Procurement Category Lead - Marketing and Professional Services

The role

We’re looking for a Procurement Category Lead to join our Procurement team!

As a Procurement Category Lead at N Brown you’ll be responsible for aligning with our stakeholders to develop and implement category strategies to optimise the sourcing, buying and management of third party services within their categories. This role requires a thorough understanding of how to drive best value across our GNFR supply base. As a  Procurement Category Lead you’ll manage stakeholder relationships, supplier negotiations and ensure compliance with policies and regulations.

What will you do as a Procurement Category Lead at N Brown?

• You’ll analyse category landscapes to develop and implement sourcing strategies.
• You’ll work with stakeholders to create a programme of contractual activity which will include RFPs, benchmarking, direct negotiations and renewals.
• You’ll ensure category plans are aligned with business and functional objectives and give consideration to business needs, supply market dynamics and technological advancements.
• You’ll lead strategic sourcing initiatives within the categories, ensuring compliance with the Procurement Policy.
• You’ll drive continuous improvement across category areas.
• You’ll operate with a governance and risk mindset to drive successful Supplier Relationship Management.
• You’ll have oversight of the full end to end P2P process working with stakeholders across all business areas, including Accountants, Budget Holders, Directors, Administrators.
• You’ll lead sourcing initiatives within the categories for which you are responsible ensuring compliance with the Procurement Policy.
• You’ll have a broad understanding of different commercial models, allowing for constructive challenge to drive the most appropriate business outcome. Share insights with the business and drives reviews; and acts where opportunities and risks appear.
• You’ll ensure compliance with the organisational SRM policy.
• You’ll collaborate with the Commercial Management and Business Contract Owner  team to determine contract KPI’s & SLA’s that are relevant and capable of effective measurement for supplier performance and relationship management; ensuring that tangible benefits can be tracked into the P&L.
• You’ll contribute to the creation of category pipeline of initiatives to achieve or exceed savings targets.
• You’ll lead negotiations with suppliers and partners to realise cost efficiency opportunities and negotiate commercial terms and contracts, closely aligned with Supplier Relationship Managers.
• You’ll work with agility when priorities change; aligning with category plans and team members to deliver consistency in ways of working.

What skills and experience will you have?

• Strong Indirect Procurement experience across various categories or relevant category (circa 5+years) ideally supporting Marketing and Professional Services departments
• You’ll have a track record of delivering strategic sourcing initiatives and savings with the remit of indirect procurement
• You’ll have experience of working in a Category led team
• You’ll ideally have experience of managing or mentoring as this role will have one direct report.
• You'll have technical skills to deliver in role including use of e-Procurement systems and P2P.
• You'll demonstrate superior relationship building within the business, with supplier and partners and the wider category markets.
• You'll be an accomplished negotiator and influencer at all levels up to Director and Executive Level, for both internal stakeholders and suppliers.
• You'll be a strong communicator, adapting style and approach appropriate to the audience.
• You’ll be highly commercial with the ability to think beyond a typical remit to maximise organisational opportunities.
• You’ll be numerate with strong commercial acumen to evaluate opportunities.
• Understanding or experience of agile ways of working through proactivity, innovated thinking and being action orientated to maintain the team vision of being specialists who enable the business to move at pace and secure the most advantageous commercial deals.

What’s in it for you?

• Hybrid working
• 24 days holiday (+ 8 bank holidays) with the option to buy an additional 10 days
• Annual bonus scheme
• Enhanced maternity and adoption leave
• Access to Apricity, a self-funding IVF benefit at a reduced rate
• Company pension with up to 8% N Brown contribution
• Mental Health support both internally and externally, including access to our wellbeing champions and counselling services
• A range of financial wellbeing support
• Colleague discount across all N Brown brands
• Onsite café with subsidised rates and local restaurant discounts!
• Life Assurance and Private Medical Insurance
• Paid volunteer time – all our colleagues can take a full day paid to volunteer for a charity of their choice

N Brown – who we are and why work for us?

At N Brown, we’re committed to building a diverse workforce and creating an inclusive environment that values equality for all. Our vision is that by ‘championing inclusion, we’ll become the most loved and trusted fashion retailer’. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging are, therefore, at the heart of our culture.

We’re a forward-thinking digital retailer with a financial services proposition to be proud of. We’re customer-obsessed, serving them through three core brands: JD Williams, Simply Be, and Jacamo. We’re experienced, with over 160 years of trading under our belt. We’re inclusive, as we believe in fashion without boundaries; and we’re sustainable, striving to make as little impact on the planet as possible.

In May 2024 we were delighted to be named one of The Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2024. We work hard to create a happy and inclusive culture for everyone and we’re so proud to have made this list - as voted for by our very own colleagues!

Ways of Working

We offer hybrid working which varies across the business depending on the role you’re in.. Our Head Office is located in the Northern Quarter in Manchester City Centre. So if you are travelling by train, tram or bus we’re perfectly located, plus we’re surrounded by cool cafes, trendy bars and the best places to eat!

Our full-time working hours are 36.17 per week over 5-days. We don’t have strict working hours therefore there is some flexibility around start and finish times as long as you are meeting the needs of the business.

Our promise to you:

We’re an equal opportunity employer and value diversity. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, colour, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

What happens when you apply to a role at N Brown?

As soon as we receive your application, we’ll send you an email to let you know. We always aim to come back to you as soon as possible with an update and we really appreciate you taking the time to apply for a role with us. Good luck!