Procurement Category Manager - Operational Services

-; Cirencester; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial services company in Cirencester seeks a Procurement Specialist to implement sourcing initiatives and manage supplier negotiations. Essential skills include procurement experience, strong negotiation ability, and stakeholder engagement. Benefits include a competitive salary, annual bonus scheme, and comprehensive leave policies.

Benefits

Discretionary annual bonus

28 days annual leave plus bank holidays

10% non-contributory pension

Private medical insurance

Qualifications

• Recent experience in procurement and category management for Operational Services.
• Proven experience in negotiating and managing contracts for the relevant category.
• Knowledge of cost models and supplier evaluation.

Responsibilities

• Implement the strategy set for the category across SJP.
• Identify and deliver cost saving opportunities.
• Collaborate with directorates to implement category strategy.

Skills

Procurement

Category management

Negotiation

Stakeholder engagement

Risk management

Communication

Education

CIPS qualification

Job description

Are you ready to chart your own career path? At SJP we need talented individuals like yourself to support our evolving culture. If you're seeking an employer that is passionate about excellence, innovation and autonomy, SJP could be the place for you.

At a glance:

Location: Cirencester Office

Workplace Type: Hybrid

Employment Type: Permanent

Seniority: Mid-Senior Level

The role:

This person will act as a trusted adviser to the business in implementing the strategic sourcing and procurement initiatives for Operational Services within SJP. The Operational Services spend category incorporates the following spend categories: Travel and Events, Marketing, Subscriptions, Facilities, Print, Recruitment and HR Services. They will work with stakeholders within the Group Expense Management team and across the business to reduce cost and maximise value.

What you'll be doing:

• Strategy Implementation - working for the Category Lead ensure that the strategy set for the category is implemented and maintained across SJP.
• Cost Optimisation and savings - identify and deliver opportunities for cost savings and increased ROI. Support the implementation of a cost-control approach across the category and use benchmarking to regularly test price competitiveness.
• Stakeholder Engagement - Collaborate across SJP directorates to implement the category strategy and identify opportunities for improvement (cost/value/supplier performance) with the business.
• Sourcing and negotiation - responsible for sourcing events including RFIs, RFPs, contract negotiation and the choice of suppliers for the category. Apply negotiation strategies to help with the selection of suppliers.
• Risk Management - elevate risks to the strategy or suppliers to the Category lead.
• Reporting & Analytics - Feed into KPI reporting to monitor the effectiveness of procurement activities.

Who we're looking for:

The ideal candidate will stay informed about market trends, emerging technologies and industry best practices for Operational Services (Facilities, Marketing & Travel specifically), and be able to apply knowledge of RFP/RFI approaches, supplier evaluation, cost optimisation and negotiation techniques. They will have knowledge of cost models/cost structures and be able to score suppliers during an RFP process and articulate these to stakeholders. They will develop knowledge of the relevant category and how it is utilized across SJP and be able to understand the category strategy on the cost base and objectives of the relevant business areas. They will have strong communication skills and be able to build relationships and influence stakeholders.

Essential Criteria

• Recent experience in procurement and category management for Operational Services.
• Proven experience in negotiating and managing contracts for the relevant category.
• CIPS qualification at any level or qualified by experience.
• Broad understanding of SJP's approach to risk management with suppliers if relevant to this specific role.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills - able to build relationships and influence stakeholders.

What's in it for you?

We reward you for the work you do, whether that's through our discretionary annual bonus scheme that reflects both personal and company performance, competitive annual leave allowance (28 days plus bank holidays, with the option to purchase an additional 5 days), or online rewards platform with a variety of discounts.

• Competitive parental leave (26 weeks full pay)
• Private medical insurance (optional taxable benefit)
• 10% non-contributory pension (increasing with length of service)

Reasonable Adjustments

We're an equal opportunities employer and want to ensure our recruitment process is accessible and inclusive for all, if you require reasonable adjustment(s) at any stage please let us know by emailing us at [e-mail]

Research tells us that applicants (especially those from underrepresented groups) can be put off from applying for a role if they do not meet all the criteria or have been on an extended career break. If you think you would be a good match for this role and can demonstrate some transferable experience please apply, regardless of whether you tick every box.

What's next?

If you're excited about this role and believe you have the skills and experience we're looking for, we'd love to hear from you! Please submit an application by clicking 'apply' below and our team will be in touch.

As a business regulated by the FCA we would advise you to familiarise yourself with the conduct regulations and in particular consumer duty obligations prior to an interview with SJP.