Category Manager

Category Manager

Are you a Procurement Professional looking for a long term, rewarding and exciting career? Now is a very exciting time to join the RSPCA as we prepare for our 200th Anniversary and drive transformation change on all fronts, including Procurement. We are looking for a highly experienced Procurement professional to join our team and make an immediate impact, in an environment that is very receptive to support, creative thinkers and is fast changing.

The range of categories we support is incredibly diverse. Our aspiration is to work with suppliers who are "best-in-class", so, the successful candidates will have track records in negotiating groundbreaking deals and driving value all the way down the supply chain and ensuring continuous improvement becomes the norm.

You will be comfortable working with executives at senior and board level with the ability to present cohesive Category Plans and strategies and deliver sustainable results. Working at pace is also fundamental given our ambitions as a Society.

Digital Marketing: Data, tech, digital strategy, marketing and performance agencies and consultancies; Media planning/buying agencies and consultancies; Content, Game, AR/VR, Experiential studios.  Do you enjoy a work life balance? Here at RSPCA we are supportive of a Hybrid work balance with the opportunity to work both from home or in our allocated offices.

What makes a great Category Manager?

We are looking for a Procurement Professional who has a strong understanding of Category Management and Supplier Relationship Management. The Category Manager would ideally be able to cope both independently and then regroup as a team with demonstrate team behaviour. The Category Manager role can be extremely demanding & therefore will require excellent time management skills to be able to hit deadlines both functionally and within Categories. Seeking coaching, upskilling and on-the-job support is necessary to excel as a Category Manager. 

Do you have the ability to work within a matrix management structure? Are you comfortable to engage at Executive Team level? Read on!

1) Versatile negotiation skills, delivering breakthrough results

2) Effective stakeholder management and influencing skills

3) Adept with price and costs analysis and unlocking value

4) Exposed to multiple categories of spend, especially indirect

5) Driving continuous improvement with key suppliers

6) Naturally inquisitive; creatively generating multiple options

7) Comfortable with Category Management toolkit

Do you have exceptional problem solving skills? Are you a firm but fair negotiator, mindful of costs and protecting the bottom line? If so, we'd love to hear from you

Why work for the RSPCA?

Benefits: 

• Great Annual Leave benefits - 25 days annual leave on joining rising after 5 years
• Additional Society day around Christmas.
• Generous pension scheme 
• Associated life assurance and group income protection scheme
• Access to private healthcare scheme
• Employee assistance programme. 
• Flexibility in Hours - We understand the importance of work-life balance 
• Family friendly policies Charity worker discounts: Access to hundreds of discounts across many retailers, travel, insurance & cinema tickets.
• Love dogs? All our offices are Dog friendly! For any further information or assistance please contact the resourcingteam@rspca.org.uk

We review applications as they are received, so early submissions are highly encouraged. We reserve the right to close this advert once sufficient applications have been screened and progressed.

All online information and documents are available in alternative formats, including Braille and large font, upon request from the Resourcing team.

We strongly believe in being an innovative, diverse, and inclusive organisation and recognise that diversity in all of our people will help achieve that purpose and our mission more effectively. We actively encourage and seek applications from a wide diversity of candidates and in particular welcome applications from minority ethnic, black, and candidates with disabilities, who are currently under-represented at the RSPCA.

Please note we are not accepting unsolicited CVs from agencies or seeking support for this opportunity.

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