Assistant Category Manager

University of the Arts London; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

University of the Arts London is seeking a Procurement Professional to join the Digital & Technology category team. You will work with the Senior Category Manager to deliver value for money, support sourcing strategies, and draft specifications through to tendering and contract monitoring.

You will engage with senior stakeholders, promote best practice in purchasing, and help maintain procurement trackers and supplier relationships. A CIPS qualification or progress toward it is preferred.

Qualifications

• Experience in Digital & Technology procurement.
• Ability to manage multiple projects in a complex environment.
• Knowledge of procurement practices and directives (UK/EU) is desirable but not essential.

Responsibilities

• Deliver a sustainable procurement service for Digital & Technology from sourcing strategy to contract management.
• Develop and draft specifications, conduct competitive tendering, evaluate suppliers and manage contracts.
• Support strategies for Digital & Technology including tenders and frameworks (GCloud, LUPC, GCA).
• Champion eMarketplace for high volume spend and rationalise suppliers.
• Promote best practice in procurement and engage with stakeholders to deliver value for money.
• Provide training and guidance on supplier relationship management and ensure contract obligations are met.
• Stay up to date with legislation/regulatory requirements affecting procurement.
• Maintain Contracts Register, Procurement tracker and pipeline tracker for workload planning and risk management.
• Provide category management reporting and spend analysis to support strategies.

Skills

Procurement

Category management

Stakeholder engagement

Supplier management

Contract management

Spend analysis

Education

CIPS qualification

Tools

GCloud

LUPC

GCA

Job description

An outstanding opportunity for a Procurement Professional to join an established team at one of the UK’s most prestigious and globally renowned Universities. Working closely with the Senior Category Manager for Digital & Technology, the Assistant Category Manager will support the wide range of procurement activity across the University. Collaborating with senior stakeholders, driving value for money, advising on routes to market and supporting a culture of best practice principles for purchasing.

Key duties include:

• Support the Senior Category Managers to deliver a sustainable procurement service for Digital & Technology, from sourcing strategy through to the development and drafting of specifications, competitive tendering, supplier evaluation and selection, contract management and monitoring.
• Support procurement strategies for Digital & Technology ensuring the best route to market, including the use of tenders, frameworks (GCloud, LUPC, GCA) and development of UAL frameworks for call off.
• Champion the use of the eMarketplace for high volume spend, engaging with suppliers and stakeholders to rationalise suppliers.
• Support a culture of procurement best practice, early engagement with Procurement, signposting and delivering value for money for sustainable purchasing.
• Develop a culture of robust supplier relationship management, providing training and guidance to stakeholders, ensuring adherence to contract obligations.
• Keep up to date with existing and proposed legislation and regulatory requirements to ensure your effectiveness as a procurement professional within the assigned category.
• Maintain the Contracts Register, Procurement tracker and procurement pipeline tracker so it can be utilised for workload planning, risk management and monitoring performance.
• Provide category management reporting, analysing markets and spend to support category procurement strategies.

Location:

• Offering a Hybrid work pattern and operating out of expansive offices within the historic Central Saint Martin’s college (less than 10 minutes-walk from Kings Cross Station), this is a vibrant and modern team environment with an expectation that staff work a minimum of 2 days onsite.

Your profile and background:

• Previous experience working on procurement projects with in a Digital & Technology category area
• Track record managing multiple procurement projects in a complex environment.
• Knowledge of procurement practices, procurement law, EU/UK procurement directives (Public Contract Regulations 2015/Procurement Act 2023 desirable but not essential).
• Personable and self-motivated with the ability to influence and engage with Key Stakeholders and liaise confidently with a broad range of IT Suppliers.
• You’ll ideally be CIPS qualified or working towards qualification.