Category Buyer (1year contract)

RESPONSIBILITIES:

- The CATEGORY MANAGER (CM) supports one or several procurement categories.

- The CM works in close relation with the relevant Global Category Managers (GCM) , the Category(ies) Team Leader (CTL) and the Buyer Analyst.

- All CM actions have to be in line with the strategy defined by the Global Category Manager and the CM will have a regular feed back loop with the GCM. The CM's prime role is the management of the RFI or/and RFP's until PVet 5 stage for business critical work packages in order to provide competitiveness to the business

In addition to this their main tasks are:

Strategy:

. Provide input into the worldwide category strategies for short, medium and long term needs

. Ensure the relevant players have a good knowledge of Thales need and support the category strategy so that the business secures targeted projects and customer competitive advantage.

. Ensure that clear and measurable savings targets are identified and delivered by category and endorsed by business / project.

. Ensure category commitment and spend compliance tracking is well reported.

Procurement Competitiveness Capture:

. Monitor the category markets on an on-going basis to identify and understand key players, newcomers, economic evolutions, market or regulation constraints, innovations and technology in order to support the development of the most up to date category strategy for the businesses.

. Based on the above provide insights as to how products / projects could be more competitive via the adoption of different suppliers / methodologies / technology etc.

. In conjunction with the Product, Bids and Project Procurement Managers and cross functional teams, the CM supports the preparation of Make / Buy decisions (lead by the PPM) in order to optimise business performance.

Governance, Leadership and Performance Management:

. Ensure THALES governance is applied using KPI's and root cause corrective actions

Supplier / Acquisition Management:

. Performance management of the supply base in line with the GCM.

. Ensure that supplier competitions follow THALES group process and are balanced and fair in order to improve business and customer performance.

. Ensure that the supplier contracts and framework agreements are negotiated when required in line with the category strategies.

. Ensure that global contracts / framework agreements are adopted and utilised.

. Ensure that specific legal compliance government or special customer requirements are taken into account during conception / implementation of in the category strategies

. Ensure that Thales e-Acquisition and all relevant THALES procurement tools are properly fully used according to governance procurement work packages at global level.

. Ensure that the risks, opportunities and Tier supply chain mapping is understood and managed in order to optimise business performance.

. Based on the performance management of the supply base identify the suppliers who require focused development actions and ensure that the Supplier Development Team have the required support / leverage to conduct successfully these actions .

Operational Part:

. Ensure the buyer analysts receive all information to raise the Purchase Orders.

REQUIREMENTS:

- Experience of interactions with senior management and senior stakeholders, in complex project environment . Experience in product policy, design / product development with cross functional teams in a Procurement Bids and Project role. Experience in sub-contract management and delivery of complex solutions. Experience & ability to define and to implement category strategy.

- Strong involvement in defining/ updating the strategy with the GCM

Strong implementation of the strategy on an operational basis

Strong contractual knowledge especially of framework agreements, Liability & insurance.

- Ability to lead complex negotiation including import / export considerations

- Understanding of the market for the categories under his control but also ability to understand the customer's stakes, needs and program issues

- Mastering economic models for the categories so that increased value can be added to Thales and the supply base.

- Proven ability to challenge and develop innovative supply chain / procurement analysis (CCO, should cost) that adds value to the business and end customers.

- Ability to manage complex sub-contracts including risks & opportunities and ability to identify Purchasing levers .

- Good knowledge of the best practice acquisition Process.