Job Description

Global Category Manager

Competitive salary, plus bonus

This role is responsible for developing and implementing sourcing strategies, driving procurement transformation initiatives, and managing supplier and stakeholder relationships to ensure cost efficiency, compliance, and value creation across multiple categories within operations and fuel spend.

Key Categories

• Instore equipment (e.g., coolers, refrigeration units, coffee machines)
• Instore shelving and furniture
• Repair and maintenance
• Janitorial supplies

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Sourcing: Develop and execute sourcing strategies to optimise cost, enhance quality, and ensure sustainable supply.
• Tender Management: Lead the end-to-end tendering process using available procurement tools.
• Supplier Management: Build and maintain supplier relationships, negotiate contracts, and monitor supplier performance.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Partner with internal stakeholders to align procurement strategies with business needs and objectives.
• Contract Compliance: Ensure all contracts are current, accurate, and properly maintained in the contract lifecycle management (CLM) system.
• Cost Management: Identify cost-saving opportunities and implement initiatives to realise them.
• Risk Management: Proactively assess and mitigate supply chain risks.
• Procurement Transformation: Collaborate with business process outsourcing (BPO) partners and Centres of Excellence to support global transformation activities.

Essential Job Functions

• Negotiate large-scale, complex global supply contracts for goods and services.
• Drive value creation through strong collaboration with operational teams.
• Influence stakeholders with confident communication and negotiation skills.
• Deliver procurement synergies through standardisation, vendor consolidation, and optimisation of business models and technologies.
• Provide strategic and tactical guidance on key categories based on market insights, industry best practices, and performance objectives.
• Work with cross-functional teams to identify, quantify, and capture regional and national opportunities, including alternative revenue streams.
• Align diverse business units around shared procurement strategies and global initiatives.
• Maintain effective communication with senior management and provide regular updates on progress and performance.
• Scale successful regional procurement programs to multinational and global levels.
• Support the establishment of benchmarks, KPIs, and performance objectives.

Qualifications

• Degree in Business Administration, Procurement, or Supply Chain preferred.
• 5–10 years of procurement, commercial, and contract management experience across relevant categories.
• Retail industry or facilities management experience is highly advantageous.
• Proven track record of unlocking commercial value.

Requirements

• Strong commercial and operational acumen.
• Demonstrated experience in global procurement and contract negotiation.
• Excellent analytical, influencing, and leadership skills.
• Ability to establish and nurture both internal and external partnerships.
• Skilled at balancing competing priorities and managing multiple projects.
• Exceptional communication skills (oral and written).
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, Word) and procurement systems such as Ariba or similar platforms.
• Self-motivated, resilient, and execution-focused.
• Flexibility to work non-traditional hours across global time zones.

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