Category Manager, Overhead Lines

Every day we deliver safe and secure energy to homes, communities, and businesses. We are there when people need us the most. We connect people to the energy they need for the lives they live. The pace of change in society and our industry is accelerating and our expertise and track record put us in an unparalleled position to shape the sustainable future of our industry.

To be successful, we must anticipate the needs of our customers, reducing the cost of energy delivery today and pioneering the flexible energy systems of tomorrow. This requires us to deliver on our promises and always look for new opportunities to grow ourselves and our business.

Reporting into the Head of Category - Group Directs , the Category Manager is accountable for developing and implementing strategic category strategies and driving and managing supply chain strategies that optimise cost and ensure quality & reliability of supply and leading all procurement activities.

This is combined with their role acting as an operational business partner for the specified Business Unit where they will support the Strategic Business Partner and co-ordinate across the relevant Procurement teams to ensure they can provide Business Unit updates, insight and recommendations as required.

They will engage and drive strategic relationship with category critical suppliers, implement vendor and contract management strategies and ensure the supply chain is engaged and enabled to meet the business needs.

Leading a team of Buyers, Senior Buyers, Category Specialists and Category Lead, they will manage a major category area in line with National Grid's procurement strategy, ensuring realisation of synergies, like cost savings and risk reduction, and optimization of the category profit.

• Support the Band B and Band C to engage with the Business Unit, and where appropriate directly support the strategic relationship with them to ensure their procurement and supply chain needs are delivered in line with business requirements.
• Support the development and delivery of a comprehensive suite of category strategies for the Business Unit providing market capability and capacity intelligence, ensuring that maximum value is realised from the significant procurement spend, whilst securing supply, managing supply chain risks, and achieving sustainability objectives.
• Aligned to your category ownership, develop, and maintain strong relationships with key suppliers to ensure continuous improvement, security of supply and value delivery.
• Responsible for the development and implementation of procurement strategies and execution of the procurement priorities for the business unit. Providing strategic and commercial insight, supply chain sustainability insight, and supply chain risk and mitigation recommendations.
• Work across teams and sub-functions within Procurement to support overall category management effort (e.g., Sustainability, Supply Chain Risk & Transparency, Market Supplier Development, Supplier Engagement).
• Identify, assess, and mitigate risks associated with the category, including supply chain disruptions, price volatility, and quality issues.
• Lead a highly motivated, innovative, and value-focused team, developing talent and a performance management culture that drives value through employee engagement which successfully meets or exceeds all strategic objectives for the area.

• Previous procurement experience, delivering category excellence, commercial insight, and leverage.
• Track record of driving strategic change through category intelligence.
• Expertise across a range of strategic sourcing activities.
• Experience of broad, supply chain management.
• Ability to communicate dynamically as a manager of people and to senior leaders within National Grid and supplier organizations.
• Experience in managing high performing teams.
• Good understanding of broader business objectives and the implications of strategic planning and actions within the category.
• Expert influencing and negotiation skills to drive optimum value through the award of commercially sound contracts.
• Relationship management experience, driving commercial value and performance through contracts.

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