General Manager Opportunity: Drive Central Category Management Excellence at Transnet Corporate Centre

Transnet Corporate Centre is offering an exciting opportunity for a General Manager: Central Category Management within the Central Category Management, ISCM, and GRP Department. This leadership role, based in Johannesburg, requires an individual who will drive strategic category management and sourcing initiatives for key centrally managed categories such as Indirect, Fuel, Infrastructure, Equipment, and Maintenance Services.

The General Manager will report to the Group Chief Procurement Officer and will be tasked with leading and directing a function that aims to maximize value for money and generate cost savings for the organization. The role involves formulating strategic objectives, driving performance, and ensuring that sourcing activities align with the governance framework of Transnet.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Leadership of Categories: The General Manager will lead and oversee category management for Indirect, Fuel, Infrastructure, and Equipment & Maintenance Services. This includes executing category management processes such as demand planning, supplier negotiations, and supplier market assessments, all while managing risks and mitigating challenges.
• Functional Leadership: This position will also be responsible for leading a team to identify opportunities for leveraging economies of scale, developing Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) strategies, and ensuring the efficiency of the supply chain. The General Manager will also manage and deploy high-value contracts and drive supplier negotiations to ensure the best quality, delivery, and price.
• Managing Strategic Initiatives: The General Manager will play an active role in business initiatives aimed at improving supply chain efficiency, maintaining product quality standards, and reducing costs.
• Budget Management: The General Manager will be responsible for compiling and managing the functional area budget, ensuring that financial procedures are followed, and resolving any discrepancies that may arise. They will also approve and authorise expenditures in line with Transnet’s policy.
• Compliance and Reporting: This role will ensure that category management and sourcing processes comply with legal, regulatory, and policy requirements. The General Manager will track and report on cost savings and manage Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with end-users.
• Stakeholder Management: The General Manager will communicate the vision and objectives of the function across the business, providing critical guidance and support to the Group Chief Procurement Officer on SCM issues and ensuring effective integration across key functions in the supply chain management (SCM) value chain.
• Capability Development: Leading the development of the category management team, the General Manager will oversee performance management, skills development, and succession planning to ensure a motivated and high-performing workforce.

Qualifications and Experience:

To be considered for this role, applicants should possess the following qualifications and experience:

• A Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Commerce, Law, or another relevant field.
• 7-10 years of supply chain-related experience within a large enterprise.
• 3-5 years of management experience.
• MCIPS certification and CIPS membership are required.
• MBA or a related postgraduate qualification would be advantageous.
• Experience with PFMA, PPPFA, and public sector procurement will be beneficial.

Competencies:

The ideal candidate will possess a blend of strategic, leadership, and operational competencies:

• Strategy & Sustainability
• Inspirational Leadership
• Business Performance and Delivery
• Relationship Management
• Corporate Governance & Compliance
• Personal Mastery

Closing Date and Application Process:

Interested candidates are encouraged to submit their applications by 18 February 2025. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the application is submitted before the closing date.

Preference will be given to suitably qualified candidates from the designated groups, in line with the Employment Equity Plan of Transnet.

This is a remarkable opportunity for an experienced and dynamic professional to join a leading organization and contribute to the success of Transnet’s category management strategies.