Senior Category Manager

Bupa UK; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

10% Management Bonus

Generous pension scheme

25 days holiday

Bupa health insurance

Onsite gyms or local discounts

Flexible working

Job summary

Bupa UK is hiring a Senior Category Manager in a hybrid role across London or Manchester. You will lead a team of Category Managers, own significant budgets and drive strategic category sourcing from development to contract signature.

Success requires strong negotiation, stakeholder management and CPD in procurement, with experience delivering cost savings and governance across complex categories. The role offers robust benefits and a focus on professional growth.

Qualifications

• Graduate Degree (e.g. BA, BSc, MEng) or higher.
• MCIPS or equivalent professional qualification (desirable)
• Experience of project management skills
• Category management experience and expertise in a related industry & spend groups.
• Extensive sourcing and contract negotiation experience
• Proven evidence of sourcing similar products and services
• Proven ability to deliver savings and Bupa required performance requirements through driving strategic category planning
• Experienced negotiator who is proficient at drawing upon and developing fact based negotiation plans
• Industry and marketplace experience relevant to this role including knowledge of relevant industry legislation
• Strong communications skills
• Comprehensive experience of working closely with interval stakeholders to ensure a successful commercial outcome
• Proficient at drafting contracts and familiar with contract law
• Strong people management skills

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain category strategies with a clear savings pipeline annually.
• Establish category prioritises for the full portfolio of spend for both direct and team expenditure.
• Understand the strategic intent of the Bupa UK and the Business Units to align category plans with organisational goals.
• Provide expertise on the external market for the category area including market drivers and supplier profiling.
• Ensure the strategic sourcing activities are aligned with global strategies.
• Utilise knowledge of third party risk management within the category and manage these risks per policy.
• Work with executives to raise awareness of risk and mitigation strategies.
• Develop negotiation plans and lead contract negotiations on behalf of the organisation.
• Deliver compliant contracts with approvals throughout the sourcing process to supplier signature.
• Act as the Procurement expert for identified activities and participate in procurement forums.
• Mentor Category Managers and support team development and resourcing.
• Collaborate with Supplier Relationship Management to align strategy and plan sourcing events.

Skills

Category management

Contract negotiation

Sourcing

Stakeholder management

People management

Project management

Communication skills

Education

Graduate degree

MCIPS

Job description

Senior Category Manager

Hybrid working with up to 3 days per week working from home

Angel Court - London, Staines or Salford Quays - Manchester

Permanent

Salary £65,000 - £80,200 per annum

Fantastic benefits including 10% Management Bonus and generous pension scheme

Full time 37.5 hours per week

We make health happen

Working in our UK support functions you’ll play a key part in helping our customer facing colleagues deliver exceptional standards of customer service and patient care. No matter your role, you’ll have an opportunity to do work that matters. Making a difference to the lives of our customers each and every day.

Job Description

As our Senior Category Manager, you’ll utilise your wealth of procurement experience, agile working and stakeholder management to lead a team of Category Managers owning significant budgets.

You’ll be there to support Bupa's procurement vision, driving the development and execution of the procurement strategy for high value, critical category spend areas ensuring management & compliance to Policies including the Third Party Supplier onboarding process.

You’ll be working closely with the Accountable Executives, Business owners and stakeholders to ensure category strategy is delivered, providing significant value through the execution of the sourcing process to contract award.

The role requires the individual to lead supplier selection for their portfolio and to support their team, in line with the Category Management 6 step process. They will also qualify suppliers through the supplier onboarding process including but not limited to segmentation, due diligence & audit.

In Addition, The Job Holder Will

• Develop and maintain a comprehensive category strategies which has a clear savings/opportunity pipeline annually. Support Category Managers with their portfolios.


• Establish category prioritises for the full portfolio of spend for both direct and team expenditure.


• Understand the strategic intent of the BGIUK (and other Market Units as required) and the Business Units within it to ensure that category plans, procurement initiatives and activities are aligned with organisational goals


• Provide expertise on the external market for the category area including market drivers, supplier profiling and market developments.


• Ensure the strategic sourcing activities are aligned and executed with business and/or global strategies at all times.


• Utilise strong knowledge of third party risk management required within the category and management of these risks in line with policy & procedures including but not limited to Segmentation & Due Diligence Process, DPIA & Audit processes as required.


• Work closely with Accountable Executives and Business Owners to bring awareness of risk and necessary management to mitigate Bupa's exposure to supply chain risks within the categories under their management.


• Develop negotiation plans and lead contract negotiations on behalf of the organisation and in support of Category Managers.


• Deliver compliant contracts with relevant sign off and approvals throughout the sourcing process to supplier signature.


• Act as the Procurement expert for identified activities and projects within the relevant business area, attending Procurement forums and supplier governance meetings as required


• Act as an escalation point for Category Managers and where appropriate direct their activities with assistance from the Head of Procurement


• Work closely with the Supplier Relationship Management within relevant category area to ensure strategy alignment for planning of sourcing events, evaluation & contract signature/handover process are managed


• Develop innovative solutions by challenging the status quo and business requirements


• Bring innovation to the team and to the organisation and maximises total cost of ownership savings through continuous improvement initiatives


• Build string relationships within the business to ensure requirements are delivered, performance tracked and operational efficiencies are maximised


• Actively input into Bupa UK procurement strategy, governance and policy improvement plans


• Actively participate in Team and Department meetings and events and be responsible for communicating and advocating procurement throughout the organisation.


• Maintain personal integrity with regards to commercial confidentiality and conduct supplier relationships with the highest standard of ethical conduct.


• Manage a high performing and cost effective team of Category Managers with an emphasis on team development, resourcing, and colleague engagement.

Key Skills / Qualifications Needed For This Role

• Graduate Degree (e.g. BA, BSc, MEng) or higher (e.g. MA)


• MCIPS or equivalent professional qualification (desirable)


• Experience of project management skills


• Category management experience and expertise in a related industry & spend groups.


• Extensive sourcing and contract negotiation experience


• Proven evidence of sourcing similar products and services


• Proven ability and experience of delivering savings and Bupa required performance requirements through driving strategic category planning


• Experienced negotiator who is proficient at drawing upon and developing fact based negotiation plans and operating at a senior level


• Industry and marketplace experience relevant to this role including knowledge of relevant industry legislation


• Strong communications skills


• Comprehensive experience of working closely with interval stakeholders to ensure a successful commercial outcome


• Proficient at drafting contracts and familiar with contract law


• Strong people management skills

Benefits

Our benefits are designed to make health happen for our people. Viva is our global wellbeing programme and includes all aspects of our health – from mental and physical, to financial, social and environmental wellbeing. We support flexible working and have a range of family friendly benefits.

Joining Bupa in this role you will receive the following benefits and more:

• 25 days holiday, increasing through length of service, with option to buy or sell


• Bupa health insurance as a benefit in kind


• An enhanced pension plan and life insurance


• Onsite gyms or local discounts where no onsite gym available


• Various other benefits and online discounts

Why Bupa?

We’re a health insurer and provider. With no shareholders, our customers are our focus. Our people are all driven by the same purpose – helping people live longer, healthier, happier lives and making a better world. We make health happen by being brave, caring and responsible in everything we do.

We encourage all of our people to \"Be you at Bupa\", we champion diversity, and we understand the importance of our people representing the communities and customers we serve. That’s why we especially encourage applications from people with diverse backgrounds and experiences.

Bupa is a Level 2 Disability Confident Employer. This means we aim to offer an interview/assessment to every disabled applicant who meets the minimum criteria for the role. We’ll make sure you are treated fairly and offer reasonable adjustments as part of our recruitment process to anyone that needs them.

Time Type

Full time

Job Area

Finance & Accounting

Locations

Angel Court, London, Bupa Place