General Overview for UKBU / purpose of the job: 

Our Category Managers play a pivotal role in maximising the value of Procurement at Equans UK&I by executing a structured, collaborative approach to category projects that optimises the procurement of similar products and services. This specific role within the UK BU Central Procurement Team will focus on the Indirects & Professional Services HUB, encompassing a wide range of categories including:

• HR Services: Recruitment, Training, Travel, Meetings & Events, and related services.
• Fleet Management: Leasing, Rental, Fuel, Telematics, and associated vehicle services.
• General Goods & Services: Office supplies and services, Postal and distribution services, and other support functions.
• IT & Telecoms: Technology solutions and telecommunication services.
• Professional & Financial Services: Consultancy, Insurance, Banking Services, and related professional services.

By strategically managing these sub-categories, Category Managers drive efficiencies, enhance collaboration, and secure value-driven outcomes for the business.

This pivotal role within the Procurement Function is essential in delivering a unified, centralised support service across a diverse, autonomous, and nationally dispersed organisation. Reporting directly to the Category HUB Leader,  the role is specifically accountable for:

• Strategic Management of the IT & Telecom Category: This involves conducting comprehensive spend analyses, assessing current and future business needs, and analysing supplier markets and industry dynamics to optimise procurement strategies.
• Supplier Engagement and Relationship Management: Engage with IT and Telecom suppliers to identify those best positioned to fulfill our business requirements, overseeing these relationships to ensure continued alignment with quality, functionality, and cost-effectiveness standards.
• Value Chain Optimisation and Savings Generation: Proactively identify opportunities to drive value across the entire procurement spectrum, prioritising cost savings through a structured Category approach, with a focus on achieving transparent and measurable results.
• Innovation: Champion the integration of innovative solutions to enhance customer offerings within the IT & Telecom category.
• IT Procurement Team Leadership: Manage, provide guidance, direction, and support to the IT procurement team, fostering a results-driven, service effectiveness and collaborative environment to achieve departmental objectives.
• Stakeholder management

The successful applicant will provide category-specific expertise to the business, working closely with the IT support functions and divisional key stakeholders and the broader Procurement team to ensure:

• Compliance with the Equans UK&I Procurement Strategy, Policies, and Processes for category-specific spending.
• Delivery of solutions that address diverse business needs within the IT & Telecom category.
• Engagement with the parent company at Group level, affiliates and sister companies relevant stakeholders, domestically and internationally.
• Proactive input on reporting, including compliance, spend, and savings, with an eye toward continuous improvement.
• Fulfillment of local procurement needs through a structured category approach wherever feasible.
• Promotion of Category-led Framework Agreements and Contracts, ensuring all colleagues are informed of procurement protocols and pricing.
• Support for bid, mobilisation, and de-mobilisation activities as required.
• Alignment of Category strategies with Equans’ sustainability (CSR), DE&I and IT commitments.
• Continuous alignment of solutions with business needs and market developments.

The Procurement Function operates in close partnership with suppliers and both internal and external customers to foster innovation, delivering value-driven, transformational outcomes for our clients, profitability for our business, and inspiration for our people.

The post holder may need to undertake other tasks as and when needed to support the priorities of the Procurement Function. National travel is part of this role.

Key Accountabilities:

Category Management

·       Strategic management of the IT & Telecom category: analysis of spend & business needs, anticipation of future needs, supplier market analysis and market dynamics – Management of the related supply chain, contract extension/renewal, launch and drive end to end RFP/RFQ processes, etc.

·       Leading the development of procurement strategies in close cooperation with business operations and procurement stakeholders activating all spend reduction levers;

·       Defining and implementing an action plan to deploy strategies for BUs/entities to effectively reduce their external spend on the category and/or mitigate market increases;

·       Steering economic performance (external spend reduction), supplier performance on category;

·       Adapting strategy in response to changes (market, internal budgets, technologies);

·       Supporting operational entities in the implementation and monitoring of supplier policy defined for the category;

·       Delivering large scale programme such as the renewal of our UK Purchase to Pay system, renegotiation of our mobile telephony contract, appointment of UK LMS system provider, printer transformation programme, etc.

·       Assist the Delivery and Commercial teams in efficient subcontract procurement;

·       Work to and support supply chain deals, working with procurement department to ensure the BU achieves the best potential in terms of supplier arrangements;

·       Understand and protect the companies commercial and legal position in relation to its contractual engagement with supply chain arrangements clearly setting out the terms and proposals;

·       Oversee and manage the recovery of retrospective rebates with regards;

·       Setting annual rebate collection targets;

·       Promoting rebate arrangements across group to maximize utilisation;

·       Provide pre-tender specialist commercial input as required to ensure accurate net cost pricing;

·       Support subcontractor procurement by benchmarking and interrogating costs to ensure additional contribution opportunities are realized (re-invigoration of cost benchmarking database and e-procurement);

·       Attend and participate in Design Team Meetings to influence and steer specifications towards most commercially advantageous products;

·       Maintain and publish regular and accurate reportage demonstrating the effectiveness of strategic sourcing arrangements and contribution to the group profit improvement / efficiency plan;

·       Monitor supplier / category expenditures and trends;

·       Publish regular product availability status reportage;

·       Build and maintain excellent supplier relations;

·       Management of the IT procurement team and associated performance including quality of the internal service delivery

Risk Management

·       Assist each project carries out regular risk reviews;

·       Review and provision of accurate and timely information regarding opportunities and threats and management of these;

Health, Safety and Environment

·       Promote HS&E across the projects in all procurement activities;

·       Work with projects teams to promote a culture of safe working and ensure compliance with HS&E rules;

·       Take a lead in procurement terms on matters relating to sustainability;

Others

·       Work with projects teams to develop a cohesive team; Lead by example, train and develop staff;

·       Ensure procurement processes are compliant with group standards and are fully embedded within the business;

Dimensions of the Role:

·       Direct report à 4 team members in total with 1 Team leader – IT Procurement team

·       Procurement portfolio responsible of is c£50 million

·       Number of Categories and subcategories à 17 subcategories

·       Part of the corporate IT Category Management HUB

·       Work on projects/activities involving multiple BUs (Lead or support role)

Key Relationships:

·       UK CIO & UK IT leadership team

·       Corporate Category manager IT & BUs IT category Manager

Knowledge and Skills:

·       Demonstrate high levels of personal and business probity in both self and team

·       Demonstrable ability to create collaborative working relationships and effective partnerships

·       Ability to provide creative solutions to issues/ problems

·       Proven ability to provide straightforward, clear and easy to understand information and documentation

·       Ability to use own initiative as well as working effectively as part of a team

·       Excellent time management skills with the ability to prioritise own workload

·       First rate communication skills both written, verbal and technical

·       Strive to find most effective and efficient ways of working

·       Show a proactive, flexible and resourceful approach to delivering solutions

·       Proven commercial acumen, with an eye for detail and accuracy

·       Familiarity with standard forms of contract

·       Proven track record in successful negotiations, balancing cost restraints, customer and practical requirements

·       Ability to manage and organise a team to ensure the correct level of performance and secure deliverables

·       Strong analytical abilities, and the ability to analyse complex category data to drive supply chain selectivity and risk mitigation.

·       Being capable of contributing to technical discussions specific to the category and supporting the development of valued engineering or alternative product selection.

Experience:

·       5+ years’ experience in a similar role – Senior Procurement role

• Experience of stakeholder management and influencing
• Experience in developing work winning solutions with operational and business development stakeholders to drive better technical solutions and outcomes.

Qualifications:

·       Advantageous – CIPS Level 5, or working towards (or equivalent)

Competencies:

The required competencies for this role are;

·       Collaborating – Works well with others (Individual Contributor & Team player)

·       Commercial – Adds value & deliver financial performance

·       Delivering – Deliver element of added value to the business & achieve against target

·       Influencing – Influence business decision making by using a robust approach in all procurement related activities/projects  

·       Learning – Improves job performance

·       Planning – Thinks ahead

·       Leading – Support direct reports and team members to achieve excellence at Procurement level