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The Category Manager will be strategically minded and will support in the development and implementation of procurement strategies ensuring cost efficiency, quality and supplier reliability. The role involves managing supplier relationships, negotiating contracts and collaborating with internal stakeholders to meet City and our Client’s objectives.

Key Accountabilities:

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Manage all supplier relationships and contract delivery for allocated suppliers

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Build strong engagement and trust with City’s customers, responding promptly to client requests and using performance scorecards to demonstrate achievement of delivery targets and contractual compliance

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Support category strategy development.

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Create and oversee a regular supplier audit regime to assure City and its customers of suppliers’ compliance regarding health and safety, and other key compliance aspects

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Work will customers to set annual budgets and ensure alignment within wider procurement team to deliver schedule of services in line with budget

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Act as an escalation point for all supplier related issues

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Exercise financial control by monitoring actual spend versus budget on a monthly basis, ensuring that any overruns are challenged and reported

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Work with finance team to resolve any supplier payment or accounting issues.

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Carry out in-store visits and deal directly with the senior client on all issues

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Work with wider procurement team and finance team to manage all budgets within target, optimising the best value and where possible the lowest cost, without compromising service (where required)

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Review management information to ensure delivery of customer KPI’s/SLA’s and statutory obligations meet or exceed requirements

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Escalation of PPM task closures and certification (for areas where we don’t have a National Manager/Specialist)

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Create a standard reporting pack for all key supplier relationships, providing updates to the wider city team and customer where required.

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Support reactive job delivery and quote process with city field teams where there are issues across the supply chain or with specific suppliers.

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Lead regular monthly supplier service reviews with allocated suppliers.

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investigate any supplier escalations, assessing the situation and ensuring remedial action plans are put in place and work with the wider procurement team to coordinate responses to the client.

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Communicate all material breaches or escalations head of supplier management and the Head of Procurement and Strategic Partnerships

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Ensure the effective implementation of escalation and critical incident management processes to protect service delivery.

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Lead and manage performance improvement plans within the allocated supply chain.

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Develop and promote a culture of behavioural safety within the team, ensuring effective reporting and investigation of any potential hazards or near misses, incidents, and accidents.

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Work in conjunction with the Sourcing Managers and the customer onboarding team to ensure effective contract mobilisation following contract award

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Actively promote supplier development in order to help identify and target efficiencies and innovative solutions that deliver more value to City and its customers.

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Work with the strategic supplier management lead to ensure full integration with performance management programs across all suppliers.

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Work with the wider business and FM support teams to identify opportunities and agree plans to deliver process improvement, efficiency, and best practice.

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Ensure alignment with the wider business and operational teams to embed a one city approach when dealing with suppliers

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Manage the overall delivery of objectives in accordance with the business strategy.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

5 years’ experience of working within a procurement or supplier management environment.

CIPS qualification or equivalent

A working knowledge of the maintenance service within the FM industry is preferrable, with previous working knowledge of a multi-site contracted environment being desirable.

Strong commercial and supplier management experience and capability

Strategic and Procurement Process mindset

Credibility to deliver a successful SRM programme

Understanding of contracts and the key service deliverables within contracts

Ability to build strong stakeholder relationships, influence and work with people at all levels across a diverse and complex business structure

Excellent verbal and written communication skills to communicate persuasively and confidently at senior management level

Experience of delivering a supplier management programme in a large organisation

Substantial supplier and contract management experience in a senior role

Experience in supporting negotiation of significant supplier contracts

Demonstrable experience in managing supplier relationships

Experience in delivering change

Proven track record in educating stakeholders and gaining alignment to a supplier management framework

Proven track record of managing supplier performance and resolving commercial and contractual issues

Experience in managing regional multi-site suppliers

Strong PC literacy, with experience in extracting, collating, and presenting performance data

Experience in managing financial budgets