Senior Category Manager - Technology

Senior Category Manager - Technology

The role : Senior Category Manager - Technology

We are looking for a Senior Category Manager - Technology to join our Procurement team based in Leeds or London.

This role follows a hybrid approach to working, allowing you to combine working from home with working in our modern offices. These discussions are between you and your manager to find the best pattern for you both! We will kit you out to work from home but know that working as a team is what makes us great and spending quality time together is essential for keeping us mission aligned.

Are you our next star player?

The Flutter International Procurement function in Flutter is now responsible for the governance of external third-party spend of over £550m per annum across Pokerstars, Betfair International and Foxbet brands. Business Owners are supported in the management of this spend by the Flutter International Procurement team which helps manage supplier risk, key systems, and contract management. To ensure a cohesive and co-ordinated approach to supplier spend management across the division, Flutter International has a Procurement team led by the Associate Director of Procurement.

Why we need you:

The Senior Category Manager – Technology role is a strategic role within this team responsible for procurement category planning and strategy across our Flutter International Technology spend of c£50m per annum. A key element of the role is leading on strategic business partnering with strategic suppliers across our brands to optimise their spend. The ability to influence at CTO and LT level is critical to this role to achieve cross divisional coordination of projects and strategies.

Leadership on category planning/savings budgets and project management across the division is a key aspect of this role. It requires strong influencing and organisational skills to gain cross-brand alignment on Technology category spend management, helping set and deliver long-term vision and priorities for the category and inspiring other divisional category managers to follow.

Key responsibilities include:

• Working at pace, take responsibility for the prioritisation and delivery of commercial and contractual negotiations against agreed targets within the Technology area

• Take ownership of the full procurement lifecycle, including supplier relationship management, ensuring that risk flows down the supply chain

• Drive cost reduction efforts through process improvements, contractual efficiencies and elimination of inefficient spending

• Build strong working relationships with key internal stakeholders and act as a functional bridge between external vendors and internal stakeholders (including senior management)

• Play a leading role in how we mitigate an ever-changing landscape in the Technology area, leading on initiatives and strategies to mitigate cost challenges.

• Create the strategy for category management and supplier development

• Establish, build, and leverage relationships with existing and potential suppliers/partners to ensure Flutter International is at the forefront of innovative developments within the Technology category

• Working with new and potential suppliers/partners to safeguard capacity, quality, cost, minimise risk and assure continuity of supply in the long term

• Liaising with internal stakeholders, managing the end-to-end delivery of supplier contracts in accordance with agreed roadmaps to meet the business needs

• Responsible for highlighting contractual risk and supply resilience issues to Executive level stakeholders for consideration and change

• Continually challenge operational requirements and supplier spend, identifying and critiquing cost throughout the supply base

• Ensure, where appropriate, that regular review meetings with partners/suppliers are held at prescribed intervals including other stakeholder groups where necessary

• Production of management information that takes into account achievements and challenges encountered/overcome

• As a member of the Procurement department, be a key contributor to lessons learned, knowledge share and process development across Flutter International Procurement

• Ability to travel, when required

Who we're looking for:

The Senior Category Technology Manager will have proven experience with complex commercial contracts in the Technology space, in particular complex software, hardware and services. They will ideally have 5+ years of relevant strategic sourcing experience in a Technology category management role with a multinational corporation with divisional and global contracts.

As the ideal candidate, you will have:

• Proven leadership skills in dealing with diverse team members and colleagues

• The ability to manage up and down the chain in a large complex organisation

• In-depth experience in best-in-class procurement practices (category management, bench-marking, RFX, end-to-end contract management, etc.).

• Master’s Degree (MBA/MS) or relevant CIPS qualification

• Strong negotiator with proven experience in setting negotiation strategies and conducting negotiations

• Strong experience assessing risk and concisely explaining complex issues to key business owners.

• Extremely customer-focused and takes the time to understand the needs of the business

• Experienced in working in a large, global, federated organisation

• Strong analytical skills including the ability to quickly analyse, distil and draw conclusions on large amounts of disparate data, and experience with capex and opex models

• Ability to manage multiple simultaneous projects

• Excellent written and oral communication skills

• Passionate self-starter with the highest level of integrity and ethics

• Ability to engage and influence at all levels of an organization

• Good knowledge of SLAs, KPIs, particularly regarding enforcing those SLAs and KPIs

• Analytical and problem-solving skills based on a data-driven approach

Desirable Skills:

• Experience within the gaming industry a plus

• Deep understanding of the key drivers of a business

• Exposure to and understanding of legal frameworks and contract law

• Experience in undertaking market research and analysis across indirect & direct spend categories to provide evidence to support/facilitate sourcing decisions

• Knowledge of web-based IT infrastructure technologies and understanding of financial reporting tools

• Understanding of Flutter International’s corporate risk profile and ability to manage those risks

• Strong Excel and analytical skills are key to this role

What’s in it for you?

Our experience-based salaries are competitive. Plus, there’s a discretionary annual performance bonus.

Your package will include:

• 30 days paid leave

• Health and dental insurance for you, your partner and your children (if you all live at the same address)

• Personal life insurance and income protection

• The option to join our company pension scheme

• External learning support of up to £2,000 or equivalent in local currency, dedicated 4 learning “Power Hours” every month during office time, full access to the Udemy and Mindtools platforms, in-house leadership program and many other training opportunities for developing your skills and progressing your career

• Looking to extend your family? You will receive a cash gift of £1,000 for your new addition whilst working for us

• 26 weeks Maternity leave at 100% pay & 4 weeks secondary leave pay (paternity) at 100% pay

• Online Discount Scheme, including discounted shopping and cinema vouchers

• Access to an on-site gym.

What happens next?

We will aim to get back to you as soon as possible. If you meet the criteria, then we’ll invite you to a Zoom interview.

The Group

PokerStars is part of Flutter Entertainment Plc, a global sports betting, gaming and entertainment provider headquartered in Dublin and part of the FTSE 100 index of the London Stock Exchange. Flutter brings together exceptional brands, products and businesses and a diverse global presence in a safe, responsible and ultimately sustainable way.

We are an equal opportunity employer that values diversity. We do not discriminate on any protected characteristic as defined by applicable law.

We will look to provide reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities to participate in the job application or interview process. If you need assistance, please contact: talent@flutterint.com

Please note we cannot accept general applications; this inbox is just for providing support to those who need it.

Want a seat at the table? Apply now!