Senior Category Advisor

WorkSafe Victoria; Geelong; On-site; AUD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

WorkSafe Victoria is seeking a Senior Category Advisor for a fixed-term six-month backfill in Core Operations spend categories. Based in Geelong, you will lead complex sourcing, provide strategic procurement advice, and manage high-value tenders and supplier risk while engaging senior stakeholders.

This role requires strong commercial judgement, governance discipline and a proactive approach to delivering value across claims management, medical equipment & consumables, healthcare services

Qualifications

• Strong procurement and sourcing experience.
• Experience delivering major procurement projects on time.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication.
• Analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
• Sound governance, risk and supplier management.
• Ability to influence senior leaders and executives.

Responsibilities

• Provide procurement and contractual advice to internal stakeholders with timeliness and evidence-based approaches.
• Manage complex RFx activities including negotiations while upholding ethics and probity.
• Support category management plans, social procurement and demand management.
• Analyse spend data and market trends to identify risks and opportunities.
• Manage supplier and category risks and ensure governance compliance.
• Escalate systemic contractual and commercial issues as needed.
• Support contract lifecycle activities including extensions and variations.
• Deliver initiatives within Core Operations Spend with accurate record-keeping.

Skills

Procurement experience

Stakeholder management

Commercial judgement

Analytical thinking

Problem solving

Written and presentation skills

Education

Relevant tertiary qualification

Job description

About the opportunity

The role is being offered on a fixed-term basis for six months to provide temporary backfill for an existing position. The Senior Category Advisor supports the Portfolio Manager, Core Operations Spend, to provide strategic procurement advice and deliver procurement activity across WorkSafe’s Core Operations spend categories. These categories include claims management, medical equipment and consumables, healthcare services, professional services, strategy, and occupational health and safety.

The role manages high-value and complex sourcing activities, supports category and supplier strategies, and provides trusted commercial and contractual advice to stakeholders across WorkSafe. The Senior Category Advisor also uses spend analysis and market research to identify opportunities, manage risk and improve value across the procurement lifecycle.

What You'll Do:

• Provide timely, accurate and evidence-based procurement and contractual advice to internal stakeholders.
• Manage complex request for tender and request for quotation activities, including commercial negotiations, while maintaining high standards of ethics and probity.
• Support the development and implementation of category management plans, including social procurement, demand management and other value opportunities.
• Analyse internal spend data and external markets to identify trends, risks and opportunities.
• Manage supplier and category risks and support compliance with WorkSafe’s procurement, governance and policy requirements.
• Act as a point of escalation for systemic contractual and commercial matters, including supplier performance issues and disputes.
• Support contract lifecycle activities, including extensions, exemptions, variations and terminations.
• Deliver agreed initiatives and benefits within the Core Operations Spend program of work, while maintaining accurate procurement, contract and benefits records.

Please ensure you review the Position Description herefor additional information on accountabilities for this role.

About you

You are an experienced procurement professional with strong commercial judgement and a practical, customer-focused approach. You can manage complex sourcing activities and strategic projects, build trusted relationships, and provide clear advice to senior stakeholders in a complex and changing environment.

Additionally, you will possess the following skills and experience:

• Strong procurement and sourcing experience, preferably gained in a consulting, corporate or government environment.
• Demonstrated experience delivering major and complex procurement projects within required timeframes.
• Strong project management and change management capability.
• Well-developed commercial, conceptual, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated experience managing suppliers, contracts, procurement risk and governance requirements.
• Excellent stakeholder and relationship management skills, including the ability to influence and provide robust advice to senior leaders and executives.
• Exceptional written, verbal and presentation skills.
• The ability to respond proactively and pragmatically to emerging or urgent business requirements.
• A relevant tertiary qualification.

Working with us

At WorkSafe, our goal is for every employee to feel connected, safe, and valued within their team, for teams to feel appreciated in the workplace, and for WorkSafe to be respected in the community.

We believe that a diverse workforce is essential for delivering the best outcomes for the Victorian community. We strongly encourage applications from all individuals, including First Nations people, people with disabilities, those from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, and individuals of all sexualities and genders.