Senior Category Manager - Services

Location: Hub based! Bristol or London

But you have the flexibility to work wherever suits you best

Team: Procurement & Supply (Finance)

Salary banding: 65000k - 80000k

Experience: Manager

Working pattern: Full-Time

Reporting to: Category Department Lead

Sponsorship: Unfortunately we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.

This role in 3 words: Driving Relationships Commercial

Top 3 qualities for this role: Influence Self-Solving Strategist

In the words of the team you should leave your current role for this one because.

OVO is a fantastic place to work. The company really cares for its people which makes you want to go the extra mile. There is a reason we won Times best place to work! The Procurement & Supplier Management team are on a really exciting journey and its not every day you get the ability to actively participate in a Procurement transformation! OVO felt like home to me after just 2 weeks and I put that down to having such a great team around me

Where youll work:

At OVO we understand that a one size fits all approach doesnt work for everyone. Thats why we created the OVO Way of Flexibility.

All our roles are hub based (Bristol Glasgow or London) providing a dedicated space for collaboration connection and teamwork. Youll also have the flexibility to work from home.

Everyone belongs at OVO

At OVO we are on a mission to solve one of humanitys biggest challenges the climate crisis. And we know it takes all of us to change the world. Thats why we need diverse people from all abilities gender identities ethnicities ages sexual orientations life experiences and backgrounds to join us.

Teamworking for the planet

Everything we do here spins around Plan Zero. So naturally the team youll be joining plays a gigantic role in making that happen. Heres how:

As an enterprise business OVOs supply chain presents large risk but great opportunity when it comes to sustainability and wider ESG initiatives. Procurement & Supply Management play a vital role when contributing to OVOs wider Plan Zero aspirations ensuring were working with the right partners and managing risks appropriately.

This role in a nutshell:

Were hiring for an exceptional Senior Category Manager to lead and develop a team of Category Managers while driving the strategic management of the Operations services procurement category. The category of services you will support include procurement of metering engineering services and energy industry data services.

In this pivotal role youll oversee the creation and execution of category strategies for our Fulfilment and Industry Operations categories foster internal stakeholder and supplier relationships and ensure procurement processes deliver maximum value. Youll also be responsible for coaching and empowering your team setting high standards and ensuring alignment with OVOs Plan Zero ambitions focusing on sustainable and ethical sourcing practices.

Youll report to the Category Department Lead - Operations and play a critical role in delivering results managing change and establishing a high-performing culture across the team. Buying goods & services is an essential part of OVOs business enabling the delivery of a range of products to our customers from marketing campaigns to smart meters and everything in between.

The Teams objectives include:

• Driving significant commercial benefits to support OVOs EBITDA targets.
• Reducing risks driving compliance and maintaining agility across procurement operations.
• Procuring goods and services sustainably in alignment with OVOs Plan Zero.
• Becoming a knowledge base of relevant supply markets products technologies and trends.
• Leading supplier relationships through the contract lifetime ensuring delivery expectations are met and rectifying any issues
• Continuously improving commercial value process efficiency and risk mitigation.
• Effectively partnering with internal stakeholders.
• Supporting the implementation of procurement systems to underpin opportunities while reducing risks and improving compliance.
  
  

Your key outcomes will be:

• Lead mentor and develop a high-performing team of Category Managers - Operations fostering professional growth and ensuring best-in-class procurement practices.
• Oversee the development and implementation of robust category strategies in the Fulfilment (metering engineering services) and Industry Operations (energy industry data services) business areas to maximise value and mitigate risks.
• Collaborate with your team to ensure successful execution of end-to-end procurement processes for your categories.
• Drive supplier negotiations at a strategic level ensuring favourable terms and long-term partnerships.
• Establish and maintain a culture of continuous improvement within the team embedding innovative approaches to category management.
• Monitor supplier performance across your categories ensuring compliance and addressing escalations as needed.
• Facilitate knowledge sharing and alignment across categories to standardise processes and ensure consistency.
• Act as a key point of escalation for critical supplier or category issues driving timely resolutions.
• Align team objectives with OVOs sustainability goals championing ethical and environmentally responsible sourcing.
• Provide strategic direction to the team ensuring alignment with organisational goals and long-term plans.

Additionally you will:

• Use data-driven insights to inform team strategies and decisions maintaining an updated view of category spend and supplier performance.
• Lead by example during RFx exercises supporting your team in adhering to project management best practices.
• Present material commercial initiatives and procurement outcomes to the C-suite in collaboration with your team.
• Deliver effective Supplier Management life contract management reducing risk scope creep supplier performance and contract exit
• Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) for your team ensuring accountability and success.
• Lead the continuous development of procurement tools processes and systems to enhance team efficiency.
• Align the teams efforts with OVOs Plan Zero objectives demonstrating measurable contributions.

Youll be a successful Senior Category Manager here at OVO if you

• Are an experienced leader with a track record of managing and developing high-performing teams.
• Possess strong communication and interpersonal skills to inspire and guide your team while building collaborative relationships across the organisation.
• Are adept at strategic thinking with at least 5 years of experience in procurement or category management.
• Have exceptional negotiation skills and can lead your team in securing favorable supplier contracts.
• Excel in managing supplier relationships at a strategic level driving performance and fostering innovation.
• Use data and analytics to make informed decisions driving value and identifying improvement opportunities.
• Are committed to sustainability and demonstrate leadership in ethical procurement practices.
• Thrive in a dynamic fast-paced environment managing multiple priorities with ease.
• Are a team player with a pragmatic approach balancing leadership and collaboration effectively.
• Have or are working towards a CIPS qualification (desirable).
• Demonstrate proficiency in procurement systems (e.g. Workday Strategic Sourcing).
• Bring deep expertise in sourcing across key categories with exposure to the energy sector as an advantage.

Lets talk about whats in it for you

Well pay you between 65000 and 80000 depending on your specific skills and experience. If your expectations are a little different have a chat with us!

We keep our pay ranges broad on purpose to give us and you flexibility to match your experience to our zero carbon mission.

Youll be eligible for an on-target bonus of 15%. We have one OVO bonus plan that focuses on the collective performance of our people to deliver our Plan Zero goal.

We also offer plenty of green benefits and progressive policies to help you feel like you belong at OVOand theres flex pay. Well give you 9% Flex Pay on top of your salary 4% of this is auto enrolled into your pension and the remaining 5% is yours to do what you like with. You can use this to buy from our extensive range of flexible benefits including our green benefits which weve put at the heart of our offering add to your pension or even take it as cash.

Heres a taster of whats on offer:

For starters youll get 34 days of holiday (including bank holidays).

For your health
With benefits like a healthcare cash plan or private medical insurance depending on your career level critical illness cover life assurance health assessments and more

For your wellbeing
With gym membership travel insurance workplace ISA will writing services dental insurance and more

For your lifestyle
With extra holiday buying discount dining home & tech loans and supporting your favourite charities with give-as-you-earn donations

For your home
Get up to 400 towards any OVO Energy plan plus great discounts on solar smart thermostats and EV chargers

For your commute
Nab a great deal on ultra-low emission car leasing plus our cycle to work scheme and public transport season ticket loans

Want to hear about our full range of flexible benefits and progressive people policies Our People Team can tell you everything you need to know.

For your Belonging

To find better ways to support our people we need to listen to each others experiences and find ways to build a truly inclusive and diverse workplace. As part of this we have 8 Belonging Networks at OVO. Led by our people for our people - so when you join OVO you can play a part - big or small - with any of the Networks. Its up to you.

Oh and one last thing...

Wed be thrilled if you tick off all our boxes yet we also believe its just as important we tick off all of yours. And if you think you have most of what were looking for but not every single thing go ahead and hit apply. Wed still love to hear from you!

If you have any additional requirements theres a space to let us know on the application form; we want to make the process as easy and comfortable for you as possible..

Required Experience:

Manager