Category Manager jobs
The category manager will be responsible for overseeing the procurement of his or her category of goods. As well as maintaining the smooth running of the process, the manager will also need to be able to identify savings and efficiencies in the system, both from actual trading figures and from forecasts, the commission of which the manager will be in charge of, usually with the help of a team of analysts.
The manager could well have a good deal of independence when it comes to dealing with his or her category. Senior management will have come up with targets and it will be down to the individual managers to use their procurement skills and knowledge of the sector to meet those targets without impacting on the efficient running of the company’s operations.
Since procurement is an activity that takes place between, rather than within, companies, the procurement manager will also need to form excellent relationships with the suppliers. He or she must keep constant lines of communication open with suppliers to inform them of expected fluctuations in demand and to listen to any concerns they have that demands cannot be met, whether or not it is their fault. By knowing the suppliers’ businesses well (which will often require at least some contact with their suppliers), more precise plans can be made and anticipated shortfalls of supply can be mitigated by seeking secondary suppliers. A great deal of trust and understanding needs to exist between the two parties if such openness is to succeed, although good quality contracting skills will also help matters.
The skills required
Interpersonal skills are the mainstay of any management role, but procurement category managers have a particularly important need, as they will be dealing not only with people from their own company, but also those from the suppliers. Although both companies’ fortunes may well be bound by each other’s success, being able to engender trust and communication is a key trait to possess. Negotiation skills will also be required.
Many employers will request that applicants are full members of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply, the recognised professional body overseeing procurement. Some will assist successful applicants with becoming full members.
Being full up to speed with procurement software will be a requirement, but aptitude with general office solutions will be essential for reporting and communication to all parties, internal and external.
Category Manager Jobs in Bury
Bury is situated at the northern point of Greater Manchester, outside the M60 with green, rolling countryside to its north. Although the town of Bury has a population of around 60,000, it is surrounded by settlements that form the metropolitan borough of Bury, home to closer to 200,000 people. Bury was a market town until the Industrial Revolution, when it threw itself wholeheartedly into the milling and weaving industries, and the town thrived, helped by the arrival of the canal and railway network in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Decline in Bury was quite severe as the cotton industry moved abroad, and by 1990 even the railway link to Manchester had been closed down. The town did go back to its roots somewhat and became a shopping and light manufacturing area, but its main purpose was to be a satellite and commuter town for Manchester. Bury Market has survived through thick and thin, however, and in these days of supermarkets and online shopping it is bucking the trend by not only being one of the largest open-air markets in the UK but also by actually growing. This trend was helped in 1992 when the old railway was repurposed as a Metrolink tram line right into the heart on Manchester.
Bury is quite often the source of Category Manager jobs nowadays. The town is pretty well connected by road, with the M60, M62 and M66 nearby, and the large commercial areas of Manchester, Salford, Bolton and Rochdale all within striking distance. Although it remains an important commuter town for Manchester, industry and retail do play their parts in the local economy.
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Cast UK’s procurement opportunities
If you’re looking for a job in procurement, 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. 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.
We were founded by specialists in the logistics, supply chain and procurement trade, 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 procurement, supply chain or logistics, we’d be delighted to hear from you.
To find out more about how Cast UK can help you recruit a Category Manager for your business or find you a job as a Category Manager then contact one of our consultant team on 0333 121 3345.
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