Manager of Category (IT)

Hello! Thanks for stopping by. Let us tell you about all the great reasons to join us here at Yorkshire Water:

• £70,000 - £80,000, depending on experience.
• A company car lease/allowance scheme (£4,980 cash allowance)
• Annual incentive related bonus (up to 15% of annual salary)
• Private health care (Self and partner, if applicable)
• Attractive pension scheme (up to 10% company contribution)
• Life assurance cover of 4 times pensionable salary
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays - plus an extra wellness day!
• A great benefits package - choose from health cash plan scheme, critical illness insurance, dental insurance, life assurance flex and partner cover. 
• Retail savings scheme 
• Online GP service, cycle to work scheme, gym membership discounts and many more!

Location: Western House Bradford/ Hybrid Working (1-2 office a week - Bradford)

Work type: Permanent. 37 hours per week, Monday - Friday.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Manager of Category (IT) to join the Commercial Services team in Finance at Yorkshire Water and be a part of helping Yorkshire Water to provide the best service to our customers. Could this be you?

What we do:

Everyone has an idea of what a water company does. Here in Yorkshire, we make sure that over 5.4 million people living in the region and the millions of people who visit our region each year, can rely on our services, and have clean and safe drinking water on tap and that their wastewater is taken away. But for us, it's so much more than this.

We look after communities, protect the environment, and plan to look after Yorkshire's water, today, tomorrow 24/7, 365 days a year. We provide essential water and wastewater services to every corner of the Yorkshire region, and play a key role in the region's health, wellbeing, and prosperity.

New environmental legislation, unprecedented levels of investment and changing expectations from customers means that this is an exciting time to discover opportunities within the water industry. Finance is a key part of how we plan to meet the changing expectations of customers and regulators. 

The purpose of this role is to lead the procurement, commercial and performance management of a range of framework agreements and contracts for the IT category. The role holder will be a subject matter expert who provides strategy, leadership and guidance in procurement, commercial and contract management matters. 

The role forms part of the wider Commercial Operations Leadership Team which is responsible for the delivery of cost and quality in line with business needs to support operational performance, and full compliance with relevant regulatory requirements and contractual requirements including standard processes and procedures. You will engage in a range of areas including sourcing, supplier relationship management, performance management, commercial management, category strategy development and assurance and support to vendor managers.

Where you fit in:

As our Manager of Category, you will

• Lead the team to deliver excellent performance by setting clear expectations inked to business targets, having meaningful performance discussions that recognise and reward the right performance and behaviours and challenges, where individual performance and behaviour do not meet expectations.
• Have responsibility for the development, implementation, and delivery of the category strategy to achieve totex efficiencies.
• Be the Commercial SME to senior business stakeholders and leadership teams.
• Act as the key interface with strategic sourcing partner to ensure outcomes are delivered in line with targets.
• Lead commercial negotiations with suppliers, working closely with vendor managers.
• Drive continuous improvement and contractor performance management, and support the tender process and agreement extensions, ensuring compliance with procurement regulations.

What skills & qualifications you will need:

• Leadership and People management - the ability to deliver results through others.
• Experience in the commercial management of high value, complex and business critical service-based contracts.
• Experienced in the procurement of high value, complex initiatives.
• Broad, multi-disciplinary business knowledge, particularly of commercial/contract negotiations, and likened to this an understanding of the workings of service-based contracts and the trade-off between commercial and operational priorities.
• Highly developed stakeholder management skills, with a track record of influencing senior stakeholders both internal and externally across a range of areas, including commercial financial and operational aspects.
• Highly developed financial management, and analytical skills with the ability to draw insight from the commercial and operational performance data and understand the link.

You will also benefit from having:

• Relevant commercial/financial professional qualification, e.g. RICS, CIArb, MBA, CIPS, NEC or similar.
• Relevant category management experience.
• Previous experience in a regulated environment.
• Previous experience gained within the water or wastewater sectors or within broader utilities, process, or manufacturing industry sectors.

Although we operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, it's important to us that we support flexible working patterns and job share options (when we can), to help you make the best of both your work and home life. We know that juggling childcare responsibilities or getting that ideal work/life balance isn't always easy!

Do we sound like your cup of tea???

If you've got experience in Category management in a Commercial Services environment and want to help us deliver great service for our customers whilst looking after the environment, then be sure to apply today to find out what a career with Yorkshire Water can offer you.??

If successful for the role, you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks that will include a Basic Disclosure Check, carried out through a Third-Party Company, prior to commencing employment. Depending on the role, you may also be required to go through the security vetting process for either a Counter Terrorist Check or Security Check clearance.

Role Closes  - 24th January. We'll be reviewing and arranging interviews on a rolling basis, so please apply as soon as possible to ensure you're considered.

 All our roles are subject to a medical questionnaire, and further medicals when required.

We are proud to serve the Yorkshire region and are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment that is reflective of the communities we serve. We strongly encourage candidates of all different backgrounds to apply.

Kelda Group reserve the right to close this position before the published closing date, should the need occur. We therefore advise that you complete and submit your application as soon as possible.

No agencies please.