About Us

We're a truly international company, fourth largest in our industry and operating across 119 markets. An inclusive, innovative global FMCG business supported by 26,000 employees. As we embrace a new era of growth, we are transforming. Our ways of working and culture are driven by a challenger mindset, constantly questioning the status quo where people can bring their best selves to work. Our agility and collaboration are driving our ambitions, innovation and success all supported by our award-winning development programmes that creates exciting and rewarding career opportunities for all.

As we move forward, our consumers will be at the heart of what we do, evolving to needs and expectations and committing to a more meaningful contribution to harm reduction by building a successful NGP business. Integral to our long-term success is our sustainability strategy, behaving responsibly and supporting our ambitions, all underpinned by high governance.

Encouraging inclusion at local levels and supporting a developing and robust diversity agenda globally, we’re fully committed to creating and maintaining an environment that celebrates and respects difference.

The Role

As part of the broader Global Supply Chain organisation and as part of the Procurement function, this truly global role will include the sourcing and management of strategic supplier relationships within a broader category management framework.

This role is a critical enabler of success for Imperial’s GCO Innovation function. We are committed to innovation to exploit an open ecosystem-based business model to accelerate our harm reduction and well-being agendas.

As the challenger in our sector, we know we can’t do it alone. For us, creating a healthier future is a team effort. We are building deep and open partnerships with third-party businesses and our intention is that, over time, this web of relationships will evolve into a genuine ecosystem, one well equipped to pursue a harm reduction agenda.

This key role will be the interface into Imperial’s GCO Innovation team, under our Chief Consumer Officer. The role holder will be a key business partner to support cross category procurement in relation to consultancy, services, technology and other discovery related work to manage compliance and support to stakeholders in a seamless manner.

Working with the Category Manager this role will support the delivery of the procurement strategy and support the deployment of category and strategic supplier relationship management where appropriate to innovation.

The Category Buyer will conduct strategic and tactical sourcing activities with the stakeholders as needed, in order to establish contracts and manage supplier relations including issue resolution when needed and support the Category Manager with development of category strategies.

The activity will be strategic and at times be high profile and short notice. Close working with the GCO innovation tam, wider GCO and central function business stakeholders and Business Partners within the Procurement function will be required. The NGP CoE team will be a core stakeholder group for the role holder to remain close to, to ensure that innovation and discovery work is at all times aligned with our NGP (next generation product) category and commodity strategies.

Key Responsibilities

• Sub-category strategy development and delivering strategic commercial agreements which maximise value and minimise risk for Imperial Brands
• Support the Category Manager with the deployment of the procurement strategy and supplier risk / ESG and supplier relationship management strategy
• Conducting strategic and tactical sourcing activities within the category (including preparation, execution and evaluation of RFx activity - RFIs, RFPs, RFQs and e-auctions as required)
• Ensure that all procurement activity and tender requirements are in accordance with the company’s financial regulations and comply with directives
• Conduct commercial contract negotiation, contract management (including implementation), renewal of contracts and archiving old contracts and make them available for each relevant region
• Follow-up and act on supplier performance data received from Procurement Centre of Capability team
• Work closely with Procurement Business Partners within the agreed service archetype to achieve the procurement targets
• Work with GBS (Global Business Services) in relation to operational process, compliance, deployment and issue resolution / management as needed - to utilise technology and standard ways of working

Portfolio specific:

• Work collaboratively as part of a small Indirect Marketing Procurement team, responsible for strategic commercial agreements and category development, optimising value for money for the Global Consumer Office Innovation team and supported functions
• Sourcing & Management of all procurement requirements relating to innovation and discovery for GCO
• Regular and direct engagement with GCO innovation team, NGP Marketing leaders Intelligence & Insights leaders, key stakeholders within GCO, and Procurement Business Partners for regions / markets as well as the CoE teams within procurement
• Collaboration with Governance teams in relation to all required standards (e.g. Intellectual Property, Marketing Standards) within the supply base, Information Security, Data Privacy and related topics
• Engagement with strategic transformation and improvement programmes where necessary

Skills & Experience Required

• Outstanding communication skills
• Strong negotiation and influencing skills
• Ambitious, willing to learn and driven to achieve results
• Well organised, reliable and with commercial awareness
• Analytical and strategic
• Proven track record to influence and manage internal and external stakeholders, building and managing strong working relationships
• Strong, demonstrable ability to collaborate in a multi-cultural environment
• Able to deal with a changing environment
• Fluent oral and written English is essential
• Significant experience within Procurement and/or R&D teams.
• A good understanding of how a global innovation function operates with suppliers.
• Experience in sourcing consultancy, market research, intelligent services, technology providers, start-ups and other innovation/discovery related areas.

Desirable:

• University degree preferred
• Technology / Innovation background
• Cross cultural & international experience is preferred

Additional Information:

• Travel within the UK (London most likely) and some international travel may occasionally be required

What We Offer

Imperial Brands offers a dynamic working environment and a pleasant working atmosphere with a healthy ambition. We offer a competitive salary and benefits package. Additionally, there are also various growth opportunities on an international level.

Next Steps

Interested applicants should apply with their CV highlighting their suitability for the role.

Everyone Belongs

Everyone belongs in Imperial. We are proud of being a truly inclusive organisation.

We encourage and welcome applications from people of all ages, genders, ethnicities, nationalities, disabilities, sexual orientation, religions, or beliefs and of neuro divergence. We give fair and equal consideration to all our applicants.

We welcome talented people with stories to tell, who can bring fresh thinking, new ideas and different experiences to our business and believe in enabling every person to succeed; to deliver their best performance and realise their full potential.

We understand that these are the things that make you ‘you’ and if you join us, we’ll support you in being able and confident to share your whole self with us.  

We look forward to hearing from you!

Please click here resourcing@uk.imptob.com to let us know if we can provide support in helping you complete an application and/or attend an interview.

Don’t talk yourself out of applying.