Category manager – ERP and Retail Technology

Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS)
About the role

The category manager will be responsible for leading the end-to-end procurement process for specific categories of goods or services within a large corporation. This includes developing and implementing strategic sourcing plans, conducting supplier selection and negotiation processes, managing contracts, and ensuring compliance with relevant policies and regulations. The role requires strong analytical thinking, business insight, and interpersonal skills to effectively collaborate with stakeholders across the organization.

Responsibilities

• Influencing: Communicate effectively using a range of styles and approaches to gain commitment and support from diverse stakeholders to help achieve business outcomes, create acceptance for decisions, build consensus or resolve conflict. Recognize, anticipate and effectively deal with existing or potential conflicts at an individual, team or strategic level.
• Assist managing team workload and demand planning.
• Lead end to end strategic partnership relationships holistically across defined scopes to support transformation initiatives.
• Data Driven: Comfortable in gathering, analysing and presenting data-led solutions.
• Business Advisor role: Enable optimisation of legacy requirements while promoting transformation as the business and market allows.
• Build strong supplier relationships: Develop an effective supplier management approach to access innovation and advantaged supply; and commercial models and contract expertise.
• Support development of category strategies by conducting analysis of current state, identifying opportunities for improvement and creating options for change
• Work closely with stakeholders to define requirements and create business cases for investment
• Conduct negotiations with suppliers to secure the best possible deals for the organisation
• Lead projects to implement new solutions or ways of working
• Identify potential innovation ideas and work with teams to develop these into prototypes or minimum viable products
• Create reports and presentations to update stakeholders on progress

Qualifications

• Confirmed experience in procurement, supply chain, or contract management roles.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with attention to detail and ability to interpret complex data sets.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with ability to engage effectively with diverse stakeholders at all levels of the organization.
• Knowledge of agile project management methodologies (e.g., SCRUM, Kanban).
• Experience with e-procurement systems and other technology solutions used in procurement processes.
• Certification in CIPS, APICS, or other recognized procurement professional designation is highly desirable.
• Knowledge of ERP/retail technology systems e.g. SAP, Oracle, POS, etc.
• Understanding of retail business processes

Why join us?

At bp, we support our people to grow in a diverse and exciting environment. We believe that our team is strengthened by diversity.

There are many aspects of our employees’ lives that are meaningful, so we offer benefits to enable your work to fit with your life. These benefits can include flexible working options, a generous paid parental leave policy, excellent retirement benefits, among others!

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

Reinvent your career as you help our business meet the challenges of the future. Apply now!

Travel & Relocation

Travel Requirement: Negligible travel should be expected with this role

Relocation Assistance: This role is not eligible for relocation

Remote Type: This position is a hybrid of office/remote working

Skills

Agility core practices, Agility tools, Analytical Thinking, Business Acumen, Business Requirements Analysis, Category spend profiling, Category Strategy, Contract Creation, Contract Management, Cost modelling, Digital Fluency, Negotiating, Negotiation planning and preparation, Product and market intelligence, Supplier Performance Management, Supplier Relationship Management, Value creation and management

Legal Disclaimer

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, socioeconomic status, neurodiversity/neurocognitive functioning, veteran status or disability status. Individuals with an accessibility need may request an adjustment/accommodation related to bp’s recruiting process (e.g., accessing the job application, completing required assessments, participating in telephone screenings or interviews, etc.). If you would like to request an adjustment/accommodation related to the recruitment process, please contact us.

If you are selected for a position and depending upon your role, your employment may be contingent upon adherence to local policy. This may include pre-placement drug screening, medical review of physical fitness for the role, and background checks.