Senior Category Lead (Revenue Business Bid Team)

Job Purpose

You will support SMRT’s revenue business by driving procurement activities for bid and contract opportunities across a diverse range of services, products and systems.

In this role, you will ensure timely and value-for-money sourcing to support competitive bids. You will work closely with commercial and operations teams to develop procurement strategies that strengthen bid proposals and deliver sustainable value throughout the contract lifecycle.

Responsibilities

•    Bid Support & Strategic Sourcing

o    Develop sourcing strategies aligned to bid requirements, balancing cost competitiveness, quality, and risk
o    Conduct market analysis (suppliers, pricing benchmarks, industry trends) to support bid pricing and assumptions.
o    Identify and qualify vendors for services, products and systems

•    End-to-End Procurement Execution

o    Manage end-to-end sourcing activities including RFQs/RFPs, evaluation, negotiation, and award
o    Ensure procurement inputs are delivered within tight bid timelines
o    Prepare cost breakdowns and support pricing models for bid submissions

•    Stakeholder & Cross-Functional Collaboration

o    Partner with bid managers, operations teams, and finance to translate technical and service requirements into procurement strategies
o    Align sourcing decisions with operational feasibility and commercial objectives
o    Support clarification responses during tender submissions

•    Vendor & Contract Management

o    Support contract drafting, negotiations, and commercial terms aligned to bid commitments

•    Risk, Compliance & Cost Optimisation

o    Identify procurement risks (supply continuity, pricing volatility, contractual exposure) and propose mitigation measures
o    Ensure compliance with SMRT procurement policies and governance requirements

•    Continuous Improvement & Market Intelligence

o    Stay updated on industry trends in outsourced services and related procurement
o    Leverage insights to improve bid competitiveness and sourcing efficiency
o    Contribute to standardisation of sourcing templates, cost benchmarks, and supplier databases

Qualifications & Work Experience

• Degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Supply Chain, or a related discipline
• 2–5 years of experience in procurement, sourcing, or bid support (services procurement experience preferred)
• Experience in public transport, facilities management, or outsourcing services is advantageous

Skills

Technical skills include:

• Strong understanding of sourcing methodologies, cost modelling, and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
• Familiarity with procurement systems such as SAP (MM) and Ariba is an advantage 

Generic skills include:

• Strong negotiation skills, especially in competitive and time-sensitive bid environments
• Analytical mindset with the ability to interpret cost structures and improve bid outcomes
• Ability to manage ambiguity and fast-paced bid cycles with sound judgement
• Effective stakeholder management across commercial, technical, and operational teams
• Strong vendor relationship management and influencing skills
• Knowledge of contract terms, risk allocation, and commercial frameworks is a plus