Insight Executive Group are delighted to be exclusively working with London Borough of Ealing to secure a Category Lead to join and become a part of their Procurement Commercial hub. The Category Lead will support the People and Corporate Services Category. The Category Lead will also work across all categories outside of Construction and Environment and manage three Commercial Managers that are the market experts in ICT and Corporate Services within the team.
The Category Lead will ensure that the Council's approach to all commercial activity, including commissioning, procurement and contract management is efficient, effective, and consistent, ensuring best value for money, with appropriate people and project management and compliance with regulations.
There will be huge benefits using the Commissioning Alliance and West London Alliance that Ealing are hosts and founding members of.
Day-to-day of the Category Lead:
- To drive a commercial approach across the organisation that supports the organisation's overall strategy aims by: a. understanding current needs and market gaps as well as; b. developing market insights and building relationships with suppliers based around the future needs and plans of strategic commissioners.
- Designing and implementing long-term category strategies for all major areas of spend.
- Leading negotiations with existing suppliers to deliver cost savings and efficiencies.
- Proactively seeking new opportunities for the Council to buy and deliver services in new innovative and efficient ways and that can build in benchmarking to ensure value for money is achieved.
- Drive, track and record savings achieved for an allocated category and inform the Assistant Director of Commercial Hub so that the accumulated budget position is known.
The successful Category Lead will be able to demonstrate:
- Will have oversight and line management responsibility for three Commercial Managers working across both categories. Experience of both categories would therefore be an advantage.
- Knowledge and understanding of Commissioning, Category Management and Market Shaping, Supplier Relationship and Contract Management, Financial Budgeting and Accounting.
- Equivalent private / public sector experience.
- Demonstrable experience of team, staff and budget management, gained from a management of a team of comparable size, nature and professional personnel.
- Experience of delivering cost reduction and cashable savings using appropriate sourcing, contract management and supplier management tools and techniques.
- Educated to degree / postgraduate level or equivalent, or evidence of continuous professional development and relevant management training/management development.
Salary & Benefits of Category Lead
- Salary: £68,859 - £73,419
- Hybrid working available -The expectation will be one day a month in the office with occasional important stakeholder meetings that will require face to face attendance.
If you match the above criteria and are interested in the role, please send your CV through for a discussion about the role - Many thanks.