Head of Category, Global Procurement Team

Head of Category, Global Procurement team

Description
My cleint operates a Global Procurement function operating across their Business Lines and the four main Direct material countries (UK, Netherlands, Sweden, China), as well as 3 indirect regions (Americas, Europe and China/APAC). The Procurement function is structured as a matrix organisation with responsibility for strategic leadership in Direct Purchasing, Indirect Purchasing, Supplier Development & Quality and New Product Introduction.
The role of Head of Category sits within Global Procurement (Direct Material) as part of the Global Procurement function.
The purpose of the role of Head of Category is to actively participate in the creation and design of an aligned global category strategy for one or more categories of spend, with the goal of achieving significant reduction in Cost of Goods Sold (CoGS), while maintaining/improving product quality and vendor service levels.
The principal tasks of the Head of Category are as follows:
* Influences a global team of Strategic Buyers and controls directly the results achieved with a strong intervention power in case of under-performing results.
* Works closely with key stakeholders in member organizations and in corporate functions to develop effective category strategies and implementation plans.
* Supports product development activity with subject matter expertise in supplier strategy, future technological development and a global assessmenet of geographic/political/economic risks.

Responsibilities
* Drive annual productivity improvements in each spend category. Will develop, champion, and ensure implementation of ideas that will optimise total cost of ownership year-over-year for assigned spend categories
* Capture and validate real savings. Measure and track performance within each spend category and define budgetary impact.
* Establish key performance measures for each spend category (e.g., cost per unit, total product expense); define the data collection process; forecast budgetary impact and track actual savings; broadly communicate performance against these performance measures and work with stakeholders to ensure savings are incorporated into annual operating plans.
* Be accountable for the vendor selection and negotiation process both individually led and led by the Strategic Buying team ensuring best value received from suppliers with demonstrative competency.
* Manage strategic sourcing projects applying relevant methodology. Provide team members with direction and support throughout the steps and activities of the strategic sourcing projects, applying appropriate and defined methodology and tools.
* Define the optimal supplier selection process, considering supply market specifics. Drive this process through the activities of the direct material and product development Buying teams.
* Where appropriate, screen and select potential suppliers and/or support Buying team in such activities.
* Develop negotiation strategy. Participate in/lead fact based negotiations.
* Monitor strategy implementation and contract compliance - Ensure strategies are implemented and TCO reductions secured according to implementation plans.
* Drive best practices for assigned sourcing categories - Identify/define sourcing best-practices both within and external to my cleint and work with key stakeholders to ensure that those best practices are widely adopted.
* Develop expertise and enable talent development in the assigned spend categories - Remain current with market trends through relationships with vendors and market experts; identifying and communicating new technologies and solutions to key problems in the assigned spend areas
* Uphold internal and external policies, regulations and laws - Maintain a working knowledge of applicable country, international and local laws and regulations as well as any internal policies (e.g. code of ethics) or procedures to ensure that the behavior exhibited by the organisation is honest, ethical and professional.
* Allocate requests for product development support to Strategic Buyes and co-ordinate their activity.

Relevant Knowledge, skills and competences

• BA required with MBA preferred; other graduate degree potentially acceptable or equivalent combination of education and work experience
• Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS) certification desirable
• Previous experience of Category Management at a senior level ideally for direct materials and within a Manufacturing environment.
• Successful, track record in a procurement organization, preferable within a Manufacturing environment
• Ability to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of developing and deploying sourcing strategies, financial concepts and the ability to create business cases
• Exceptional problem-solving and analytical skills - able to construct/execute multiple complex analyses (e.g. TCO, NPV; cost-price analyses) simultaneously
• Good planning/project management skills - able to develop comprehensive workable issue sets in complex situations
• Expert negotiating skills
• Ability to gain a fact-based understanding of current supplier base, supplier economics and major trends in relevant markets
• Exceptional experience in contract management and extensive awareness and understanding of contractual law
• Well-developed IT skills and fluent in English, preferably with a second language
• Passion for reducing costs - exhibits high energy and the enthusiasm to establish a new approach of sourcing
• Distinctive leadership - willing to make tough/unpopular decisions, but well respected by internal and external business leaders.
• Comfortable with conflict - willingness to challenge "conventional" thinking
• Demonstrable record of delivering stretching targets and successfully managing concurrent tasks
• Able to work and lead in a dual reporting matrix environment and aggressively take the lead on implementation of savings opportunities that affect numerous lines of business

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