Technology Procurement Manager (12 month FTC)

Job Introduction

Selfridges has always been much more than a shop. We’re a social space where everyone is welcome and feels a sense of belonging, a creative playground where culture and commerce collide, and an experimental hub where you can discover the most innovative and sustainable ideas in retail. We’re here to help make the world brighter. And you can be an important part of this. We’ll talk more about the role below, but before we get to that, let’s share with you the good stuff…  

Rewards and benefits 

Life at Selfridges is dynamic, exciting, and always evolving. As well as working with some of the most cutting-edge, iconic and boundary-pushing brands, designers and creatives, we also offer our team members opportunities to help make a positive difference through our network of communities, both within and outside Selfridges. Here are just a few of our rewards and benefits that help make our team experience that bit more extraordinary. 

• Flexible working options to benefit you, your family and your wellbeing that can include part-time, flexi-time, job sharing or hybrid working

• Generous annual leave that increases with length of service 

• Up to five paid volunteering days – from beach cleans to co-ordinating food and clothing donations 

• Family leave that suits your set up including Maternity, Paternity, Adoption, Surrogacy and Shared Parental leave policies 

• Defined pension contribution scheme  

• Generous bonus and/or commission scheme  

• Enviable team member discount including sale previews and double discount days 

• Exclusive local discounts on a range of restaurants, bars, beauticians and entertainment 

• Subsidised gym memberships  

• Annual travel pass and cycle-to-work schemes  

• A sustainable car salary sacrifice scheme 

• Several internal communities to get involved in from our Diversity Board and Green Warriors who are leading the charge on D,E&I and sustainability, to the Wellbeings who are always thinking of new ways to champion healthy minds, bodies and routines for our team members 

• Workplace Options, our confidential team member assistance programme for when life gets tricky or you need a little guidance 

• Access to a wide range of training programmes to help your career development 

Read on to find out how you can play your part in Reinventing Retail… 

Role Responsibility

Selfridges requires an experienced  Technology Procurement professional with technical competence along with a proven track record of managing large complex Oracle & Microsoft agreements or with similar major Technology software  providers. Knowledge of Oracle & Microsoft agreements will be a distinct advantage.

The Procurement Manager will have technical knowledge of Technology  contracts, products and services to develop sound commercial solutions which support the Technology plans. Whilst building and maintaining strong relationships with customers the Procurement Manager will deliver solutions with real/demonstrable cost savings, enhanced service, and mitigation of risks to meet the requirements of the business and deliver against value targets.

The Procurement Manager will be required to review complex Technology contracts for the differing models across technology sub-categories such as Software, Hardware, Cloud  and IT Services to  negotiate & secure best value outcomes for Selfridges. The  Procurement Manager will have the Technology & Procurement technical competency to develop, draft, and deliver RFx’s, Benchmarking, and formal Supplier Relationship/Performance Management activities as required.

As a  TECHNOLOGY Procurement Manager, you will:

• Support the Design, Development and Implementation of the  Technology Procurement strategy to meet the requirements of the business,  aligning with the overall Procurement Strategy.
• Support the creation and delivery of suitable Technology Procurement strategies and targets for Software, Hardware, Cloud and Services solutions
• Responsible for Group contacts with Oracle & Microsoft
• Implement procurement processes and policies by conducting tendering, contract management, spend analytics and supplier performance management.
• Responsible for engagement and Technology specific commercial advice with Technology & Group  functions for category projects to ensure that contracts have suitable commercial models, legal cover and protection, meet the requirements of the business and are set up to deliver expected value
• Identification, implementation and reporting of cost-saving  opportunities, including managing demand to identify cost actions to reduce cost & demand opportunities.
• Support complex senior level negotiations and implement appropriate tactics to achieve a favourable outcome
•  Execute and deliver, high level procurement projects to agreed timelines and objectives.
• Support the Technology Category Manager and wider Procurement function with Supplier Relationship Management activities as required

Customer Interaction

• Partner and maintain relationships with key stakeholders to meet business needs
• Agree formal engagement plans for projects key stakeholders to ensure engagement is maintained
• Ensure that the projects are meeting the timelines and targets agreed with the business
• Provide a single point of contact for customers on projects
• Training and educating customers on the procurement process and policy to increase and maintain adoption
• Support  Technology domains such as Sourcing and Supply and Team Member Experience

Team Support

• Support the Category Manager in managing the workload to deliver against deadlines
• Encouraging and motivate team members to 'work as one' on procurement activity, to deliver a seamless service to internal customers
• Encouraging adherence of departmental and company procurement procedures and policies
• Effectively manage the relationship with the Finance team on budgets, cost saving, consumption and spend reduction targets/reports

The Ideal Candidate

Experience

• Technical competency and a proven track record of delivery in Procurement management in the Technology  category preferably managing Oracle & Microsoft contracts in retail or a similar fast paced service environment. experience to cover all commercial aspects of Technology (Software, Hardware, Cloud and IT Services)
• Strong stakeholder management including group wide stakeholders up to CIO level
• Experienced people manager
• Strong influencer
• Effective supplier performance manager
• Senior level negotiator and good technical understanding of Technology contracts with program and project management experience
• Proven success of management of Oracle products and services or with a Technology supplier of similar size and complexity

Technical Skills

• Excellent negotiator
• Deep understanding of best practice Procurement
• Good technical understanding of Technology and Technology commercial and contractual models
• Knowledge of Supplier Relationship Management best practice
• 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
• Experienced in interpretation of contracts and clauses, in depth understanding of Contracts with Technology category specific knowledge
• Degree level education or CIPS an advantage
• Ability to present negotiated deals to senior stakeholders including CIO and CFO level

Personal Attributes/ Behavioural Skills

• Ability to effectively influence and manage internal and external senior leaders
• Good communication, reporting and interpersonal skills
• Analytical skills
• Excellent record keeping and reporting
• Planning and organising skills
• Customer service skills
• Coaching skills
• Highly team oriented
• Problem solving and an ability to focus on multiple projects
• Numerate

About the Company

Everyone is welcome 

Selfridges is a place where we want everyone to feel a sense of belonging. We embrace every self and are committed to cultivating a diverse and inclusive working culture. We are leading with purpose to not only increase the visibility and recognition of under-represented talent within our organisation, but the wider industry too. Here at Selfridges, everyone is welcome – irrespective of race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, age or disability, we stand by equal opportunities for all.   

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. We were also recognised as a ‘Best 25 Big Company to Work For 2020’ as awarded by The Sunday Times. 

Selfridges