Head of Category for Technology and Indirect

Job Details

Salary: Competitive per annum, plus excellent benefits

Contract: 6-month Fixed-term contract
Hours: 37.5 hours per week, Mon - Fri 09:00 - 17:30

Location: Crawley, West Sussex

Closing date: 31st October 2019

Many of our staff at Virgin work flexibly and in many different ways, including part-time, different core hours or remote working. Please talk to us at your application or interview stage about the flexibility you need. We can’t promise to give you exactly what you want, but we are happy to explore what’s possible for the role.

In a nutshell

In this role, you’ll be working as a senior member of the Procurement Team leading the Technology & Corporate Services Category. This position will be accountable for the on-going creation and implementation of the overall category strategy consisting of multiple sub category strategies that demonstrate direct contribution to the organisations’ goals

You will lead the team delivering strategic procurement activity and ensuring a high standard of service as a business partner to your category's leadership team. You’ll also contribute as a member of the Procurement leadership team in developing the skill set and profile of the function across the business.

Day to day

Following Organisation goals, market factors and knowledge of the supply base ensuring development and implementation of supply strategies for each area of the category for at least 24 months or longer.

Setting out a full category objective and ensuring alignment with leadership team goals for business areas. You will influence and challenge business processes, providing critical insight and initiatives to drive the best commercial output.

Closely collaborating with other Procurement Heads to develop visibility across categories, sub-categories and commodities to develop the best commercial opportunities.

Developing core category expertise across the various sub-categories and commodities.

You will be accountable for all strategic procurement activity within the category, ensuring that it is in compliance with the set governance policy and processes.

Ensuring that you and your team have a full understanding of the P2P process across the company and are implementing this through contracts and across your category.

Managing supply base numbers through active decision making on opening and closing supplier accounts.

You will establish yourself as the Category owner by EVP’s, SVP’s and their direct reports and engage in proactive communication with senior management on performance and progress of the Category. Building credibility of the function, managing requirements and providing solutions.

Eliciting feedback and addressing progress with key customer areas to inform direction and management of the category and team. Supporting with insight and information from external sources to support the development of supply strategies.

You will ensure the consistent standard of excellence in process execution across all category activity to support the ongoing development of

Procurement as a Centre of Excellence. Working with peers to establish the key goals for functional best practice.

Assessing workload priorities and managing the deployment of resources effectively whilst understanding skills and development requirements in each team member.

Managing your team, supporting cross category working opportunities in conjunction with other Procurement Heads and ensuring that you conduct a full and formal performance management process for all team members.

You will identify and have personal involvement in the Categories key strategic suppliers and develop and / or ensure strategies to manage these key relationships. Also playing an active role in the execution of the governance of these suppliers.

About you

To be successful in this role, you will have demonstrable experience in a senior Procurement role operating at a strategic level. You will have an in depth Procurement/purchasing knowledge obtained in the technology category and other indirect spend areas (Marketing, Facilities & HR).

With excellent communication skills, you’ll have the ability to influence and challenge at all levels and lead change across a wide range of stakeholders. This will come from your experience of successful change management – both leading change and being part of a project team. You will also have an analytical approach along with the ability to handle multiple sources of data and information. You’ll also need to have the ability to develop usable information to provoke debate, consult or guide stakeholders in decision making, this will include great presentation skills.

You’ll have the dedication to lead your team forward with the capability to coach, develop and improve their experience whilst maintaining high ethical working practices.

If you are used to working in a high pressured environment and you have the ability to multi task whilst working to tight deadlines and this role fits your experience, we would love to hear from you.

The perks

We recognise the value you add to our dynamic company. That's why we give our people the rewards that they deserve. We have a whole host of benefits to help you enjoy life to the full, including up to seven flights a year to a wide range of fabulous Virgin Atlantic destinations. Of course you can also take advantage of discounts on our amazing Virgin Holidays hotels. We also offer a competitive benefits package including pension and private medical schemes and life assurance. You can even self select whats important to you through our benefits portal. We appreciate that life is busy, so when operationally possible remote working is available.

Be Yourself - Our Differences make us stronger

Virgin Atlantic and Virgin holidays are committed equal opportunities employers and positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible applicants regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, pregnancy and maternity. Diversity brings strength which is why we strive to provide an inclusive environment where individuality is celebrated and we can unleash the potential of our forward-thinking mix of people.

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