Sourcing Specialists

Introduction
At IBM, work is more than a job – it’s a calling: To build. To design. To code. To consult. To think along with clients and sell. To make markets. To invent. To collaborate. Not just to do something better, but to attempt things you’ve never thought possible. Are you ready to lead in this new era of technology and solve some of the world’s most challenging problems? If so, lets talk.
Your Role and Responsibilities
IBM is seeking highly motivated individuals with comprehensive commercial procurement and client facing or consulting experience to join our team of procurement professionals. Specifically, we are looking for procurement professionals to join IBM’s Global Procurement team in support of IBM Procurement Services business area, servicing IBM’s external clients.

Responsibility Areas:

• Following instructions, guidance from Category Managers on Contractual Knowledge on risks and business interpretation of terms and conditions
• Managing the company’s supply portfolio ensuring transparency of spending
• Generating and implementing efficient sourcing and category management strategies
• Analysing and calculating costs of procurement and suggest methods to decrease expenditure
• Assist Category Manager for all 3rd party Supplier procurement requirements
• Develop, deploy and manage global category strategies including spend analysis, benchmarking, cost, market analysis and global technology, economic trends
• Ensure early sourcing engagement, alignment on key sourcing objectives and effective execution of sourcing projects
• Identify strategic partners, negotiate contracts and develop a preferred supplier list with competitive rate cards
• Manage supplier selection, RFQ, RFI process, negotiation, contracting and supplier performance process
• Measure and manage supplier performance (KPIs), savings, payment terms, service levels
• Consistently deliver year-over-year productivity, payment term improvements
• Deploy a regular and effective engagement model with key stakeholders that provides consistent communication and alignment
• Drive and execute the annual and strategic plan with supporting strategies; align business and sourcing initiatives to optimize and deliver year-over-year results
• Coordinate sourcing support for functional requirements between the Category Managers, Tactical Buyers, Procurement Operation Buyers
• Apply effective sourcing supplier risk assessment methodologies to ensure supplier continuity
• Develops category strategies for the assigned areas of responsibility
• Builds relationships with client stakeholders such that Category Manager can demonstrate value in continued engagement, can challenge the client stakeholders when fruitful, and can bring additional subject matter expertise
• Identifies cost savings opportunities across categories
• Acts as a trusted advisor and SME in the areas of sourcing and negotiating contracts
• Achieves cost savings, risk mitigation, and process efficiencies through various value levers
• Leads supplier selection process across multiple subsets of the category, with various scope and client stakeholder groups
• Leads negotiations with current and potential suppliers as part of the contract renewal or vendor selection process
• Collects and analyses internal/external category data, metrics, and reports to track performance against targets
• Able to analyse multiple data sets to identify opportunities and category insights
• Participates in category councils and business reviews to support collaboration, knowledge sharing, opportunity identification, and overall relationship development
• Innovates within the procurement space; looks at new ways to structure programs or categories, benefits from changes in supply market, or modifies tools/processes to add value
• Provides support throughout the sourcing and contracting process when necessary, ensuring seamless handoff to our clients when appropriate
• Managing multiple competitive bid events for clients (i.e., Request for Proposal, Request for Quote, Request for Information, Reverse Auctions etc.) within assigned spend categories
• Analysing client’s historical spend data in one or more categories in order to identify sourcing opportunities, support category strategy development, and measure compliance with supplier agreements.
• Building and maintaining stakeholder relationships across all levels of the client’s business, procurement, and legal organizations
• Negotiating commercial terms and facilitating contracting processes with the client’s suppliers
• Analyzing and documenting cost savings versus historical spend to ensure IBM meets or exceeds contractual savings commitments to our clients
• Identifying opportunities to transform the client’s procurement organization and policies, and to support the client in achieving its strategic business objectives
• Supporting Senior Category Managers and Category Managers with development of category strategies and developing sourcing project strategies
• Collaborating with peer consultants supporting our other clients to share and leverage useful templates, strategies, lessons learned, and case studies

Required Technical and Professional Expertise

• 6 to 10 years in Procurement Tactical Buying, e-Sourcing, Supporting/Assisting to Category Manager on Category Management Services by executing Strategies.
• Can develop and implement recommendations, demonstrates initiative, and contributes to problem solving. Direct responsibilities for operational measurements. Carries out variety of complex activities according to plan within broader area of responsibility, analyses problems.
• Apply analytical skills, numerically astute with strong demonstrated problem-solving abilities.
• Apply communication skills, able to build and maintain effective and productive relationships with staff, Stakeholders and Suppliers.
• Apply collaboration/teaming techniques.
• Perform in matrix organization.
• Perform time management, priorities tasks and achieve set targets.
• Apply Knowledge of Business Organization and Processes, Work instructions.
• Apply Business Control Requirements.
• Apply customer satisfaction skills / client facing skills.
• Ability to complete staff-work to a high standard.
• Strong Verbal and written skills required.
• Keen attention to detail and accuracy.
• A minimum of 6+ years of strategic sourcing experience, in the areas such as Fleet and Logistics, Vehicle Leases, Fuel, Tires, Warehousing, Packaging, Freight (Ocean, Air, Truckload, LTL, Small Parcel), Information Technology, Marketing & Communication, Corporate & Professional Services, Travel & Expense, Facilities Management categories.
• Travel to client location on need basis.
• Degree in Business, Law, Supply Chain Management or another applicable field.
• Previous experience in a client facing / consultative role.
• Client Relationship Management: Ability to build rapport with clients and maintain professionalism in communications with all levels of client stakeholders. On-time delivery of high-quality analyses and presentations.
• Data Analysis: Ability to utilize procurement and financial data to understand spending trends within a business, and to leverage that information to identify procurement insights that result in process efficiencies or cost savings for the client.