Category Manager

Equans is looking for a Category Manager to join the team on a permanent basis. This is a full-time role working 37.5 hours per week. On offer is a competitive salary, company vehicle or allowance, bonus and benefits package.

Our Category Managers play a pivotal role in maximising the value of Procurement at Equans UK&I by executing a structured, collaborative approach to category projects that optimises the procurement of similar products and services. This specific role within the UK BU Central Procurement Team will focus on the Direct HUB, encompassing a wide range of categories.

By strategically managing these sub-categories, Category Managers drive efficiencies, enhance collaboration, and secure value-driven outcomes for the business.

This Category Manager role within the Central Procurement team is responsible for managing key procurement Hard service categories across our facilities management, regeneration/refurb, energy & digital services businesses. The categories in scope for the role are currently
Plant hire (machinery & equipment), Building materials and fabric, Plumbing & Heating equipment rental, Engineering consultants
. The role involves creating and implementing a long-term sourcing plan for the development of the categories to achieve the best value for Equans. The role also involves identifying opportunities and leveraging the combined category spend in negotiating strategic frameworks with key suppliers in ensuring Equans achieves the best outcome for its external spend.

The Category Manager will own the category structure that allows the company to segment its supplier base. Using the segmentation, the Category Manager will create a category strategy in coordination with a network of internal stakeholders belonging to operations, sustainability and health & safety teams, identifying key focus areas for the year by leveraging company-wide spend.

What will you deliver?

• Strategic management of the allocated Hard Services allocated: analysis of spend & business needs, anticipation of future needs, supplier market analysis and market dynamics - Management of the related supply chain, contract extension/renewal, launch and drive end to end RFP/RFQ processes, etc
• Leading the development of procurement strategies in close cooperation with business operations and procurement stakeholders activating all spend reduction levers
• Defining and implementing an action plan to deploy strategies for BUs/entities to effectively reduce their external spend on the category and/or mitigate market increases
• Steering economic performance (external spend reduction), supplier performance on category
• Adapting strategy in response to changes (market, internal budgets, technologies
• Supporting operational entities in the implementation and monitoring of supplier policy defined for the category
• Assist the Delivery and Commercial teams in efficient subcontract procurement
• Work to and support supply chain deals, working with the divisional procurement teams to ensure the BU achieves the best potential in terms of supplier arrangements
• Understand and protect the companies commercial and legal position in relation to its contractual engagement with supply chain arrangements clearly setting out the terms and proposals
• Oversee and manage the recovery of retrospective rebates
• Setting annual rebate collection targets
• Promoting rebate arrangements across group to maximise utilisation
• Provide pre-tender specialist commercial input as required to ensure accurate net cost pricing
• Support subcontractor procurement by benchmarking and interrogating costs to ensure additional contribution opportunities are realised (re-invigoration of cost benchmarking database and e-procurement

What can we offer you?

On offer is a competitive salary, car or car allowance, bonus and benefits package, which includes;

• 25 days annual leave (+ public holidays)
• Life Cover equivalent to 2 times annual salary
• Employee discount shopping schemes on major brands and retailers
• Gym membership discounts
• Cycle to work scheme
• Holiday…