Category Manager - Agile Procurement, Rapid Implementation Team

Job Summary

Leads the development, implementation and ongoing management of procurement Level 3* category strategies at a local, regional or group-wide level for a portfolio of goods and services in line with Group Procedures. Works with stakeholders (functional, procurement and supplier), to develop strategy and tactics for procurement category and initiatives, provides thought leadership; identifies, creates and implements initiatives to maximize value and ensure ongoing management of supplier contracts and relationships. Project manages work-streams and initiatives within the category to ensure timely delivery of objectives, ensuring all necessary Stage Gate processes, including formal stakeholder approvals are completed.

This job comprises of four key activities:

• Procurement Level 3 category strategy
• Sourcing of goods and services
• Procurement-led change
• Contract management

• Level 3 refers to the category taxonomy used across Group Procurement.

Job Responsibilities
Level 3 Category Strategy

• Manages stakeholders (functional, procurement and supplier), defines and implements effective Level 3 (product/service level) category strategies to deliver a program of transformation and risk mitigation; obtaining buy-in at each necessary step of the process.
• Challenges the balance between cost and service ensuring value for money.
• Shares best practices and learning across categories, geographies and teams.

Sourcing of Goods and Services

• Develops and implements a sourcing process that delivers the right level of service and commercial outcomes through planning, defining business needs, assessing supply market, defining strategy, execution, supplier selection and contracting.
• Ensures supplier priorities and capacities are aligned, identifies options, risks and mitigations.
• Secures formal stakeholder approvals for supplier selection recommendations’ as required.

Procurement-Led Change

• Leverages changes in supply market and demand conditions to deliver innovative services and commercial solutions.
• Identifies and implements opportunities to improve service and reduce costs by challenging and continuously improving the what, how, when, where and why goods and services are purchased.

Contract Management

• Ensures all contract obligations are fulfilled, risks are mitigated and contracts remain valid throughout their lifecycle. Holds internal organization and suppliers accountable for their actions.
• Defines and executes a contract management program, while ensuring continuous improvement, variance management, contract compliance and governance for nominated suppliers to guarantee that the appropriate value is secured from contracts.
• Expands high performing supplier relationships to maximize value for WBA.

Procurement Expertise

• Acts as a subject matter expert in category management, sourcing, procurement-led change and contract management.
• Navigates procurement across an international & multi-site operation. Drives procurement-led change through their own initiatives. Utilizes market and business intelligence, shapes the strategic Level 3 category agenda whilst also delivering on their initiative plans.
• Leads negotiations and ensures the effective conclusion of commercial and service arrangements that meet the needs of the business.
• Leverages procurement toolbox (spend data analytics, GNFR pipeline, contracts database, e-procurement etc.) to optimize results.
• Constructs and concludes commercial contracts in collaboration with the Legal team to ensure commercial and service requirements are captured, while mitigating against risk. Communicates to all levels of the organization to ensure all stakeholders are informed.

An Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/veterans
Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) is included in the Retail Pharmacy USA Division of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (Nasdaq: WBA), a global leader in retail pharmacy. As America’s most loved pharmacy, health and beauty company, Walgreens purpose is to champion the health and wellbeing of every community in America. Operating more than 9,000 retail locations across America, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, Walgreens is proud to be a neighborhood health destination serving approximately 8 million customers each day. Walgreens pharmacists play a critical role in the U.S. healthcare system by providing a wide range of pharmacy and healthcare services. To best meet the needs of customers and patients, Walgreens offers a true omnichannel experience, with platforms bringing together physical and digital, supported by the latest technology to deliver high-quality products and services in local communities nationwide.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and at least 4 years of procurement experience. OR High School/GED and at least 7 years of procurement experience.
• At least 2 years of experience applying procurement practices/strategies focused on meeting the business challenges, P&L needs, and the needs of the organization with a minimum of 1 years of experience developing and implementing requirements/change management methodologies to execute strategic sourcing activities.
• Experience collaborating with internal and external resources to develop strategies that meet department goals within budget and established timelines.
• Experience working with Profit & Loss (P&L) concepts, such as revenue, COGS, gross profit margin, operating expenses and cash flow
• Experience in supplier negotiations, developing and implementing sourcing strategies.
• Experience using time management skills such as prioritizing/organizing and tracking details and meeting deadlines of multiple projects with varying completion dates.
• Experience establishing & maintaining relationships with individuals at all levels of the organization, in the business community & with vendors.
• Intermediate level skill in Microsoft Excel (for example: using SUM function, setting borders, setting column width, inserting charts, using text wrap, sorting, setting headers and footers and/or print scaling)
• Intermediate level skill in Microsoft PowerPoint (for example: applying a theme, formatting character spacing, inserting a picture, changing slide layout and theme colors, adding transitions, customizing slide numbers, changing chart style and/or formatting font)
• Intermediate level skill in Microsoft Word (for example: inserting headers, page breaks, page numbers and tables and/or adjusting table columns).
• At least 2 years of experience contributing to financial decisions in the workplace.
• At least 2 years of direct leadership, indirect leadership, and/or cross-functional team leadership.
• Able to travel up to 20% of the time for business purposes (within state and nationally and internationally).

Preferred Qualifications

• CPM, CPSM or MCIPS certification or willingness to obtain one.