Category Manager

Category Manager

Location: London (Hybrid)

Salary: Competitive

Permanent

Category Manager | Technology | London, UK (Hybrid)

Company Overview:

Our client is a global financial markets infrastructure provider that offers a comprehensive range of services. It operates stock exchanges, clearinghouses, and market data services, facilitating transparent and efficient financial markets. Its offerings include capital formation, trading, risk management, and technology solutions. With a focus on innovation and strategic acquisitions, the company has expanded its global reach and established itself as a trusted player in the financial industry, driving market efficiency and seamless interactions.

Role Overview:

This role is responsible for managing the supplier relationships for the Networks and Data Centres category. The goal is to build and deliver a “best in class” category procurement service with the express intent of delivering year-on-year benefit to the Group in terms of innovation, speed to market, quality, efficiency, risk mitigation and lower cost.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with key customers in the Group and business teams.
• Lead Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) of strategic supplier relationships (business critical and high spend), leading all key commercial and governance aspects.
• Facilitate regular supplier review meetings as well as joint steering group meetings with senior partners.
• Lead supplier risks and issues.
• Working closely with the business to understand planned Networks consumption, define, gain agreement to and implement strategic sourcing plans (including a pipeline of opportunities) for the Networks Service Providers and sourcing initiatives in support of defined business goals and business roadmaps.
• Lead the development of strategic and preferred suppliers with a focus on Network Infrastructure Technology vendors.
• Implement Strategy, develop and lead supplier performance improvement programs and develop strategies to effectively improve supply chain performance in quality, delivery, and cost management.
• Lead and drive strategic sourcing engagement, focusing on commercial and contractual negotiations, working with business partners and legal to close negotiations with contracts which fully protect the Group’s commercial interests and ensure mitigation of operational risk.

Essential Experience and Skills Required:

• Strong supplier management experience and industry / market knowledge relating to the category of Networks Services and Technology Procurement.
• Proven years dedicated to Networks Service Providers.
• Skilled in various types of pricing structures as well as associated contract terms and conditions and legal ramifications.
• Understanding of financial accounts.
• Familiar and comfortable with intermediate IT tools and Procurement systems.
• Foster key relationships, influence and act as an authority across the organisation up to Executive level.
• Proven track record of running and leading business change and the transformation of business relationships.
• Demonstrate analytical, problem solving, project management and decision-making skills.
• Proactive behaviour that demonstrates initiative and positive work ethic to ensure activities are delivered to the required time, budget and quality.

Minimum Requirements:

• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal).
• Strong top-down critical thinking and the ability to produce compelling narratives to guide customers to sound decision-making.
• Educated to degree level.
• Desirable Experience sourcing Networks and Networking infrastructure.
• Experience in procurement in a Financial Services Regulated Environment, Information Services Companies, and FinTech.

Are you ready to take the next step in your career in this challenging, but rewarding and exciting environment?