Interim Category Manager - Hybrid Working

An Interim Category Manager is required for up to 9 months.
This is a Hybrid role with a mix of homeworking with the requirement to attend specific workshops in Central London, as required.

It is essential that you are a Category Manager with experience of delivering / implementing complex category strategies involving diverse stakeholders.

Key to this role, is the management of stakeholders at all levels of the business to buy in to the strategy and market knowledge of professional services / Contingent Labour / Consultancy would be an advantage.

Key Skills:

• Extensive commercial / category management experience
• Stakeholder management skills
• Transitioning to BAU 
• Category management experience
• Complex stakeholder management, within complex projects
• Data Analytics
• Security Clearance: SC required

Key Accountabilities:

• Developing some of the category strategy within people pillar
• Working with other category leads
• Working with stakeholders within the organisation
• Stakeholder engagement
• Detailing strategy
• Transitioning – BAU
• People pillar – head office category management – people pillar covers
• Perm recruitment, professional service – HR side of things

Day to Day Duties may include:

• Create bespoke category strategies based on customer demand and market analysis
• Strategically monitor the supplier market landscape, actively engaging with suppliers in communicating all requirements and developing strategic relationships
• Deliver routes to markets and all associated contracts across relevant categories, managing the full commercial lifecycle
• Report to senior leadership on consolidated and segmented spend data
• Motivate, develop and manage a team that delivers corporate outcomes whilst reflecting an ethos of continuous improvement and delivering best practice
• Proactively engage with  peers, other government departments, CCS and external suppliers, ensuring best practice is identified, shared and implemented
• Lead meetings / workshops with all customers and suppliers, analysing requirements and identifying opportunities for cross- team initiatives
• Act as a trusted advisor to Commercial customers, peers and management, ensuring resource deployment (people, time, money) delivers high quality outputs, risk control and value for money for all contracts under management
• Deliver robust relationship management, maximising your own and your team’s engagement with / influence over customers and suppliers alike
• Provide contract management and support relationship management activities for category suppliers

Key Knowledge & Experience:

• Substantial relevant Commercial experience (Category Management/Procurement/Contract Management) gained within large, complex organisations (private or public sector), including exposure to a variety of resource delivery models and all related process and governance
• Previously delivered organisational change and delivery improvements whilst leading, motivating and developing small teams of Commercial professionals
• Managed large, complex, high value tenders, familiarity with relevant market supply bases
• Strong experience of relationship development and stakeholder management in complex Commercial environments
• Deep and broad strategic sourcing expertise across defining requirements, developing sourcing strategies, selection of sourcing options and executing tenders
• Proactive leadership of contract, supplier and performance management activities
• Quickly wins respect and gains trust of others, seen as credible when building strategic relationships with internal and external parties
• Strategically aware, but operationally orientated in delivering value to customers
• Organised, able to prioritise the use of limited resources (money, time and people)
• Engaging communicator (written and oral), emotionally intelligent, able to influence peers and stakeholders of all levels
• A proven leader with demonstrable success in motivating, leading and developing teams
• Supportive of organisational change, confident to propose and/or trial innovative ideas
• able to deliver a quality service, demonstrating commercial acumen in advising customers whilst ensuring positive Commercial outcome
• Working towards and willing to gain and retain the relevant CIPS level (with support) and obtain a Commercial licence
• Private Sector / Public Sector experience