Senior Category Manager

About the job

Introduction
Together, we’re working to welcome millions more passengers , while ensuring aviation can continue to be a force for good by leading global efforts in sustainability. At Heathrow, you can be part of this – providing solutions that make every journey better for millions each year. That means ensuring we meet the changing needs of the passengers, colleagues and partners who use our airport to work, travel, trade, shop, eat, explore and connect. Our Solutions team covers project management, process improvement , business change, technology , cyber defence and procurement . It brings together people with the skills to deliver prestigious and often large-scale projects , from transforming terminals to making big reductions in our carbon emissions.
Every day will test your skills and give you the opportunity to make your mark. You might be working with the technology and data that po wer our city within a city, driving vital commercial agreements with everyone from retailers to airlines, o r improving th e unique infrastructure that includes everything from 200 buildings to 250 HV su bstations . It’s a collaborative environment, where you can rely on the support of the experts around you as you take on projects you ’ll both take pride in and feel passionate about.
Job Description
The purpose of this role is to manage the operational procurement of Utilities and Energy services and products as required by our stakeholders.
This will involve working closely with business stakeholders to jointly create and execute short and long-term procurement strategies for the Energy and Utilities categories which will best position Heathrow to maximise value delivery, minimise risk and deliver the agreed benefits of the category through cost saving, revenue generation and/or improved Airport operations. The role will be actively involved in ensuring Heathrow’s energy transition and Heathrow’s 2.0 sustainability strategy.
The role has responsibility for managing and leading a small team, ensuring team have sufficient training, tools and support to enable their performance.
In addition, this role will liaise with the wider Procurement teams to ensure appropriate sourcing strategies on common spend areas (e.g. design/build/maintain/operate projects, asset maintenance & service, infrastructure upgrades). The role will work with the suppliers and Heathrow teams to monitor and report on progress against continuous improvement initiatives and performance measures.
Your role will involve
 

• Manage their category strategic sourcing activities for large value, highly technical and complex spend areas which align with the business and the broader business / market strategies
• Manage their category pipeline of Operational procurement activities.
• Operate within the governance process and produce any required documentation to progress the sourcing of services or goods.
• Challenge business plans and strategy documents to ensure robustness of approach that maximises commercial opportunity and mitigates risk for each relevant endeavor
• Administer and abide by a robust contract management process to realise maximum benefit from the sourcing activity while driving a behavioural safety agenda
• Work closely across the procurement team(s) with peers, leaders and stakeholders to drive collaboration and share best practice for synergies across common categories driving value add activities
• Collaborate, influence and champion close stakeholder relationships to drive governance through the SRM process. Proactively engage teams, peers, leaders and stakeholders across the business to align to both procurement strategy and governance for delivery of business objectives
   

These Skills Are Essential
 

• Excellent understanding of the Energy markets, terminology and energy supply contracts and UK energy infrastructure
• Experience in managing team(s) and influencing peers and stakeholders
• Experience in coaching and motivating staff to deliver high levels of performance
   

Desirable Skills:
 

• Knowledge of energy in the UK Power Market
• Strong Project Management skills and good technical understanding to enable delivery of strategy
   

About Us
There’s something so special about working at the world’s most iconic airport. Its sights. Its sounds. Its constant air of excitement. Heathrow is an amazing backdrop to a career filled with unique opportunities.
Every day, you’ll discover a world full of fresh possibilities and come home buzzing with stories to tell, as you encounter people from all cultures, nationalities and experiences. A world full of pride for what we do and no end of exciting career prospects to explore.
It brings out the best in all of us. And inspires everyone to deliver on our ambitious plans. Together, we’re working to welcome millions more passengers while ensuring aviation can continue to be a force for good by leading global efforts in sustainability.
Join us on that journey and we'll help you achieve your ambitions too. Supporting you to learn, encouraging you to be yourself, backing you to achieve more than you might ever have imagined. Because there’s no place like Heathrow.
Our rewards
We offer competitive salaries and excellent benefits that will support you now and in the future. As well as performance-based annual bonuses and our longer-term Share in Success Bonus plans, we also offer generous annual leave allowances and market-leading pensions. With family friendly policies, access to private health insurance and a wide range of wellbeing tools, we’ll support you to be at your best inside and outside work. And of course, we’ll provide varied learning and development opportunities too. Here you’ll find everything you need for a fulfilling career journey that can take you in exciting directions.
Working location
This is an airport-based position. Every day, you will play a critical role in helping us to give our passengers the best airport service in the world.
Sustainable Travel to work
Heathrow’s Sustainable Travel Guide sets out easy and sustainable travel options that everyone can access.
Equal Opportunities
As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all. We believe that diverse talent makes us stronger – not least because we welcome passengers from all corners of the globe, every single day. Heathrow is an accessible place to work, and through our diversity networks, we champion inclusivity and celebrate individuality.