Category Lead jobs
In larger procurement operations, the sourced products and materials will be divided into categories so that they can undergo more focused purchasing, negotiating and analysis. Maintaining this focus allows the teams dealing with the products to attain a higher level of expertise and sensitivity to the markets in which they are dealing, which in turn should lead to better negotiating positions and lower prices paid.
The category lead’s main role will be to ensure the aims are fulfilled costs are minimised and profits maximised. He or she might work directly under a category manager or director, and the level of focus will depend on the size of the operation, the amounts purchased, the diversity, seasonality and availability of the sourced materials and the nature of the business as a whole. The lead might not be involved in any face-to-face procurement, but could well have a strictly overseeing role with regard to the team. Although some responsibility will lie with the procurement team members, the category lead will be the conduit between them and the senior management, so strategic decisions will have to be delivered precisely to them, and in turn, reported results and forecasts will need to flow upwards.
Category leads will often work alongside dedicated category analysts who will be deeply involved with the financial side of the operation, while the category lead gets on with running the department. However sometimes, analytical understanding and a degree of executive power might be granted to the lead.
The skills required
As with any middle management role, great communications skills will stand the category lead in good stead. The ability to deliver strategic demands from the board to the procurement team, each of whom might have different specialisations, will be key to the success of the procurement operation. Dealing with those higher up the hierarchy will be just as crucial, however, and an ability to honestly and clearly communicate problems as well as successes will help keep the department running harmoniously and profitably.
Where analytical skills are required, there will be a vital requirement for IT aptitude, with spreadsheeting, word processing and digital communications solutions being the tools of the trade. The ability to gather information both by word of mouth from the procurement team and from the digital records of bidding and purchasing processes, and to put the data to good use, will be a key skill of the procurement category lead.
Category Lead Jobs in Birkenhead
While Birkenhead has always lived in the shadow of the world-famous port city of Liverpool just across the Mersey, it has a maritime history that is of huge importance to the region and the nation. The town has a history of shipbuilding, and although the industry has had its ups and downs, with particular lows in the 1980s, it seems to be on the up again, with the Cammell Laird shipyard getting back up to speed after collapse and buy-out. The shipyard has an illustrious history, being the birthplace of HMS Prince of Wales, HMS Ark Royal (the 1938 incarnation) and RMS Mauretania to name but a few. The famous Mersey ferry (actually three boats) sails from Birkenhead to Liverpool daily.
Although the town of Birkenhead is home to just over 80,000 people, it forms part of a sprawling conurbation along the east of the Wirral Peninsula that takes in New Brighton, Bebington, Wallasey and, of course, Tranmere. Taken together, the population is well over 300,000, the size of a small city.
Luckily, the ferry isn’t the only way across the Mersey. Two road tunnels and a rail tunnel connect Birkenhead to Liverpool, which in combination with the M53 running up the spine of the Wirral, make it a particularly well connected town. This large population and the re-emerging shipyard make Birkenhead a good place to look for Category Lead jobs in the North West of England.
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Cast UK’s procurement opportunities
As a recruitment consultancy, Cast UK were founded by specialists in logistics, supply chain and procurement, and our consultants are also drawn from these backgrounds, so we know what employers and candidates are looking for. Employers often approach us to find managerial and executive candidates, so if you’re in logistics, we’d be delighted to hear from you. Whether you’re relocating for personal reasons or are simply looking for more job fulfilment, there could well be an employer who’s looking for the skills you have, so please get in touch with Cast UK if you’re looking for a job in logistics. At any given time, we have jobs all over the UK, so wherever you live, or plan to live, we are well placed to find work that suits your skills.
To find out more about how Cast UK can help you recruit a Category Lead for your business or find you a job as a Category Lead then contact one of our consultant team on 0333 121 3345.
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