Senior Category Manager

Heidelberg Materials UK (formerly Hanson UK) is one of the UK’s largest suppliers of construction materials, employing over 3,500 people and operating around 280 manufacturing sites in the UK.

We are committed to building a more sustainable future and recognise that a diverse workforce is key to our growth and development. We aim to foster a culture that values openness, transparency and individual achievement.

Mission & role of the function

• Coordination of UK wide purchasing activities for Heidelberg Materials strategic and core spending categories.
• Development and delivery of procurement strategy for Hanson’s core and highest value categories of spend to achieve quantified savings, incl. measure definition and roll-out implementation
• Coach top and senior customer base in UK purchasing competencies to ensure compliance
• Provide assistance and support to the business as required to ensure efficient fulfillment of purchase requirements
• Work in close collaboration with Operations, Finance, Group Lead Buyers & Shared Service Centre
• Create visibility of spending behavior, provide periodic reports with recommendations for improvement and facilitate changes in behavior.

Key accountabilities

Coordination of UK wide purchasing activities for assigned categories of spend

• Provides guidance and assistance to relevant UK functions (e.g., operations)
• Establishes and facilitates multi-functional teams to assess business needs and then deliver purchasing solutions to satisfy requirements
• Manages interfaces with non-purchasing organisation such as Finance
• Elect appropriate method of purchase for the spend categories in scope
• Provides regular updates to Senior Executive Members on business critical issues
• Manage and exceed the expectations of relevant stakeholders including Business Line Managing Directors and CEO as required.

Development of procurement strategy to achieve quantified savings

• Manages suppliers (selection, negotiation, relationship management) taking full ownership of supply continuity
• Understand the supply chain of all categories in scope and ensure that they are closely monitored to mitigate any potential risk to supply
• Places/Signs/Negotiates the most complex and strategic frame agreements/contracts
• Analyses long-term view/market trends and develops category know-how
• Builds new supplier relationships and develops alternative sources or solutions
• Prepares solid category strategy papers in a format suitable for presentation at EXEC Level

Development of UK purchasing competencies to ensure compliance

• Trains relevant parts of UK organization in purchasing procedures and policies
• Ensures compliance within UK organization through active communication and monitoring
• Develops tools and procedures
• Monitors actual compliance for respective key categories

Progress reporting and management of interface with global purchasing

• Works with Operational Directors and their reports to continually assess requirements and enable the optimal design of purchasing solutions
• Actively supports global lead buyer organization
• Takes full responsibility for the P2P process for the assigned categories of spend

Management of direct reports (where relevant)

• Provide effective supervision of direct reports to ensure delivery of support is aligned to both the business requirements and the overall purchasing strategy
• Establish clear goals and objectives in order to allocate work fairly whilst maintaining the managerial responsibility for the delivery of results
• Provide ‘stand-in’ cover for the Purchasing Director during holidays and absence due to sickness

Internal and External Collaboration

Internal

• UK Purchasing Director
• Business Line Managing Directors and CEO
• Heads of departments, plant managers, plant employees, SSC staff
• Global lead buyer organisation
• Legal & HR Departments

External

• Suppliers
• Consulting-Companies
• Associations
• Public Authorities

Job dimensions

The typical value of the spend portfolio to be managed will be £100m either through actual likely spend or value creation to the business; however this is determined by the level of business activity at any given time. It is expected that vendors in scope will be those that are business critical and therefore strategic in nature.

Because of the strategic importance of them, it is expected that the volume of strategic vendors to be proactively managed shall be about 20-30 but the portfolio could well have in excess of 60 different vendors. You will be required to develop, execute and manage effective purchase solutions whilst ensuring that you communicate with and support relevant business lines to maximise the benefits of using centrally negotiated contracts.

Job requirements

• Proven competence in managing purchasing categories of spend of significant value
• Minimum 5 years professional experience in a purchasing environment, preferably within a multi-unit business and in a senior position managing similar indirect spend categories
• Track record in developing and negotiating national and/or regional contracts with demonstrable results
• Ability to achieve acceptance and to communicate professionally with colleagues in different areas and hierarchies
• Strong awareness and working practice of legal forms of contract
• Proven ability of precision and rigour in analysis and structuring of tasks giving priority as appropriate
• Very good communication competencies
• Good overall financial skills including a comprehensive understanding of the TCO model
• Result orientation in delivering cost reduction benefits to the business
• Analytical, eager to take on new challenges, self motivated, innovative and consultative
• Computer proficiency (optional): Good knowledge in relevant accounting and material management tools (e.g. SAP R/3 (MM Module) and eProcurement tools)

What’s on Offer:

Salary: Competitive Salary

Location: Maidenhead

Hours: 40

Employer of choice : Armed Forces Covenant (Silver) / Disability Confident Committed / 5% Club (Gold) / Mates in Mind / Clear Assured (Foundation) / The Mineral Products and Qualification Council (MPQC) / STEM Ambassador 

Compensation Package : Bonus incentives / Generous Pension Schemes / Life Assurance

Work Life Balance: 27 days holiday (excluding bank holidays) / Agile working / Flexible working / Holiday purchase / Sabbatical

Family Friendly: Enhanced policies such as Maternity / Paternity / Parental Leave / Neonatal / Adoption

Social Values : paid Volunteering Day every year / Communities (LGBTQ+, Network of Woman, Woman in Science and Engineering (STEM), Armed Forces)

Wellbeing : Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) / Mental Health First Aiders / Cycle to Work / Employee Benefits portal including Gym discount / Free eye tests / Discounted Private Medical cover