Procurement Category Manager - Travel

Why we're hiring:

At WPP we are undergoing a companywide transformation programme that will enable us to work together in a more coordinated, connected, and efficient way across the group.  As part of the transformation, we are building out a Global Procurement function to support and assist us in meeting our ambition, and our vision is.

‘To be the best commercial Procurement organisation to work for and work with, delivering value and managing risk for the benefit of our businesses, our planet, our clients, and our communities

To be the creative transformation company, we need the best minds who are keen to join a company that is open, optimistic, and committed to extraordinary work.

The opportunity:

We are looking for motivated individual to join our Corporate services category as the Travel Category Manager which drives travel management services, transportation and accommodation procurement to a global footprint of more than 100,000 employees.  You will be keen to embrace change and tackle obstacles within a fast-evolving global team and organisation.  You will be passionate about approaching things differently, whilst providing knowledge, passion and the right attitude to deliver change and be part of our journey to meet our vision.   

What you'll be doing: 

• Provide deep category knowledge and strategic insight in the travel category, managing our vendors, and overseeing a spend of $160m per annum across a global organisation.
• Develop and deliver a robust and executable category plan that delivers enduring value to the business in the short and long term.
• Centrally manage and lead travel category sourcing events, initiatives and commercial contract management globally across WPP, including with our related Agency networks, to maximise our scale, and deliver the best commercial deals for the group.
• Work with the Head of Procurement – Corporate Services to deliver against the identified portfolio of initiatives within the category.
• Work with Agency Network and Central travel operations teams to influence, drive and embed change.
• Develop effective relationships with partners including at leadership level, promoting commerciality throughout engagement.
• Support adoption of the commercial and procurement ways of working, policies and best practice.
• Support partners with travel related procurement activities, demonstrating customer centricity and an agile approach to ways of working.
• Drive the development, structuring and negotiation of third-party travel management services, transportation and accommodation agreements to achieve the optimum outcome for the group.
• Identify, influence and deliver spend optimisation opportunities in the travel category, proposing initiatives, and lead creation of continuous improvement plans.
• Demonstrate and promote a culture of diversity and inclusion consistent with WPP’s policies.

What you'll need:

• Procurement experience and ownership of complex negotiations & contracting, and can key show strategies for maximising the value proposition.
• Stakeholder management experience in a complex organisation.
• Ability to thrive in an agile and ever-evolving team and organisation.
• Desire to help drive, and be part of, a journey to exceed, our Procurement vision.
• Travel procurement experience in a similar sized, global organisation is preferred but not necessary.

Who you are:

You're open: We are inclusive and collaborative; we encourage the free exchange of ideas; we respect and celebrate diverse views. We are accepting: of new ideas, new partnerships, new ways of working.

You're optimistic: We believe in the power of creativity, technology and talent to create brighter futures or our people, our clients and our communities. We approach all that we do with conviction: to try the new and to seek the unexpected.

You're extraordinary: we are stronger together: through collaboration we achieve the amazing. We are creative leaders and pioneers of our industry; we provide extraordinary every day.

What we'll give you:

Passionate, inspired people – We promote a culture of people that do extraordinary work.

Scale and opportunity – We offer the opportunity to create, influence and complete projects at a scale that is unparalleled in the industry.

Challenging and stimulating work – Unique work and the opportunity to join a group of creative problem solvers. Are you up for the challenge?