Category Manager

Thales

  • Templecombe, Somerset
  • Permanent
  • Full-time
  • 1 month ago
Location: Templecombe, United KingdomIn fast changing markets, customers worldwide rely on Thales. Thales is a business where brilliant people from all over the world come together to share ideas and inspire each other. In aerospace, transportation, defence, security and space, our architects design innovative solutions that make our tomorrow's possible.Together we offer fantastic opportunities for committed employees to learn and develop their career with us. At Thales UK, we research, develop, and supply technology and services that impact the lives of millions of people each day to make life better, and keep us safer. We innovate across the major industries of Aerospace, Defence, Security and Space. Your health and well-being matters to us and that’s why we offer you the flexibility to do what’s important to you; whether that’s part time hours, job sharing, home working, or the ability to flex your start and finish times. Where possible, we support a working pattern that suits your lifestyle and helps you reach your ambitions.Procurement Category Manager – MechanicalCrawley / TemplecombeAn exciting opportunity for a Procurement Category Manager has arisen within our Procurement Function. You will be responsible for the Procurement Category Racks, Cabinets, and Consoles across our UK Manufacturing business. The role will be to lead the UK Category activities supporting projects across Thales UK business lines. In this role, the Category Manager will ensure that the execution of bid and project sourcing is in line with the business and corporate strategies, and that time frames and deliverables are aligned in order to deliver the best overall outcome (cost, service and/or quality) for Thales.This position sits within the UK Category Management team which gives the individual an excellent view of the UK organisation as well as a strong ability to interact with senior global stakeholders.We are looking for an individual who is knowledgeable in the mechanical supply chain, can interact with Engineering/Design teams, as well as having some experience of working with Indian suppliers.The Category Manager is accountable for end-to-end performance of the acquisition process via the management of the RFI & RFP's, you are also expected to lead major / business critical supplier selection exercises to support business needs and to ensure the deployment, implementation and monitoring of agreed category strategies.The successful candidate will be responsible for the supplier relationship management and when required support improvement drives on, quality, cost, delivery, contractual performance and innovation metrics; SPM/SDM resource will support this under the guidance of the Category Manager. You will be accountable for ensuring the most up-to-date knowledge of supplier markets is maintained, including new innovations and key emerging technologies relevant to the category. An essential element of this role is to ensure that the suppliers provide the competitiveness required to support the business and to introduce optimal supply base changes to support business-winning capability.ResponsibilitiesWe are looking for the individual to help the global team define the long-term procurement strategy for UK Racks, Cabinets, and Consoles markets as well as leading the tendering process for bids and projects.This will involve:
  • Developing a category strategy, that meets the regional and global business objectives;
  • Actively sourcing, assessing and qualifying potential suppliers;
  • Understanding the demand for this type of activity across Thales;
  • Executing the sourcing strategy through a disciplined RFI/ RFQ tendering process;
  • Managing the RFQ process, which includes creation of RFQ package, release to market, review supplier responses, provide recommendations;
  • Identifying risks and opportunities;
  • Influencing the design and/ or specification to generate additional savings.
#LI-SW1In line with Thales' Baseline Security requirements, candidates will be asked to provide evidence of identity, eligibility to work in the UK and employment and/or education history for up to three years. Some vacancies may require full Security Clearance which can require further evidence to be provided. For further details of the evidence required to apply for Baseline and Security Clearance please refer to the Defence Business Services National Security Vetting (DBS NSV) Agency.At Thales we provide CAREERS and not only jobs. With Thales employing 80,000 employees in 68 countries our mobility policy enables thousands of employees each year to develop their careers at home and abroad, in their existing areas of expertise or by branching out into new fields. Together we believe that embracing flexibility is a smarter way of working.Thales UK is committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free recruitment process. We will provide reasonable adjustments and support to ensure neuro-diverse applicants or those with a disability or long-term condition can be their best during the recruitment process. To request an adjustment, if you need this job advert in an alternative format or if you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact for mid to senior roles, or the for graduate and apprentice roles.Great journeys start here, apply now!

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