Category and Commercial Manager

MLC Life Insurance. We have been protecting Australians for over 130 years. We respect the role we play in providing peace of mind for our customers, and we never lose sight of it.

**Our Purpose**

MLC Life Insurance is one of Australia’s leading life insurance specialists and a member of the Nippon Life Insurance Group, one of the world’s leading insurers. We are guided by our simple purpose: ‘A Promise for Life’. We provide almost 1.2 million Australians with reassurance that they and their loved ones will be supported when they need it most. It’s a promise that provides peace of mind and helps them sleep at night.

Our purpose is supported by Our Values of Do What’s Right, Deliver Together, Make it Simple, Own it and Aim High. It’s how we work together and behave every day in every interaction with our customers, partners and each other that defines who we are.

**Our Strategy**

Our strategy puts our customers at the centre of our ambition to be Australia’s leading and most trusted life insurer. It is through the commitment, energy and talent of everyone at MLC Life Insurance, working together, that we make a positive contribution to the lives of our customers. To support all of us to be at their best every day, we offer a flexible, hybrid work environment centred on development, wellbeing, recognition and contribution.

With more than 1500 people nationally, we believe our success is built on the unique contribution of our people. Diversity and Inclusion is core to what we believe in and who we are. We aspire for everyone at MLC Life Insurance to feel valued and respected for who they are.

**The Role**

Reporting to the Head of Sourcing and Partnerships, the Category & Commercial Manager (Business Services) is responsible for working collaboratively with stakeholders to understand business needs and objectives.

You will be accountable for developing and implementing category & procurement strategies to achieve organisational objectives. You will also lead sourcing activities within your category for the commercial management of new and existing contract arrangements.

With a background in category/commercial management, you will manage the portfolio spend for TCO optimisation, source and procure products / services as per category strategy and procurement policy.

You will lead the procurement execution, negotiation and commercial management of suppliers to reduce risk and achieve business and contractual outcomes.

In addition, you will manage special projects relating to the strategy, process and performance of Procurement as well as manage the day-to-day engagement with functional, ie; Risk, Finance, Legal and business resources associated with sourcing and commercial management activities.

**About You**

A seasoned Category and Commercial Manager, you possess a minimum of 8 to 10+ years of experience in a similar capacity, ideally within the financial services industry.

You are highly familiar and experienced with managing and interacting with partners and third party vendors in the professional services sector, such as consultancy firms or brand and marketing agencies.

Other requirements include:

- Extensive experience in the development, creation and execution of Category Management Strategies in the Business Services and Claims/Medical categories with measurable and achievable savings/reductions and value extraction;
- Extensive experience & hands on experience executing all aspects of the end to end supply chain and procurement lifecycle - including category strategy and management, source to contract market activities, negotiation and execution, contractual / deal expertise, performance management risk management processes.
- Experience negotiating and managing vendor relationships, contracts and complex commercial models;
- Excellent written, analytical and verbal skills to communicate with vendors, internal stakeholders, senior management and customers;
- Strong interpersonal skills with demonstrable ability in running cross-functional projects and teams;
- Advanced influencing, communication and negotiation skills and demonstrated ability to influence senior stakeholders;
- Strong problem solving skills, with the ability to think innovatively; commercial and financial acumen to to contribute ideas on all aspects of the organisation with the gravitas to influence at the most senior levels; and
- Experience working in a Transformation and/or Change Management environment

**Why Choose Us?**

At MLC Life Insurance, you will have the opportunity to:

- enjoy flexible, hybrid work options and an inclusive environment where everyone is respected and valued for who they are and their unique contribution
- embrace a culture of customer centricity and an ambition to be Australia’s leading, most trusted Life Insurer
- access a range of benefits including competitive salary, lifestyle leave, two days volunteer leave every year, recognition of service milestones; and
- wellness