Category Manager, Professional Services

Every day, we are committed to delivering safe and secure energy to homes, communities, and businesses. We stand ready to support people when they need us the most, connecting them to the energy essential for their daily lives. As the pace of change in society and our industry accelerates, our expertise and proven track record position us uniquely to shape a sustainable future for the energy sector.

To achieve success, we must proactively anticipate the needs of our customers, striving to reduce the cost of energy delivery today while pioneering the flexible energy systems of tomorrow. This commitment requires us to fulfill our promises and continuously seek new opportunities for growth, both personally and professionally, as well as for our business

Reporting into the Head of Category and Procurement Business Partner for Workplace Services, the Category Manager is accountable for developing and implementing strategic category strategies and driving and managing supply chain strategies that optimize cost and ensure quality & reliability of supply and leading all procurement activities.

This is combined with their role acting as an operational business partner for the specified Business Unit where you will support the Strategic Business Partner and co-ordinate across the relevant Procurement teams to ensure they can provide Business Unit updates, insight and recommendations as required.

You will engage and drive strategic relationship with category critical suppliers, implement vendor and contract management strategies and ensure the supply chain is engaged and enabled to meet the business needs.

Leading a team of Buyers, Senior Buyers, Category Specialists and Category Lead, you will manage a major category area in line with National Grid's procurement strategy, ensuring realisation of synergies, like cost savings and risk reduction, and optimisation of the category profit.

• Support the VP IT & Indirects (Band B) and Head of Category Workplace Services Business Partner (Band C) to engage with the Business Unit and Functions, and where appropriate directly support the strategic relationship with them to ensure their procurement and supply chain needs are delivered in line with business requirements.
• Support the development and delivery of a comprehensive suite of category strategies for Professional Services (including Consulting, Legal Services, Financial Services, etc.) providing market capability and capacity intelligence, ensuring that maximum value is realised from the significant procurement spend, whilst securing supply, managing supply chain risks, and achieving sustainability objectives.
• Aligned to your category ownership, develop, and maintain strong relationships with key suppliers to ensure continuous improvement, security of supply and value delivery.
• Responsible for the development and implementation of procurement strategies and execution of the procurement priorities for the business unit. Providing strategic and commercial insight, supply chain sustainability insight, and supply chain risk and mitigation recommendations.
• Work across teams and sub-functions within Procurement to support overall category management effort (e.g., Sustainability, Supply Chain Risk & Transparency, Market Supplier Development, Supplier Engagement).
• Identify, assess, and mitigate risks associated with the category, including supply chain disruptions, price volatility, and quality issues.
• Lead a highly motivated, innovative, and value-focused team, developing talent and a performance management culture that drives value through employee engagement which successfully meets or exceeds all strategic objectives for the area.

• Previous procurement experience, delivering category excellence, commercial insight, and leverage.
• Track record of driving strategic change through category intelligence.
• Expertise across a range of strategic sourcing activities.
• Expertise across Professional Service Categories.
• Experience of broad, supply chain management.
• Ability to communicate dynamically as a manager of people and to senior leaders within National Grid and supplier oganizations.
• Experience in managing high performing teams.
• Good understanding of broader business objectives and the implications of strategic planning and actions within the category.
• Expert influencing and negotiation skills to drive optimum value through the award of commercially sound contracts.
• Degree level / relevant professional qualification such as CIPS or equivalent experience

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