Regional Category Specialist
Make a difference every day
We are a multinational organisation with a global team of 50,000 colleagues. In the Middle East we operate in the Transport, Defence & Advisory sectors, delivering services in Asset Management, Customer Experience, Fire & Rescue and Air Navigation Services. We are innovators, committed to redesigning and improving public services to fulfil our purpose to impact a better future by "Bringing National Visions to Life".
Your Opportunity
We are looking for a Regional Category Specialist to provide procurement and sourcing expertise and execution capacity to support effective management of Serco’s spend and supply base in the region by leading delivery of sourcing and continuous improvement projects that result in required business outcomes, robust contracts and improved value for money and collaborating with key stakeholders and procurement category managers to capture business requirements, develop effective sourcing strategies, run RFPs and successfully negotiate contracts for the supply of goods and services.
The ideal candidate should have the ability to work collaboratively with colleagues and independently as required, to also multi-task, prioritise and manage workload effectively and efficiently to produce quality deliverables within required timescales, and be able to work at a fast pace and maintain attention to detail.
This role is part of the finance team and will be based in our corporate office in Dubai.
Key Accountabilities
Engaging and managing selected key suppliers in collaboration with key stakeholders across business units
Optimising value delivery, performance improvement and risk mitigation from the supply base
Ensuring that benefits are recognised by key stakeholders to allow benefit delivery
Plan and manage delivery of procurement projects (>£50k) ensuring compliance to Sourcing & Category Management processes and governance
Support Category Managers in the delivery of large, complex procurement projects
Direct, oversee and support Buyers in the delivery of procurement projects
Review and analyse business purchase needs to determine the best procurement strategy to meet requirements in line with any relevant category strategies
Participate in global category communities of practice to share category insights and best practices globally
Conduct market analysis to identify and source potential suppliers, ensuring appropriate qualification and due diligence is completed
Maximise competitive sourcing opportunities wherever possible
Obtain stakeholder input to the development of statements of works/requirements
Publish the RFx to bidders and manage the RFx process (bidder questions, bidder submissions, evaluation & shortlisting)
Provide RFx event support to Category Managers including advice and support in the creation and management of sourcing events
Specific Requirements
Graduate calibre with Bachelor’s degree preferably in Business (or other related degree) or CIPS qualified or working towards CIPS qualification
At least 4 years’ experience working in Procurement
Working knowledge of category management, strategic sourcing and contract management
Working knowledge and practical experience of using eSourcing systems to run sourcing events (preferable)
Good desktop computing skills, particularly MS Excel and MS Powerpoint and the ability to learn Serco applications such as SMART, Power BI
What’s in it for you?
At Serco, our core values drive everything we do, and we believe in fairly compensating our colleagues for the value they bring to our organization. We are proud to offer a total reward package at Serco which includes:
Join Us
At Serco, we believe there is a place here for everyone. A place where you can bring your authentic self to work every day. Our workplace culture is one that embraces diversity and fosters equity, respect, and belonging for every individual. We are committed to equal employment opportunities and creating an inclusive environment that proudly celebrates the perspectives and backgrounds that each of our employees bring to work every day.
Join Serco and be part of a values-driven organization that invests in the development and well-being of its employees and offers a rewarding and fulfilling career.
Serco is committed to Equal Employment Opportunities and is committed to ensuring the safety of all of its employees through its Zero Harm initiative. Please visit www.serco.com/careers for more information.