Global Category Manager - West Bromwich

Global Category Manager jobs

Category management in the procurement field is overseeing the acquisition of certain classes of goods or materials, often those that are somehow interconnected or interdependent. In larger companies and/or those where sourcing is international, an additional layer of management, the global category procurement manager, might be inserted.

Depending on how advanced the existing procurement is, the global category manager might be required to develop an entire global category procurement strategy or manage the one that is already in operation within a set of guidelines. Either way, the aim will be to reduce costs to the company, which will be achieved by negotiating deals and rates with supplier, forming partnerships and constantly analysing the market in which he or she is working.

A general aim will be to reduce or limit costs wherever possible, both within the employing company through systems, staffing and prudent economising and through the act of procurement itself. The global category manager will have to implement a worldwide plan of action throughout the company. This can mean seeking to impose consistency internationally to meet the results of forecasting, planning and analysis. But it can also involve the exact opposite: tailoring different procurement strategies to the different market environments to take advantage of local efficiencies.

Global Category Manager Jobs in West Bromwich

Only five miles north-west of Birmingham, West Bromwich is a large town that offers a number of options for those seeking Global Category Manager roles.

For hundreds of years, West Bromwich was mainly an agricultural area and the town first rose to prominence during the 19th century when deposits of coal were discovered in the region.

It grew quickly as a coal mining town and associated industries also arrived. Indeed, the area became known as the Black Country due to the smoke and soot that resulted.

Until the latter half of the 20th century, West Bromwich's economy was based mainly on manufacturing, with one of its main products being metalwork for the automotive industry. Textiles and chemicals were also produced.

The town suffered significant job losses during the 1970s, as more and more factories were moved to locations abroad in order to make use of cheaper workforces.

Today, West Bromwich's economy is mainly based in retail and the service sector; this is particularly due to recent investments to regenerate the area - with large shopping centres like Queen's Square. West Bromwich Building Society has been based in the town for more than 160 years, while the region's main employers are based in the public sector, including Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council.

Manufacturing, however, does still play a part in the local economy, with products including building supplies and technology.