Global Category Manager jobs
Category management in the procurement field is overseeing the acquisition of certain classes of goods or materials, often those that are somehow interconnected or interdependent. In larger companies and/or those where sourcing is international, an additional layer of management, the global category procurement manager, might be inserted.
Depending on how advanced the existing procurement is, the global category manager might be required to develop an entire global category procurement strategy or manage the one that is already in operation within a set of guidelines. Either way, the aim will be to reduce costs to the company, which will be achieved by negotiating deals and rates with supplier, forming partnerships and constantly analysing the market in which he or she is working.
A general aim will be to reduce or limit costs wherever possible, both within the employing company through systems, staffing and prudent economising and through the act of procurement itself. The global category manager will have to implement a worldwide plan of action throughout the company. This can mean seeking to impose consistency internationally to meet the results of forecasting, planning and analysis. But it can also involve the exact opposite: tailoring different procurement strategies to the different market environments to take advantage of local efficiencies.
The skills required
Management level experience would be a prerequisite a job of this level, and many employers will demand a bachelor’s degree, MBA or other recognised business qualification. A proven ability to communicate ideas and complicated instructions to the team will be required, and only people with an analytical mindset will we able to cope with such work.
Owing to the international nature of the job, language fluency would be extremely useful, as would a willingness to work abroad, often for long periods. A thorough understanding of the market in which the company seeks to procure materials and goods will probably be requested too, although this could be counterbalanced by excellence in procurement in another field.
An ability to fully understand the implications of contracts, and possibly the ability to draw them up from scratch, will also be an essential personal ability.
Global Category Manager Jobs in Royal Tunbridge Wells
As the name suggests, Royal Tunbridge Wells gained its popularity as a place to take on mineral spring water which in days gone by was believed to have health benefits. Like several other spa towns across the nation, this soon attracted well to do folk with disposable income to visit and take the waters, particularly during the nineteenth century, although in this case the spa status began rather earlier. Roads and eventually railways would allow greater numbers of people to come, and the population grew as hotels and other services sprung up to accommodate and pamper them. From an early stage, Royal Tunbridge Wells was designed to be architecturally striking, and it remains so today.
Nowadays, however, the importance of the spa and the waters is negligible to the local economy, although the tradition started by it, and which earned it the Royal prefix, remains important to the town’s atmosphere. Royal Tunbridge Wells is a wealthy town with almost zero unemployment, and although it has thriving financial and tourism industries, acts as a commuter town for London. Part of its success is its relative isolation from other large settlements, which makes it a draw for all the villages in the region. The centre of London is 30 miles (50 km) to the north west, and about the same distance to the south is the South Coast.
Such towns, where tourism and commuting are dominant, might not seem like ideal candidates for Global Category Manager jobs, but wherever there is an affluent population and a half-decent transport network, they do occasionally emerge, usually with a retail employer.
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Cast UK’s procurement opportunities
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 when they come to us. In fact, employers often approach us to find managerial and executive candidates before they are advertised, so if you’re in procurement, 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. At any given time, Cast UK 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 Global Category Manager for your business or find you a job as a Global Category Manager then contact one of our consultant team on 0333 121 3345.
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