Senior Sourcing Professional

The Strategic Procurement Manager position involves supporting the growing volume and complexity of partnerships.

This includes defining sourcing strategy, spend analysis, strategic partnerships, vendor identification and development, as well as tactical elements such as leading negotiations and collaborating with internal stakeholders.

The successful candidate will need to understand the impact of contract terms and compliance obligations, and be able to explain contract terms to stakeholders while identifying ways to meet customers' needs.

The role requires strong analytical and communication skills, as well as the ability to drive cross-functional engagement and make data-based decisions.

The ideal candidate will have a business or commerce degree, previous experience in commercial contract management, and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced team-oriented environment.

The role is based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia and can be based from either Sydney or Melbourne.

Main Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement sourcing strategy to achieve step changes in cost structure, capacity and diversification by analysing and reviewing transportation capability in the AU market against business requirements.
• Identify and develop carrier partners across categories, especially with a focus on developing partners who can drive innovation, sustainability, speed and customer experience.
• Advise and provide thought leadership on the execution of competitive commercial, channel, and partner deal opportunities.
• Develop innovative commercial models and negotiate delivery services agreements.
• Execute contracts and competitive structures- maximising the value of opportunities consistent with Delivery Services objectives and requirements.
• Work closely with global partners and local stakeholders to understand the existing vendor negotiation relevant tools and contracts, and assess the gaps between what exists and what is needed in AU market.
• Build a comprehensive negotiation strategy in line with global best practice and local needs.
• Drive effective application of negotiation tools and products.
• Continuously identify specific negotiation best practices and training needs, and drive negotiation tools enhancement.
• Engage directly with the partner on commercial and contractual terms.
• Provide expertise on deal structuring and advise key stakeholders on the impact of deal terms: provide creative solutions to the stakeholder and leadership.
• Close commercial transactions: brief senior management and coordinate internal and customer stakeholders.

Skills and Qualifications:

• Demonstrated capability of handling complex negotiations.
• Ability to lead partner-facing negotiations.
• Ability to explain standard agreement terms to counterparties and negotiate fallback positions to those terms where appropriate.
• Ability to act as a trusted advisor to business teams to support the strategy, negotiation and execution of enterprise agreements.
• Strong customer orientation and commercial acumen.
• Owns responsibility for organisation's success, thinking and acting beyond immediate team or area of focus.
• Ability to drive strong cross-functional engagement with both internal and external teams.
• Demonstrate the ability to meet deadlines while managing multiple negotiations.

Basic Requirements:

• Bachelor's Degree from an accredited university or equivalent qualification.
• Previous experience in delivering and influencing business processes using data analysis, modelling and forecasting.
• Previous experience in commercial contract experience and facilitation of large cross-functional teams.
• Strong oral and written communication skills- ability to simplify complex topics for broad audiences.
• Attention to detail and high ability for data mining- with strong analytical orientation; comfortable using databases and analytical tools and making data-based decisions.
• Creative and ideas-driven in finding new solutions/ designing innovative methods, systems and processes.
• Ability to prepare, report and interpret large sets of data.

Preferred Qualifications:

• This role suits a procurement professional who has a business, commerce or engineering degree however remains open to all bachelors.
• Proven experience of working in a fast-paced, highly complex analytical environment preferably in Supply Chain, e-Commerce, Consulting or Finance.
• Highly analytical and capable of communicating effectively with customers and senior management.
• Demonstrated ability to thrive in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.