Utilities Category Manager

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The Utilities Category Manager leads the activities across categories of spend with the accountability for developing and executing effective procurement strategies for the categories and actively contributing to the development of the procurement function's service to Primark.

In your role, you'll collaborate with different people across a range of skillsets. Here's a flavour of your day-to-day:

• You will be responsible for developing and executing strategic category management to drive spend under management and value for Primark, to support both business-as-usual and the delivery of strategic investments and programmes for your assigned categories
• You will be accountable for developing and executing a comprehensive, multi-year category plan, aligned with business goals, market dynamics, and internal demand, to ensure optimal performance, cost savings, and risk.
• You will lead the creation and implementation of go-to-market and sourcing strategies, associated plans and negotiation strategies, to be included in the category plan
• You will also identify, assess and manage supplier risk, and the risk associated with the supply of goods and services in your category area, as part of the category plan. This should ensure resiliency, efficiency, regulatory compliance and adherence to governance standards
• You will be responsible for leading a multi-year cost efficiency programme for your category, which must be agreed with budget owners and aligned to Primark's Cost Efficiency programme and targets.
• Using insights and analytics, you will create long-term cost savings plans and sourcing strategies that align with business goals and represent a culture of innovation and dynamic agility.
• You will be responsible for ensuring that benefits tracking against the category plans and sourcing activity is done accurately and in a timely manner
• Beyond price, you will be responsible for identifying and delivering continuous operational improvement, innovation, and sustainability.
• You will lead the negotiation of high-value, complex contracts, whilst ensuring alignment and contribution of suppliers towards Primark 2030 strategy.
• You are accountable for ensuring that your Category Specialist and the GBS have executed the agreed go-to market and sourcing plans as agreed in the Category plans, in a timely and to the standards expected.
• Working closely with the relevant business stakeholder, the role holder will identify and develop strategic supplier relationships, supporting performance management (operational and commercial) as well as supplier innovation.
• You will be a leader of change, by implementing and embedding the new ways of working with procurement and GBS partner, procurement policy and governance.

Here at Primark, we want everyone to feel valued – so please bring your authentic self to work, of course with some other key experience and abilities for this role in particular:

• 7+ years related experience in a Category Manager role. Related procurement category expertise is preferred but not essential.
• Be able to manage complex sourcing activities (e.g. multi-market, various maturity levels, large scale) to supplier recommendation/award and can demonstrate the use of different sourcing approaches. Provide relevant stakeholder material to show progress.
• Demonstrated success in developing and delivering multi-year strategies ensuring competitive commercial advantage.
• Expert knowledge of financial and legal contract negotiations; carry strong awareness of ethical sourcing and corporate social responsibility issues.
• Lead cross-functional negotiation teams; sign off on negotiation strategies, lead negotiation, and manage the commercial components of contract drafting.
• Demonstrated ability to forge close business relationships with internal and external stakeholders at all management levels.
• Proven track record of developing strategic partnerships with key suppliers.
• Project management skills.
• Ability to travel as required (>20%)

At Primark, people matter. They're the beating heart of our business and the reason we've grown from our first store in Dublin in 1969 to a £9bn+ turnover business and over 80,000 colleagues and over 440 stores in 17 countries today. Our values run through everything we do. In essence, we're Caring and always strive to put people first. We're also Dynamic, bravely pushing the boundaries to stay ahead. And finally, we succeed Together.

If you need any reasonable adjustments or have an accessibility request during your recruitment journey, such as extended time or breaks between online assessments, a sign language interpreter, mobility access, or assistive technology please contact your talent acquisition specialist.

All offers of employment are subject to background checks, including right to work, reference education and for some roles criminal, and financial checks. If you have any concerns, please reach out to our talent acquisition team to discuss.