Procurement Category Manager

The Procurement Category Manager is responsible for supporting the development of the Sourcing strategy of all related procurement category projects ensuring the best possible option for the Company in terms of product quality, provisioning, cost and overall standards ensuring project timeline adherence and delivery for the following areas: IT, Show & Multimedia, Engine, Deck, Refurbishment and Security. In line with MSC Cruises' strategic category goals, the Procurement Manager supports technical procurement by providing comprehensive data analysis, reporting, supplier management, and workflow coordination to ensure efficient and effective procurement operations. The position is also supported by the buying team in Sorrento as well as subject matter experts in the Technical departments. This role may require some overseas travel depending on project requirements and all applicants must have EU working entitlement.

Directly reporting to the Procurement Director, the Procurement Category Manager – Technical will be based in the London office and will be responsible for:.

Leading and managing key aspects of procurement activities for new vessel development as well as existing fleet operational enhancements.

Leading strategic and tactical sourcing activity, including driving the further implementation of the e-procurement initiative.

Continuous improvement of supply chains including preferential delivery terms and strategic stock positioning as required.

Establishing sub-category plans across Technical, identifying short-, medium- and long-term Procurement strategies Managing and reporting procurement project activity, ensuring clear visibility of status and milestones.

Analysing spend data through dashboard reporting.

Supplier and supply chain development, through SRM initiatives, ensuring best practice solutions on an ongoing basis.

Liaising with the procurement teams in the Head office (Geneva) and Service provider (Sorrento), as well the regional Procurement teams in Miami and Shanghai, to ensure alignment in procurement strategy and delivery.

Negotiating with external providers to obtain the most cost-effective agreement for products and services on time and to the agreed specification.

Supporting market research and supplier evaluation to identify best suited products and suppliers in terms of value, delivery schedules and quality.

Ensure that the import and export of all products is in line with customs regulations and local laws and procedures.

Identifying current and future category spend patterns as well as monitoring the market and benchmarking costs.

Support the department with knowledge and knowhow on procurement best practice relating to the cruise industry, similar markets and further afield.

From time to time, the Procurement Category Manager may be required to work on additional procurement projects and tasks that may fall outside of this scope.

Manages the procurement database, ensuring data accuracy and integrity.

Supervises the management of product codes to ensure precise categorization, timely update and effective tracking.

Analyses procurement data to identify trends and opportunities for improvement.

Ensures compliance with MSC Cruises' procurement policies and procedures.

Develops and maintains procurement reports and dashboards.

Language Skills: Fluent in English; additional languages are a plus.

Bachelors degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business Administration or IT (additional professional certificate is considered as a plus)

Certification from Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) (preferred but not essential)

Minimum 3 years experience within a similar role is a must (preferably for a shipping company or other cruise line) Environment:

Experience in managing and maintaining large, complex databases, data accuracy and integrity

Experience in managing multi category procurement spend

Ability to think outside the box

Knowledge of cruise market and associated products and suppliers

PC literacy with proficient knowledge of Microsoft Excel, such as vlookup, pivot tables etc

Ability to support change management

Ability to travel overseas as required

Apply a project management approach to key tasks

Strong communication and negotiation skills = leading by example and leading / training stakeholders accordingly

Competence 1: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

Competence 2: Excellent organizational and multitasking abilities.

Competence 3: Effective communication and interpersonal skills.

Competence 4: Detail-oriented with a focus on data accuracy and integrity.

The existing right to live and work in the UK is preferred.