VP, Procurement Category Lead

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.

The role

The VP - Global Category Lead – owns, leads and delivers the client area.

The role holder 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.

Whilst the focus of this role is the management of the global category, 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.

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

Key accountabilities

• Lead strategy/vision for global category
• Lead negotiations on all supply contracts and other critical agreements for business
• Identify, drive and deliver savings, to a set target, to meet agreed category and functional objectives.
• Lead procurement areas of strategic change projects (e.g. continuous improvement, automation led initiatives, etc.), to drive innovation for client and ensure it is contracted and delivered.
• Leads implementation of function and category strategies to maximise business efficiency and achieve cost synergies.
• Develop appropriate governance frameworks to maintain adherence to Procurement/Group/regulatory governance.
• Provide the Head of Procurement and Commercial Services with timely and relevant information on areas of responsibility, including regular reports on progress against plans and budgets and on key performance indicators.
• Establish contractual servicing where appropriate, deliver workflow tool and create process efficiencies.
• Establish key relationships with both internal and external stakeholders for category and work closely with business on key procurement and commercial projects
• Work closely with suppliers/ partners to access latest innovations, challenge unnecessary business demands, manage contract obligations and measure contract delivery
• Develop long term value adding category supplier and relationship strategies that are aligned to business strategies
• Lead commercial relationships with suppliers and resolving and mitigating solutions where supplier performance is under expected standards
• Deliver ongoing and increasing benefit through effective engagement of suppliers and delivery of initiatives that drive new customer propositions, cost reduction and service improvements
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key external stakeholders including business partners and regulatory bodies, to ensure quality service and sound commercial terms
• 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 credibility both internally and in market
• Support category expertise in relevant change program.
• Support Head of Procurement and Commercial Services to drive operational and process excellence across partners and throughout Aspen.

Skills & experience

• 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 analyze 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

Other

We are an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.