Category Manager (IT)

Role Responsibility

Selfridges requires a highly experienced Procurement and Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) professional with a proven track record in the advertised Category and a deep understanding of best practice processes in Procurement and Supplier Relationship Management to manage its [IT] category.

The Procurement Category Manager will develop and maintain strong relationships with the business to become the single point of contact on all commercial and supplier performance matters for the category.

The Procurement Category Manager will develop sound commercial category plans (strategic, tactical, and including SRM) to deliver real value to the business along with clear supplier performance management via a formal Supplier Relationship Management process for the category. The Procurement Category Manager will identify and deliver real/demonstrable cost savings, enhanced service, and  mitigated risk.

The Procurement Category Manager will develop and maintain a right sized, high performing, professional procurement team for the category to meet the business requirements.

The Procurement Category manager will also be required to develop and deliver RFx’s, Benchmarking, and formal Supplier Relationship/performance management activities as required.

As the IT Procurement Category Manager You Will:

• Design, Develop and implement the Procurement strategy for the required category to meet business requirements, this must align with the overall Procurement Strategy to facilitate  Procurement Centre of Excellence (CoE) establishing a business partnership model across the functions to agree sourcing strategies, to help transform all areas of IT Procurement
• Creation and delivery of Procurement strategies and targets for the Category
• To lead the development and implementation of procurement policies and system strategies conducting tendering, contract management, spend analytics and supplier performance management for the category also supporting the wider Selfridges Procurement function.
• Responsible for structured engagement with all required Selfridges functions to ensure that all contracts have suitable cover and protection, meet the requirements of the business and deliver expected value
• Implementation and improvement of best practice processes supporting the wider Selfridges Procurement function
• Identification and realisation and reporting of cost-saving and waste-reduction opportunities, including managing demand to identify cost actions
• Managing the relevant category Procurement category team to deliver an effective service to the business

• Supporting the Head of Selfridges Procurement to ensure companywide purchasing requirements and contract management solutions for [IT] are managed in a clear concise manner, which demonstrate the financial and operational benefits for the business
• Conduct/support senior level negotiations and implement appropriate tactics to achieve a favourable outcome
• Commission, execute and deliver, high level procurement projects to agreed timelines and objectives
• Responsible for conducting and leading regular reviews of the spend categories through benchmarking, rationalisation and aggregation opportunities
• To provide procurement category advice for Selfridges as may be required
• Define and Implement the Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) strategy for the category
• Identify the relevant business leads and agree appropriate SRM supplier segmentation for the category
• Work with the business owners in the category to define and agree appropriate supplier performance measures in line with the defined SRM process
• Agree and implement appropriate meeting schedules for Selfridges and the Suppliers  

The Ideal Candidate

• Proven track record of delivery in Procurement Category management in the relevant category in retail or a similar fast paced service environment. experience to cover all aspects of [IT]
• Proven track record of Supplier Relationship Management (SRM)
• Strong stakeholder management
• Experienced people manager
• Strong influencer
• Effective supplier performance manager
• Senior level negotiator of contracts with program and project management experience
• Proven success of purchasing for internal customers
• Excellent negotiator
• Deep understanding of Procurement category management and Supplier Relationship Management best practice
• Essential deep knowledge of Microsoft MS Excel and other MS Office applications (i.e. Word, PowerPoint)
• Creating and managing complex tender and benchmarking exercises
• Able to create appropriate commercial models to suit requirements in the category
• Experienced in drafting and interpretation of contracts and clauses, in depth understanding of Contracts with deep category specific knowledge
• High level negotiations and category/Supplier Relationship Management
• Degree level education or CIPS an advantage
• Strong leadership abilities to effectively influence and manage internal and external senior leaders
• Excellent negotiation skills
• Excellent communication, reporting and interpersonal skills
• Analytical skills
• Planning and organising skills
• Customer service skills
• Coaching and influencing
• Highly team oriented
• Problem solving and an ability to focus on multiple projects

About the Company

Our Creative Spirit 

We are more than a shop. We are a social space where culture and commerce collide to release an energy that we call the Selfridges spirit. We are here to make our world brighter, and everyone is welcome. 

Our Awards Cabinet 

We’re not ones to brag, but since you asked...Selfridges has won the award for The World’s Best Department Store an unprecedented four times at the IGDS awards, with an additional award for the Best Sustainability Campaign.  

Our Future 

Since 1909 we have been at the forefront of retail and today our stores in London, Manchester and Birmingham – alongside selfridges.com and the Selfridges App – continue to redefine the way we shop and socialise. As a Selfridges team member, you will learn what it takes to consistently drive innovation, success and amazing customer experiences. 

Everyone is welcome

We are committed to a diverse and inclusive working culture, and we see this as key to our success and our working culture. Here at Selfridges, everyone is welcome - irrespective of race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, age or disability, we stand by equal opportunities for all. We are diverse, we are inclusive, we are Selfridges.

The Fun Stuff  

There are lots of reasons to be excited about joining Team Selfridges – from our fantastic team member communities to volunteer days and behind-the-scenes Selfridges experiences throughout the year. 

Other benefits and rewards include:

• Generous bonus and/or commission scheme 
• Discounted gym memberships 
• Pension contributions  
• Annual travel pass and cycle to work schemes 
• A volunteer day for all team members 
• Access to a wide range of training programmes to help your career development

Selfridges