Procurement Category Manager Engineering & Customer Support Services

Location: Hengelo, Netherlands

About the team

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 jobThe 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”).
• This requires 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.

The job is regionally based. “Regionally” means: Netherlands, with two main locations in Hengelo and Huizen.

However you represent relevant categories as part of the Global Category Team and as such requires an excellent view of the organization as well as a strong ability to interact with many (executive management) stakeholders while ensuring the implementation of agreed global category strategies.

Reporting to the Category Team Lead Segments A, E and F of Regional (Netherlands) Procurement.
This role is a challenging one, in a time where Thales Nederland has been awarded several complex, large projects that lead to increasing procurement needs, both in volume as well as in complexity. In this respect the suppliers need to be involved in the preparation for this and the strategies need further focus to create a smooth execution of the Thales NL projects.

The main tasks are: 

• Ensure 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;
• Manage, control and develop supplier performance together with a multidisciplinary team;
• Identify and achieve cost reductions and improvements in cooperation with the suppliers and stakeholders;
• Contribute to continuous improvement of Procurement (Chorus) particularly in your perimeter.

About you

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
• An open mind (listen, share ideas etc.) and able to bring added value and innovation.
• Strong contractual skills and experience in complex negotiations.
• You are available to work at minimum three (3) days per week on-site at our Hengelo location. And in addition approximately one (1) day at our Huizen location every two weeks.

What's in it for you 

• A challenging job in a great team within our high-tech, innovative work environment. Includes the freedom for initiative and good ideas.
• Room for personal and professional growth within our organization, for example in regards to technical, commercial or international skills. 
• Valuable international collaboration with coworkers from 68 different countries around the globe. 
• A comfortable work space in a modern environment, with a focus on flexibility and the right work life balance.
• You can usually work where and when you want to be able to do your work as well and efficiently as possible. Within Thales we implement hybrid working, where you can, for example, work from home two days a week if your role allows it.
• A good salary, fitting travel allowance, and the ability to personalize your employment conditions: for instance, you can trade days off for internet costs, our bicycle plan, company fitness and relocation costs.
• 40 days off per year (PTO). Yes, really.

LR 09 VKG 70

Questions?

Reach out for more information to our Talent Acquisition Partner Gerlof Jan Heck, via +31 (0) 638697390 or [email protected].

Or Apply directly by clicking on the button below.

To ensure that we are a good match, we can ask you to participate in an assessment.

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