Procurement Category Manager IT Services

Location: Crawley, United KingdomIn fast changing markets, customers worldwide rely on Thales. Thales is a business where brilliant people from all over the world come together to share ideas and inspire each other. In aerospace, transportation, defence, security and space, our architects design innovative solutions that make our tomorrow's possible.Together we offer fantastic opportunities for committed employees to learn and develop their career with us. At Thales UK, we research, develop, and supply technology and services that impact the lives of millions of people each day to make life better, and keep us safer. We innovate across five major industries; Aerospace, Defence, Ground Transportation, Security and Space. Your health and well-being matters to us and that’s why we offer you the flexibility to do what’s important to you; whether that’s part time hours, job sharing, home working, or the ability to flex your start and finish times. Where possible, we support a working pattern that suits your lifestyle and helps you reach your ambitions. Category Manager – IT Hardware Solutions Crawley/Reading An exciting opportunity for a Category Manager has arisen within our Category Management procurement function. You will be joining a large Procurement function within Thales UK which consists of 200 Procurement professionals. This role sits within the direct/Indirect Procurement team and reports into the Head of Procurement for ITS As the Category Manager for IT Hardware Solutions you will lead the strategic sourcing activities with c. £14.5M commitment per annum covering IT Hardware, peripherals and Industrial IT Equipment. The successful candidate will work closely with key stakeholders across the business to ultimately deliver a service which meets stakeholder expectations and deliver successful outcomes for the business Thales is a global business and you will be working cross collaboratively with business units in the UK and global colleagues, and in particular the Thales Global Services (TGS) Procurement team. Your responsibilities Manage all aspects of IT Hardware Solutions and be accountable for the overall performance and compliance within the UK Ensure delivery and alignment of the global strategy within the UK Manage all aspects of the Procurement cycle including determining sourcing options, major/complex tender process and obtain low value quotes, cost benchmarking, evaluation of Supplier tenders and contract drafting Work collaboratively within the Category to optimise synergies and opportunities across Thales UK and globally for internal and external needs and manage associated nuances Deliver tangible business and financial benefits in line with UK and global objectives, and record and report savings to the UK Cost Benefit Board Act as Category lead within business led bid and project activity and attend Work Package kick-off meetings Deploy Category Management techniques to drive desired outcomes in accordance with strategy Manage a network of business and functional stakeholders in the UK and globally including the TGS Procurement team Ensure appropriate Supplier Relationship Management and Performance Management techniques are employed to improve performance, mitigate risk and capture innovation from suppliers Analyse complex and sometimes incomplete information to create an easy to communicate short-medium and long term solution. Support technical discussions when required Ensure relevant governance is complied with including the Thales Procurement ‘Gate’ review process, Delegation of Authority and Purchase Order approval Deliver weekly and monthly Category and Supplier performance reports Support improvement to capability and competencies to enhance the development of the Category/team/function Skills, experience and qualifications Broad range of Commercial and Procurement management skills and a track record of success Proven Track record of deploying Category Management techniques to define long term supply policies Commercially astute with advanced negotiation skills and experience including differing contracting models Must be able to use an analytical and inclusive approach to solve problems Advanced negotiation, communication and listening skills essential Convincing written and oral communication and presentation skills SC Clearance must be obtained Ability to work within a network, sharing experiences and knowledge Displays passion, energy, drive, agility and resilience in achieving ambitious targets under difficult circumstances and responds positively to setbacks Command of contemporary purchasing techniques Experience of e-procurement tools Desirable 5 years Procurement experience of the IT Hardware COTs & IT Industrial Equipment Category gained within a large blue chip organisation Working towards CIPS or MCIPS qualified Technical curiosity/engineering background Knowledge and experience of the full product lifecycle. Business or Engineering degree, or equivalent Professional qualification in related disciplines In line with Thales' Baseline Security requirements, candidates will be asked to provide evidence of identity, eligibility to work in the UK and employment and/or education history for up to three years. Some vacancies may require full Security Clearance which can require further evidence to be provided. For further details of the evidence required to apply for Baseline and Security Clearance please refer to the Defence Business Services National Security Vetting (DBS NSV) Agency. At Thales we provide CAREERS and not only jobs. With Thales employing 80,000 employees in 68 countries our mobility policy enables thousands of employees each year to develop their careers at home and abroad, in their existing areas of expertise or by branching out into new fields. Together we believe that embracing flexibility is a smarter way of working. Great journeys start here, apply now This job was originally posted as www.cwjobs.co.uk/job/89929492