collaborate within the team and across peer groups.
• Lead cross‑functional teams, mentor members and drive business process improvements.

Additional Responsibilities

• Maintain the contract management repository and Spot project tool.
• Ensure accuracy of the Supplier Spend Data Analytics Tool.
• Raise purchase requests (PRs) and manage purchase order & invoice queries.
• Serve as a contractual and vendor subject‑matter expert.
• Master and facilitate the source‑to‑payment process, stepping in and out as required.

Could this be you

• Experience in procurement organisations covering sourcing, supplier management, supplier quality management and procurement execution.
• Previous spend responsibility of at least $25 million.
• Ability to work in a fast‑paced, complex and dynamic environment.
• Demonstrated strategic thinking, turning information into effective strategies and driving results.
• Superior interpersonal and communication skills.
• Good judgement in selecting methods and techniques for solutions.
• Strong organisational and multitasking capabilities.
• Analytical skills to solve complex problems.
• Team‑working skills.
• Experience with sourcing practices and tools (e.g., 7‑step sourcing process, Oracle iProcurement) and ability to enhance the value of purchasing.
• Thorough understanding of contracting principles, contract structure, time‑and‑materials negotiations and technology.
• Strong team‑building skills to integrate and motivate people across organisations.
• Communication skills with vendors and internal partners to maintain credibility and improve service levels to achieve lowest total cost.
• “Can‑do” attitude, collaborating with procurement, legal and business teams to eliminate blockers.
• Flexibility and willingness to work both within sourcing and operational procurement processes to ensure project completion and adherence to internal standards.

Preferred

• Degree in Finance, Accounting, Business or related fields, or equivalent procurement experience.
• MCIPS qualification or working towards it.

Benefits

Our benefits package includes 25 days annual leave per annum, a hybrid working model, pension contribution, private medical insurance, life assurance and personal travel insurance.

Why Work With Us

Explore employee stories on LinkedIn using #travelportGDL.

Equal Opportunity Employer

We are an equal‑opportunity employer and will consider all qualified applicants purely on their skills and abilities. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform crucial job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation if needed.