Category Lead Buyer

• optimization of external spend in line with business needs, by activating all levers (need and spend aggregation, demand management, process and specifications optimization, supplier rationalization...) aiming at reducing the total cost of ownership (TCO) and maximizing competitive advantage
• steer economic and operational performance of major suppliers in the category

Your mission

• you build and manage strong collaborative networks within the BU and communicate with relevant groups, BU and stakeholders to ensure alignment on sourcing activities and strategies for relevant categories
• you manage the category teams for transversal categories under your responsibility, developing and executing center-led sourcing strategies and coordinating contracting and implementation
• strategy definition:
  • you define the category profile and opportunities (i.e., spend analysis, analysis of current contract conditions, the consolidation of business needs and specifications and supply market trends) supported by the entity category lead buyers and the operational team members
  • you prepare the go-to market strategy, manage the alignment of specifications across the BU with the category team
  • you present the sourcing strategy to the BU Procurement Board for their approval
  • you execute the supplier consultation in collaboration with the entity category lead buyers
  • you evaluate the results of the go-to-market phase and define the tactics for the following negotiations round in collaboration with the category team members
  • you present the negotiation tactics to the BU Procurement Board for their approval
  • you lead the negotiation team (composed of category team members) in executing the negotiation rounds. You act as “one voice” to suppliers to leverage group and BU buying power
  • you present a proposal of selected suppliers including associated contract to the BU Procurement Board for their approval
  • you coordinate deal closure with selected suppliers and signs BU Framework agreements
  • you propose approaches as to manage BU contractual volume commitments to suppliers
  • you conduct effective change management with entity stakeholders to support implementation in order to realize value from transversal category initiatives
• supplier relationship management (SRM):
  • you capture and consolidate the supplier performance evaluation from the entity category lead buyers
  • you take up contact with the supplier to solve contract performance issues that have been escalated by the entity category lead buyers
  • you lead the negotiation team for contract amendments
  • you present proposals for contract breach (in case of continued sub-par supplier performance) to the BU Procurement Board
  • you support the development of suppliers’ KPIs and scorecard and manage the collection of supplier performance data
  • you manage commercial rewards for BU transversal suppliers (BU Framework contract)
• performance reporting and compliance:
  • you support the development of measurable category objectives and targets, and produce regular reports
• challenges
  • you conduct effective change management with entity stakeholders to adjust the operation model in order to enable the implementation of BU Belux strategy for the category (demand management and PO process change to enable spend aggregation (or pooling))
  • you generate short and long term performance value
  • you select optimal supplier base for long term sustainable services and goods
• you report to the BU Belux CPO/Procurement Transformation Plan Program Lead
• internal interfaces
  • Entity Category Lead Buyers and Entity Category Lead Users (from Operations), Entity Procurement Managers
  • relevant BU stakeholders (BU CPO, COSO, CFO, CEO)
• external interfaces
  • suppliers and market intelligence agencies