Category Management Lead (Kwinana)

About Us 

At Covalent Lithium, we are genuinely passionate about creating a clean energy future and supporting our teams who enable this vision. 

Following the commissioning of our mine and concentrator at Mt Holland in 2024, we recently celebrated our first production of battery -grade lithium hydroxide at our Kwinana Refinery. We are now a fully integrated mine-to-refinery operation, supplying high quality lithium hydroxide to global markets and enabling approximately 1 million electric vehicles to go on the road, every year for the next 50 years.

We are proud to foster a culture where people with different skills, experiences and backgrounds are welcomed and set-up for success.

Employee Benefits

We support, empower and reward our people with a range of benefits:
•    Competitive remuneration, and annual incentives for eligible employees
•    Access to discounts, recognition and rewards
•    Access to flexible work arrangements
•    Dedicated wellbeing program support and discounted health insurance
•    Equal access to paid parental leave, financial support, return to work and parenting room
•    Salary sacrifice options for superannuation and novated leasing

The Role

As the Category Management Lead reports the Superintendent Category Management and will be responsible for maximising value while ensuring risk compliance is actively managed and mitigated. You will oversee the day-day performance of the team and ensure the efficient operation of Category Management processes and frameworks.

Your leadership will drive step-change improvements in supplier quality, cost, performance, and innovation with appropriate support from the stakeholder community to enable success. You will also be accountable for delivering robust market intelligence assessments.

This role is key to adding value across Covalent’s operations by leveraging Category and Contract expertise to ensure that long-term business objectives are met in a safe, reliable, and sustainable manner.

This is a Permanent Full-time position based at our Kwinana Head Office.

Occasional ad hoc travel for 2-3 days to our Mt Holland site as required.

Key Responsibilities

•    Active participation in the establishment of a health and safety culture.
•    Undertake all work in a safe and efficient manner, in accordance with statutory requirements and Covalent policies & procedures.
•    Ensure all health, safety and environmental incidents are reported.
•    Lead the Category team, setting clear objectives, managing performance, developing skills and competencies.
•    Lead strategic Category / Commodity Source to Contract projects, delivering total cost of ownership benefits.
•    Identify and implement contracts and subcontracts.
•    Secure a supply base that meets Covalent’s cost targets. 
•    Build and manage effective supplier management processes and strong supplier relationships and partnerships.
•    Collaborate with Operational Leaders to identify and implement sourcing strategies for the various Covalent Category requirements.
•    Develop and implement site and commodity level sourcing plans. 
•    Conduct Category market analysis & supplier profiles for current and emerging commodities and technologies.
•    Understand contractual flow downs, quality, qualification, technical specifications, and current terms and conditions for improvement opportunities.
•    Develop strategic negotiation plans to cancel, augment, change or implement 
new contracts.
•    Participate in supplier qualification process, and lead projects to improve quality, cost, and delivery performance issues with suppliers.
•    Understand existing contracts and supplier performance, conduct gaps analysis, and develop recommendations and implement plans.
•    Support the Manager Supply Chain and/or General Commercial in special projects as instructed.

Role Requirements

•    University degree in Business, Management, Logistics, Contracts or Supply Chain
•    CIPS qualification highly regarded.
•    Valid WA Driver’s license. 
•    10+ years management experience in leading a team within a Procurement/Purchasing role.
•    A minimum of 10 years Mining, Construction, or experience within a closely related industry.
•    Prior engagement with business stakeholders at a senior and executive level.
•    Mine site experience desired
•    Operations and project experience in the mining industry
•    Experience in ERP use or implementation, specifically SAP/ S4 Hana
•    Strong commercial acumen and analytical skills, coupled with a high level of professional judgement and discretion

A competitive remuneration package commensurate with the role, candidate experience, skills and qualifications will be offered.  

Our team members are encouraged to bring their whole selves to work. Candidates from all backgrounds and ages are encouraged to apply, including First Nations People, those who identify as LGBTIQ+, people with disabilities and those with neurodiverse, intersectional, or multiple diverse characteristics.

Covalent Lithium is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer, with a focus on our employees. We recognise skills, expertise, commitment and living our values of Purpose, Care, Accountability and Collaboration. Our goal is to attract, develop, motivate, reward, and retain the best people in the industry. 

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