Category Manager

MRD Recruitment is delighted to be recruiting a 12-month FTC for Category Manager (Directs) on behalf of our Engineering client. My client is a global leader in their respective field and the successful incumbent will report into their Ops Director and be based in Glasgow.

The successful Category Manager will lead and develop Category (Directs) strategy and drive related supply chain initiatives. They will serve as the Category “subject matter expert”.

Key Responsibilities

• Current annual spend circa £100m
• Define category strategy and gain buy-in from key stakeholders including operating company-specific initiatives to execute strategy.
• Drive collaboration and best practice sharing among category representatives in all business units.
• Continuously build and deliver savings initiatives and achieve all business targets.
• Lead and develop best-in-class supplier management
• Support new suppliers and ensure measures are put in place to improve on quality, OTD, & costs.
• Identify & lead the identification and execution of opportunities with suppliers.
• Identify opportunities to utilize technology advancements or market changes for cost and quality improvements.
• Identify and minimize supply chain risks for category (Directs).
• Collaborate and identify suppliers that can improve cost while maintaining high-levels of quality and delivery.
• The role holder will be expected to travel frequently to other sites.

Essential skills

• STEM Degree is preferential, but not essential
• Previous strategic sourcing experience in a direct category/s capacity
• Experience of working across multiple locations,
• Strong leadership skills and ability to influence stakeholders
• Strategic focus with the ability to analyse, formulate and implement strategic procurement strategies to significantly reduce cost
• Excellent team player with the ability to work with multiple customers
• Strong ethical and integrity standards
• Sets personal deliverables and maintains commitment
• Excellent communication and influencing skills with an ability to clearly present ideas, concepts and processes

Further skills and behaviours

• Ability to coordinate several projects simultaneously.
• Comfortable to adapt in an environment of complexity and changing priorities.
• Effective problem identification and solution skills
• Ability to communicate effectively at various levels of seniority in the business
• Manages challenging assignments in a global environment.
• Ability to inspire innovative performance of peers and suppliers
• Constructively challenge senior management and influence their approach on key programme / project issues.
• The Category Manager is expected to manage the job priorities and workload, in order to ensure deliverables are completed to the agreed timescales.
• The Category Manager is expected to communicate professionally in all aspects of the role