One of the world's largest and most innovative pharmaceutical companies has an urgent requirement for an Interim Procurement Category Manager for professional services procurement.

This is 6-month initial contract offering up to £650 p/d inside IR35 with majority home working - 2 days per week in Stockley Park office.

The Senior Procurement manager will be responsible for the development and execution of sourcing initiatives across indirect spend, with a focus on 'commercial' categories, including agencies, meetings and events, market research and consulting services. Candidates will be required to collaborate with and influence cross functional teams; understand, align and support business goals. Responsible for conducting spend analysis, analyzing supply markets, identifying sourcing value levers and executing competitive RFIs/RFPs and leading supplier negotiations. Leverage sourcing tools and technology platforms when & where appropriate. Develop and execute implementation plans to ensure sourcing benefits are fully realized.

Essential Duties and Job Functions:

• Strategic sourcing and vendor management
• Business engagement with business leads and cross functional teams based in Europe, and potentially Global / US teams based in Foster City U.S.A as well as European affiliates. Gather stakeholder and subject-matter insights/business requirements to ensure effective delivery of projects
• Lead multiple simultaneous sourcing initiatives, following the strategic sourcing methodology
• Manage the development, planning and launch of RFIs and RFPs
• Effectively manage ongoing project communications to multiple stakeholders to maintain momentum and secure engagement, including reporting to affiliate leadership team on a regular basis.
• Ability to analyse spend/ cost improvement data to track project value delivery
• Lead supplier negotiations
• Manage supplier selection and develop data analysis requirements for informed supplier decisions
• Contribute to implementation planning and change management initiatives

Knowledge, Experience and Skills

• Requires a university degree and preferably, demonstrated experience within the pharmaceutical/ healthcare industry
• Strategic thinker with ability to formulate, develop and execute strategy.
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship building skills.
• Ability to lead, interact with, focus, resolve conflict and drive consensus among individuals from a variety of cultures, and disciplines.
• Ability to analyse complex issues, execute sound judgment and make decisions
• Demonstrated excellence in project management and effectively managing multiple projects/priorities.
• Ability to work with external suppliers and commercial agencies, including advertising, public relations and medical education vendors to develop programs and materials as required.
• Excellent proficiency at communicating verbally and in written form.
• Demonstrated ability to obtain, analyse and present data in the appropriate format and clearly explain what the data means

This is an urgent requirement so if it is of interest please apply immediately and contact Jamie.mackinlay@1st-executive.com to find out more.