Interim Procurement Manager - IT & General

Job Title: Interim Procurement Manager - IT Specialist / Generalist

Location: London (Hybrid working, 3 days in office)

Role Type: 6 month contract

Role Purpose:

The Procurement function owns, drives and develops all strategic, sourcing and commercial activity, to efficiently and effectively ensure third party engagements deliver the appropriate service, value and risk management to Aspen.

The focus of this role is to support strategic IT initiatives, within outsourced services. In addition, the role holder will be proactive, agile, and adept, and will be required to lead on activities and initiatives in other categories and Procurement areas, in support of the Procurement and Commercial Services function operating model and business priorities.

The role will be fundamental in establishing, guiding and overseeing transition activity related to third party vendor changes, ensuring minimal business disruption.

Our Aspen Values are expected to be reflected in the delivery and performance of this role.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategy and Planning:

• Lead the sourcing and negotiation on key category supply contracts and other critical agreements for the business
• Identify, drive and deliver savings, to a set target, to meet the agreed category and functional objectives
• Leads implementation of function and category strategies to maximise business efficiency and achieve cost synergies
• Plans and oversees the execution of transitions related to vendor changes.

Policy, Process and Procedures:

• Contribute to, and execute within Aspen governance frameworks
• Provide the Head of Procurement and Commercial Services with timely and relevant information on areas of responsibility, including regular reports on initiative progress and on key performance indicators
• Establish contractual servicing where appropriate.

Environmental Awareness/Customer Focus:

• Establish key relationships with both internal and external stakeholders for the category and work closely with the business on key procurement and commercial projects
• Guide the business on good practice, ensuring the deal team is aligned and informed at all times
• Work closely with suppliers/ partners to access latest innovations, challenge unnecessary business demands, manage contract obligations and measure contract delivery
• Align on value adding category supplier and relationship strategies that are aligned to business strategies
• Lead commercial relationships with suppliers, resolving and mitigating solutions where supplier performance is under expected standards.

Technical Performance:

• Support with category expertise, bringing market knowledge to relevant change programme commitments
• Continually manage key commercial terms, trends, performance and risks
• Provide technical expertise and business guidance on procurement and operational processes and practices to strengthen and develop Aspen's credibility both internally and in the marketplace
• Support the Head of Procurement and Commercial Services to drive operational and process excellence across partners and throughout the organisation

People Management:

• Actively demonstrate a team player mentality, understanding the dynamics of operating within a small team
• Adopt a culture and capability that effectively promotes management of strategic 3rd party partners to ensure timely solution delivery.

Key Skills & Requirements:

• Experience managing stakeholders at all levels and possess strong influencing skills
• Wide demonstrable knowledge of client areas Procurement, Process Excellence and Contracting.
• Led complex commercial negotiations of multi-million $ with outsourcing or BPO partners
• Experience of driving and enabling operational and process excellence
• Familiar with the full lifecycle of supplier management from procurement and into operational governance and leadership.
• Satisfy regulatory competence requirements
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills to build relationships and trust at all levels with internal customers.
• A consultative approach to working with our suppliers/ partners and address any commercial issues that arise.
• Analytical mindset, but also creativity to seek, encourage and find non-traditional approaches.
• Strong negotiation skills
• Ability to persuade, influence and negotiate both directly and indirectly
• Ability to analyse and use data for decision making
• Able to communicate effectively orally and in writing
• Able to produce detailed reports at various levels
• Sound commercial judgement
• Strategic and innovative thinker
• Strong reasoning capabilities-creative and lateral thinking, with strong problem-solving skills
• Able to use MS office applications, Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint
• High impact presentation skills
• Knowledge and understanding of business, operations and service functions across Aspen
• Technical knowledge of Procurement within an IT services category
• Excellent awareness of best practice and industry standards, legislative and compliance environments.
• Detailed awareness of Aspen's core strategies

About us:

Since Aspen was founded in 2002, we have become a leading, diversified specialty insurance and reinsurance company. We respond thoughtfully and creatively to find the best outcomes for our clients and business partners through carefully-tailored solutions. We believe the way we work is just as important as the work we do, and we are guided by our core values of respect, honesty, trust and professionalism.

Aspen is a great place to develop your career offering an exciting and challenging environment where achievement is rewarded.

We are committed to creating an inclusive recruitment experience. If you have a disability or long-term health condition and require adjustments to the recruitment process, our Adjustment Concierge Service is here to support you. Please reach out to us at [email protected] to discuss further.

This position is being recruited on behalf of our client through our Outsourcing service line. Resource Solutions Limited, trading as Robert Walters, acts as an employment business and agency, partnering with top organizations to help them find the best talent. We welcome applications from all candidates and are committed to providing equal opportunities.