Category Manager

We are a leading international law and professional services firm providing legal, corporate and fiduciary services to global corporations, financial institutions, capital market participants and investment fund managers. With a global presence spanning the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, we advise on the laws of Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Guernsey, Ireland and Jersey.

We treat everyone as the intelligent professional they are. Our approach is to trust and empower our people to deliver consistently, and enable them to succeed. Diversity is our secret weapon – it's the sheer breadth of Walkers people that makes us who we are – gathered from across the globe and fluent in languages, jurisdictions and cultures that help us to mirror our clients and keep our own thinking in tune with the world in which we operate.

Office: London (hybrid - 2 days in office required)

Walkers is offering a unique opportunity to a dedicated and collaborative Category Manager.

The Category Manager will be predominantly working on the firm's procurement activities including support of the Head of Procurement in their ongoing updating and implementation of the current processes and commercial engagements. The role holder will have a specific focus on procurement and supplier management of a portfolio of vendors and projects primarily across Professional Services with some IT, Facilities Management, Marketing and Travel. The role holder will be responsible for ensuring that any engagement or interaction with any new parties follows the firm's requirements and diligence processes.

The Category Manager will be expected to get up to speed with the current vendor landscape and pipeline of new projects either in-flight or due to start this Financial Year. The role holder will be expected to support the team's management of the commercial lifecycle of both locally and globally consumed services. The role will work closely with the relevant Information Security, Risk and Compliance department members to ensure all due diligence is carried out on both existing and new third parties that the firm engages with for goods and services.

Reporting into the Head of Procurement, the Category Manager will help with the workload of an increasing project and BAU portfolio to ensure that purchases by the firm meet both the Procurement and over-arching business strategy. The role holder will be expected to review contracts and commercial agreements, benchmarking, negotiating and where necessary co-terming agreements. This will include storing and managing related documents, relationship history along with tracking on-going discussions and regular supplier check-ins. The Category Manager will also contribute to any new or in-flight RFI and RFP processes.

Job Duties

• Understand and ensure that the procurement processes are followed and ensure all governance and diligence is applied when reviewing or on-boarding suppliers.
• Support the business areas and Project teams in supplier engagement and on-boarding process.
• Monitor renewal dates, allowing the firm to adequately plan renegotiations, renewals and support the process when appropriate for RFP's
• Work with supplier relationship owners' to provide support and guidance in on-going supplier management.
• Liaise with the Risk, Legal, Info Sec and Finance teams to ensure new suppliers are thoroughly checked before on-boarding takes place.
• Work closely with the Legal teams to ensure contract terms are favourable to Walkers.
• Oversee the NDA signing process prior to discussions taking place.
• Assist in managing the corporate third-party vendor estate.
• Review proposals, contracts and Statements of Work to ensure they meet the expectations of the firm.

• Decisive and confident in one's own ability and recommendations
• Strong written, oral and presentation communication skills.
• Excellent inter-personal skills and ability to present ideas and proposals in user-friendly language
• A passion for ensuring that not only cost but value is being maximised as part of an agreement.
• Highly self-motivated and directed, with keen attention to detail.
• Able to effectively prioritise tasks in a high-pressure environment.
• Experience working in a geographically dispersed team-oriented, collaborative environment.
• Relevant procurement experience with proven experience of professional services procurement. 

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Walkers global is an equal opportunity employer. Equality and diversity are key to our global identity and an integral part of our goal to continue being an employer of choice. We are committed to a work environment that supports all individuals irrespective of gender, ethnicity, nationality, race, religion, marital status, age, disability, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other applicable legally protected characteristics. We make every effort to ensure that employment opportunities are open and accessible to all purely on the basis of personal ability.