Category Procurement Manager LR09

Say HI* to our Category Procurement Manager role

The Thales Nederland Procurement team is part of the Thales Group global Procurement organization. The  procurement of products and services within Thales Nederland and the Thales Group represents nearly 50% of the total turnover. The competitiveness and the supplier’s operational performance, and the quality of the interface between Thales and its suppliers, are key factors of competitiveness. 

About the job

The Category Manager is based in the Netherlands and responsible for Procurement Engineering & Customer Support Services ( Segment E ).

As a Category Manager you are accountable for :

• Structuring, driving and implementing the engineering transformation, i.e. to transform contingent engineering labor (“T&M based”)  to outsourcing of work packages to strategic suppliers (“fixed firm / delivery centers”).

• Close collaboration and alignment with the Thales Engineering team, Thales (executive) management stakeholders and  Global Procurement Category team.

• The Global Procurement Strategy for Engineering Services is defined by our Headquarters. In your role you will lead all procurement initiatives defined for Thales Netherlands to ensure increased competitiveness, footprint capability and performance from our Strategic and Niche suppliers.

• You will handle RFx on new work packages, drive improved supplier performance and maintain strategic supplier relationships both in The Netherlands and in cooperation with Global Procurement.

• Furthermore you will also work closely together with our Engineering stakeholders (“heads of department) on both Hengelo and Huizen to ensure their cooperation in engineering transformation.

• Towards our Thales global organization, you represent the “voice of the Customer”  and “stakes of Engineering” on behalf of Thales Netherlands.

• Given the nature of the transformation from contingent to outsourcing, you will closely cooperate with our Category Manager responsible for Contingent Labor and our MSP / VSM partner in The Netherlands.

• To be successful in this role, you must ensure to have proven knowledge and expertise in both flexible labor market and outsourcing of IT / Engineering Services.

• Preferably you also bring know-how on strategic workforce planning into this position, so that you can better oversee how your results in the procurement outsourcing of engineering work packages also positively contribute our to overall Thales Netherlands objective to increase engineering resources.

• You are encouraged to retain up-to-date knowledge of your supplier market (developments) and maintain network relationships with your peers in the industry of flexible workforce and outsourcing of engineering services.

Your main tasks will be: 

• Ensuring the collaborative implementation of agreed global and local category strategies in the Netherlands with a focus on continuous improvement of relevant category strategies. With a strong focus on the engineering transformation as mentioned above.

• Selection, negotiation, contracting and contract management of suppliers;

• Managing, controlling and developing supplier performance together with a multidisciplinary team;

• Identifying and achieving cost reductions and improvements in cooperation with the suppliers and stakeholders;

• Contributing to continuous improvement of Procurement (Chorus) particularly in your perimeter.

What you’ll bring

We are in search for a colleague who has:

• a degree in International Business, Procurement or Engineering with professional and intellectual capacities at academic level.

• multiple years of relevant experience in Procurement, preferably in the Engineering Services and flexible workforce field.

• experience in working in cross functional international teams.

• excellent leadership skills with the ability to influence stakeholders and deliver business results.

• strong antenna to drive politically sensitive discussions without compromising in the strategy execution

• strong contractual skills and experience in complex negotiations

• great communication skills in fluent Dutch and English.

  What you’ll gain:

  Wherever your passion lies, Thales can help you make the best use of your skills and creativity. As a contractor at Thales, you can expect to experience:

  
  

  • An interesting job within a team of experts in an international high-tech environment.

  • Room for and attention to personal development and personal initiative.

  • The opportunity to grow within the organization, whether in a technical, managerial, commercial or international capacity.

  • A flexible work environment with a focus on maintaining a good work-life balance.

  
  
  
  About Thales

  Thales offers untold opportunities to take part in fascinating projects and overcome ambitious human and technological challenges. As a contractor, you’ll be part of a community of experts bringing together innovations from the bottom of the oceans to the depths of space and cyberspace. Collaborating to find solutions to the biggest challenges in the most difficult conditions.

  Drawing on a diversity of expertise, perspectives and cultures, we are able to provide the best possible solutions to our customers. Together, we can harness the extraordinary power of technology to build a future we can all trust.

  Randstad, as the EMEA Thales talent acquisition partner, is responsible for finding and contracting talent for the contingent roles at Thales. If you are selected for a role you will be engaged or employed by one of the Randstad recruitment companies in EMEA and will not be an employee of Thales.

  *Human Intelligence

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