Overview

North builds stronger networks and creates smarter places. Our intelligent technology solutions and robust network infrastructures transform the way people, places, and organisations work. And we focus our expertise on working in four specialist sectors: public service, enterprise, financial services, and defence & justice.

Our people are industrious and inventive. We collaborate closely with our clients to understand their unique needs and challenges and take pride in delivering impactful solutions that make their environments better connected, simpler to manage, safer to be in, and more efficient to run.

The work we do at North is pioneering and fun. We build meaningfully, we think bigger and we always advance. Our diverse range of customers and services make every day different. We always look at things from the customer’s point of view. Our values are know your craft, know your colleagues, know your customers and know how to connect.  At North, we know and value the power of connecting people, skills and technologies in new and exciting ways.

Responsibilities

As Category Manager – Indirect - you will be reporting to Procurement Director, you will be a self-starter and able to work autonomously. As a senior member of the team this is a fantastic opportunity to gain exposure to the complete procurement and contract lifecycle and multiple categories of spend. You will be encouraged and expected to work with autonomy, use initiative and at pace with a drive to "get things done".

KEY DUTIES

• Lead end-to-end procurement projects for a number of categories, responsibilities include supplier selection and contract management.
• Manage fleet operations, including the strategic negotiation of terms for car leasing, maintenance contracts, and lifecycle management to ensure operational efficiency and sustainability.
• Generate & manage supplier contract/agreements.
• Lead commercial negotiations with subcontractors to obtain best deal & saving.
• Consolidate and standardize subcontractor agreements.
• Drive supplier performance and identify value-for-money opportunities.
• Engage with stakeholders at all levels of the business, ensuring proper engagement in procurement projects.
• Act as the primary procurement liaison with project managers across all four business sectors, collecting information on products to be purchased and dispatching procurement needs to relevant category managers.
• Foster a customer-focused culture in procurement activities.
• Conduct contract reviews and supplier development activities. Initiate & chair Quarterly business reviews with strategic subcontractors and respective stakeholders.
• Develop and implement Management Information (MI) & define associated KPI/SLA reporting for subcontracting.
• Work closely with Product Managers to standardise portfolio across categories.
• Build & provide indicative forecasts to suppliers using SAP Sales pipeline.
• Understand business objectives and risk profiles, applying industry techniques to mitigate risks.
• Support ERP implementation and P2P development, including automation of ordering processes.
• Provide regular management reports highlighting achievements, areas of improvements & market trends/ analysis etc

Qualifications

For development purposes the following knowledge, skills and experience are required.

• Minimum 6-8 years of experience in managing procurement projects, particularly in indirect procurement such as fleet management, plant hires, and professional services.
• SAP advanced user, with a strong preference for candidates with experience in SAP Business ByDesign, tailored for client-specific and indirect procurement needs.
• Strong commercial acumen with knowledge of contract law and the ability to lead comprehensive contract reviews.
• Excellent negotiation skills, focused on cost savings and value creation across a variety of indirect categories including fleet management.
• Ability to self-start and deliver projects independently while effectively managing relationships with internal stakeholders and external suppliers.
• Excellent persuasive and influencing skills, essential for navigating complex stakeholder environments.
• Strong problem-solving abilities and excellent time management skills, crucial for managing multiple indirect procurement categories including fleet.
• Advanced Excel skills with analytical knowledge; essential to develop effective procurement strategies and perform cost analysis in indirect categories such as fleet management.
• CIPS certification level 4 would be advantageous or working towards it. Alternatively, a business studies qualification with a passion for procurement is also suitable.

North rewards employees with a competitive market salary and an excellent benefits package and offers fantastic opportunities for progression throughout the company. Further details of package on offer will be discussed at application stage. North is an equals opportunity employer, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.