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 Wallasey
After years of sailing the seven seas and bringing back cargoes and unlikely tales, the upper ranks of the merchant and military navies wanted somewhere pleasant to live, and if they weren’t fed up of the sea, one such place might have been Wallasey. The town at the northern tip of the Wirral, opposite Liverpool, sprung up for just this reason, and it was full of large homes for such seamen to retire to. The town had a small presence already in the shape of a fort and lighthouse, both to protect the port, but it was barely inhabited. New Brighton, the most resort-like part, was named after Brighton on the south coast, and it was hoped that it would emulate its success.
Wallasey’s population of around 60,000 is well connected by road, rail and sea. The M53 to Chester starts in the town and the Kingsway tunnel (known locally as the Wallasey Tunnel) picks up at the same point. By rail Wallasey is linked to Liverpool, the Wirral, North Wales and Chester, and the Mersey Ferry crosses from Wallasey’s Seacombe terminal (as well as Birkenhead). Birkenhead and Wallasey would now probably be completely merged were it not for the dock that stretches 2600 metres inland.
Wallasey is now an integral part of the Liverpool and Birkenhead conurbation, and it is no longer a retreat for retired seamen, with most of their houses being converted into bed and breakfasts or flats long ago. The town’s economy is now linked with those of its neighbouring towns and Liverpool, and that is not bad news for anyone looking for Global Category Manager work, as the region still has plenty of manufacturing and distribution industry.
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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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