Procurement Business Manager - Operations at British American Tobacco

Job Purpose:
To act as the interface with local budget holders ensuring the delivery of both their service requirements and those of procurement.
To undertake sourcing activities for a number of categories that are managed at end market level (i.e. not globally or regionally managed).
To manage the continuous improvement and supply security process for all Indirect goods and services categories for the factory environment (Ibadan & Zaria) in British American Tobacco Nigeria and drive full compliance with Global and Regional Common Platforms, Best Practices, Policies and Procedures, and ensure that BAT Nigeria obtains optimum value for money from its expenditure on Indirect Spends
 
Key Deliverables:
To manage the customer relationship and all aspects of procurement related customer service for all Indirect goods and services categories for the factory environment (Ibadan & Zaria) in BAT Nigeria.
To understand customer/business unit requirements including their business goals, targets, initiatives, directions and supplier performance requirements. To manage the local customer relationship for those categories being managed at end market level, shaping demand and compliance where appropriate.
To deliver end market contracts in conjunction with Legal.
To ensure all contracts are agreed with the relevant business owners.
To collate all relevant end market business unit procurement requirements, providing the necessary information to ensure robust planning, budget and target setting.
Adopting the most cost effective purchasing processes to achieve best total acquisition cost and balance the requirements of internal customers & Procurement.
Ensure that BAT Nigeria applies Common Platforms, Best Practices and complies with Global and Regional Directives as well as local and statutory policies.
Development of an effective information system that provides optimal support to the whole Indirect Procurement process.
Ensure that the Company plan is based on accurate demand captured from the business units.
Ensure that the appropriate metrics, i.e. measurement tools, are in place and being used effectively to monitor and explain overall Indirect Procurement performance.
To own the relationship between procurement and all its internal & external customers at end market level.
To challenge demand and requirements and manage customer expectations to ensure compliance and drive continuous improvement.
To communicate appropriate supply chain and procurement messages regarding strategies, process and policies to customers, to ensure compliance and engender a common understanding of each other’s goals and targets.
Responsible for approving supplier selection for categories managed at an end market level.
Identifying and managing the risk which exists whenever we contract for goods and services with suppliers and service providers
Management of procurement strategies in partnership with key stakeholders.
Responsible for implementing regional, global and geographic category strategies and sourcing plans at end market level.
To ensure the business is compliant with procurement policy and actively manage any compliance issues.
To use a consistent approach using the agreed global policies, standards and platforms in all day to day tasks. This may include developing internal Service Level Agreement and monitoring against this performance.
To mitigate BAT’s exposure to service delivery and commercial risk through the delivery of robust end-market contracts and the management of the business relationship.
To identify the correct route for the resolution of contractual performance issues and manages their resolution.
Ensure the effective deployment of an information system that provides optimal support to the buying process.
Continuous supply improvements delivered to BAT Nigeria, measured in terms significant cost reduction, supplier rationalisation, high levels of service, introduction of business process changes and complexity reduction.
Management of procurement strategies in partnership with key stakeholders.
Analyse financial and market data, to build and maintain knowledge on all aspects of supply related external environment, on behalf of our internal customers.
Multi-functional Approach Understanding of a wide range of commodities and the associated total cost drivers.
Implement a Supplier/Customer Performance improvement and Tracking System for the purpose of optimising Supplier/Customer performance and achieving improved supplier/customer partnerships.
To determine the scope, scale and impact of any new products or services required by the customer. To communicate these requirements to the relevant Category Manager where appropriate or to amend end market strategies and contracts as required to meet the customer needs.
To communicate to the customer any new and innovative developments highlighted through Procurement stakeholders (e.g. by the Geographic Procurement Manager) and relay any feedback on the use or development of these new products or services back to procurement for further action.
Drive a continuous improvement process in relation to security of supply as well as quality and cost of Indirect Spends.
Instigate continuous improvement initiatives with suppliers, managing resource and actions from other functions into this process to deliver quality enhancement and best total value.
Provide leadership and motivation to Indirect Procurement staff to enable them realise their potential and offer their best to BAT
Create and nurture an environment in which ethical and professional business values underlie all facet of procurement activity
Ensure full cross-functional commitment to strategies through communication, education and evaluation of initiatives
To coach and develop direct reports and to ensure they have personal development plans in place.
To manage procurement support team which include transactional procurement team, legal etc.
To build strong multi-level business relationships with end market customers. To know who their key customer stakeholders are, and to ensure an appropriate plan and approach is in place for each area/function.
To manage any conflicting requirements between customer and procurement at end market level escalating any issues as appropriate to the Area Head of Procurement. 
Maintain high level of internal customer satisfaction with the individual and the processes used.
 
Essential requirements:
Good influencing and facilitation skills to act as the interface between end market business units and procurement balancing the optimum delivery of customer requirements with the need to adhere to a global approach
Experienced in the sourcing process including negotiation and contracts placement
Understanding of financial evaluation and interpretation of supplier’s records and their key cost and business drivers.
Experience in managing projects, especially to execute category and sourcing strategies at end market level.
Sound knowledge of corporate regulations and local legislation to ensure the creation of effective commercial contracts.
Sound knowledge of the procurement processes, platforms and policies
Educated to degree level or equivalent in a relevant business discipline
Fluency in English
3-5 years of experience in sourcing and/or account management