• Role: Category Manager, Head of Professional Services - REF 28579
• Contracting Authority: Central Government
• Contract Length: Run until 8/4/21
• Location: London
• IR35: IN SCOPE
• Pay Rate to Candidate: £700 a day
• Security Clearance: SC (desirable)

Job Description

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Senior Category Manager, due to COVID's impact on the current landscape. As Senior Category Manager you will be part of a team of category managers managing common goods and services used throughout the Ministry of Defence. You'll lead the professional services category, this encompasses consultancy, and legal & insurance services; a category of expenditure circa £500m per annum.

As Professional Services Category Manager you will:

• You'll develop and implement the professional services category strategy, based on customer demand, market analysis and engagement with all relevant stakeholder groups;
• You'll ensure spend data is consolidated and segmented by category and relevant groupings to inform the on-going development of the category strategy;
• You'll provide commercial advice and guidance to category customers, ensuring efficient and effective application of the category strategy in sourcing delivery;
• You'll develop category commercial expertise, ensuring the development of knowledge of market trends, innovation, developing commercial models and enhancements in service or product specifications;
• You'll provide day-to-day leadership for your category, including commercial controls and reviews, managing resources and 'category requests';
• You'll contribute to the development of effective tools and continuous improvement techniques, actively participate in activities that facilitate the embedding of best practice into Head Office category management activities
• You'll drive innovation and work with the team to consistently review current Commercial processes, policy and governance, and general ways of working to identify opportunities for improvement

You'll be/ have:

• You'll have strong experience in professional services categories
• An ability to jump into different roles for tactical situations
• Proven track record in professional services procurement
• Confident, articulate and a proactive thinker
• Strong communication and presentation skills
• Team player
• Commercially minded
• Intrinsically motivated with the ability to generate ideas and solutions
• Demonstrate excellence in the ability to deliver the category strategy including value and cost savings
• Proven strong stakeholder management throughout all levels of an organisation
• Significant experience in Category Management, Contract Management & Commercial Excellence
• Detailed working knowledge of Category Management and the processes to support this
• Proven ability to professionally deal with unexpected issues arising throughout the delivery of complex projects
• Reading and understanding of contractual language
• Gravitas to be able to act as a strategic or tactical lead in front of senior stakeholders
• Clear articulation of the strategy and ability to summarise succinctly often complex principles and logic
• Experience of leading teams and able to transfer knowledge to upskill teams
• Experience of working in a Defence/government environment.