Senior Category Manager

PURPOSE OF ROLE:
To provide strategic direction for procurement working with directors and senior commissioning managers across all services in the Council.
To lead and manage a category management approach to the procurement of a specified portfolio expenditure to deliver savings for the Council.
To lead and project manage a range of sourcing activities in support of the category plan.
To lead on continuous improvement activities in the following areas:

Developing optimum routes to procurement based on market developments and changes to service requirements;
Developing clear service specification documents that enable best service provision fit;
When developing specifications and reviews of in-sourcing/outsourcing options, provides options on points of interface relative to market choices;
Ensuring specifications focus on outputs;
Understanding cost drivers and levers when formulating specifications and make sure potential costs are fully understood;
Driving consultation processes with stakeholders to ensure procurement activities mirror actual service requirements;
Identify potential improvements to the procurement toolkit that contains authoritative direction and authorised procurement templates; and managing their implementation;
Liaison with the Supplier Performance Hub to drive best practice in contract management;
Ensure market testing and market intelligence is undertaken throughout the Procurement Hub;
Lead on the application of market shaping techniques to improve procurement processes;
Drive efficiencies through all aspects of the Procurement Hub;
Drive internal and external service improvements;
Sustainability including SMEs, apprentices, LLW etc;
Ensuring processes are tailored to the particular requirements of the task;
Ensuring appropriate career development and knowledge sharing opportunities are available to Procurement Hub staff;
Driving compliance with contract regulations.

Responsible for: Category Managers and Supply Chain Support Officers