Supply Chain Category Manager

Jacques

Geurtse

Procurement Consultant & MCIPS Candidate

Self-Employed / CIPS Studies, Remote

**/**/**** – Present

Seasoned Category Manager with over 10 years

at Vodacom South Africa, managing R1.2B+ in

spend across 15+ categories, delivering R600M+

in savings through strategic sourcing, contract

negotiation, and digital transformation. Nearly a

decade of prior experience in sales and

marketing enhances my customer-centric

approach, with expertise in drafting and

responding to RFPs from both procurement and

sales perspectives. CIPS-qualified (pursuing

MCIPS, July 2025), I excel in leading

cross-functional teams, driving supplier

innovation, and optimising costs, positioning me

to add value in senior procurement and supply

chain roles.

Summary Experience

Procurement Leader & Supply Chain Innovator

• Enhancing strategic procurement expertise through full-time MCIPS studies (expected July 2025) while pursuing part-time consulting and running a procurement blog

(www.jakkalsbiz.com).

• Advising clients on category management, cost optimisation, and supplier strategies, drawing on 20+ years of telecom procurement and sales experience.

• Demonstrating industry passion and thought leadership via blog content on procurement trends, preparing for senior leadership roles in supply chain management.

Senior Supply Chain Category Manager

Vodacom South Africa, Midrand, Gauteng

03/03/2014 – 30/09/2024

Managed an annual procurement spend exceeding R1.2 billion across 15+ categories, transitioning from service-based areas (2014–2022, e.g., marketing, travel, fleet) to telecom-specific procurement for Vodacom Business (2022–2024, e.g., software, hardware, network technology). Recruited from marketing to inject innovative thinking, I developed procurement strategies, secured stakeholder buy-in, and delivered cost optimisation, supplier innovation, and digital transformation, earning multiple Top Performer awards and a CEO Team Award for BBBEE excellence.

• Procurement Strategy & Category Management: Led strategic sourcing across OPEX, CAPEX, and technology, enhancing profitability and total cost of ownership through robust category plans.

• Contract Negotiation & Cost Optimisation: Achieved double-digit savings annually, including R100M+ via a media RFP, 18% (R11M+) through the Tactical Trading Desk, and 30% reduction in agency fees via a sponsorship RFP with revenue-sharing models.

• Supplier Relationship Management & BBBEE: Restructured the supplier base to achieve a perfect BBBEE preferential procurement score, replacing a single vendor with 30 black-owned SMMEs, improving speed and customer experience.

• Digital & Data-Driven Procurement: Spearheaded adoption of tools like SAP Ariba, Contract Watch, and Celonis as category lead, boosting analytics, sourcing efficiency, and contract management.

• Risk Management & Compliance: Drafted and reviewed policies (e.g., enterprise sourcing, Bid Office processes), coached stakeholders, and ensured governance during crises like COVID-19.

• Stakeholder Engagement & Leadership: Secured multimillion-rand contracts as SCM Bid Office lead, mentored teams through transformation, and fostered cross-functional collaboration.

• Direct Procurement Impact: Evolved from indirect services procurement to direct telecom procurement for Vodacom Business, driving revenue growth by supporting sales to SMEs, corporates, and government entities beyond cost savings. Skills

• Strategic Sourcing & Category Management

• Contract Negotiation & Cost Optimisation

• Supplier Relationship Management & BBBEE

Compliance

• Digital Procurement (SAP Ariba, Celonis, S/4

HANA)

• Data Analytics (Excel, Power BI, Tableau)

• Risk Management & Policy Development

• Stakeholder Engagement & Cross-Functional

Leadership

• Procurement Transformation & Change

Management

• Performance Management & Supplier

Innovation

• RFP & Tender Management

+27-81-288-**** **************@*****.***

Linden, JHB, Gauteng, 2195

www.linkedin.com/in/jacquesgeurtse

www.jakkalsbiz.com

Jacques Geurtse

Key Projects:

• Tactical Trading Desk: Designed a solution for unmanaged long-tail spend, saving R11M+ (18%), freeing category managers for strategic work, with expansion planned across African subsidiaries.

• Digital Media In-Housing: Pioneered a Vodafone global-first, contracting directly with Google and Facebook, saving R25M+ annually and enhancing ROI.

• Supplier Diversification (Smart-Hands RFP): Onboarded 30 SMMEs for installations and repairs, cutting costs, reducing downtime, and boosting BBBEE scores.

• COVID-19 Crisis Management: Negotiated vaccination contracts, launched a digital events platform, and renegotiated supplier terms over 25 months to ensure continuity. Tools &

Technology

• Procurement Systems: SAP ERP, SAP Ariba, S/4

HANA, Supplier Digital Portal (SDP), Vodacom

Trade Direct

• Data Analytics: Advanced Excel, Power BI,

Tableau, Celonis

• Contract Management: Contract Watch

(Sirion), DocuSign, SAP CLM

• Collaboration Tools: Microsoft Teams,

SharePoint, MS Project

• Office Suite: Advanced proficiency in Excel,

PowerPoint, Word, Outlook

An early adopter of technology, I served as the

category manager representative at Vodacom

for designing, testing, and implementing new

tools, coaching colleagues on advanced skills

and driving data-focused strategic decisions.

Earlier Career in Sales & Marketing

Various Employers, Gauteng

January 2003 – December 2013

Built a robust foundation in sales and marketing across media, automotive, and retail sectors, enhancing procurement expertise with skills in strategic sourcing, contract negotiation, and stakeholder engagement. Developed negotiation, leadership, and data-driven decision-making abilities that underpin my procurement success.

• Media Strategist, Dentsu Aegis Media Network – Full Circle Media (Feb 2013 – Dec 2013)

Negotiated media placements to optimise budgets and campaign ROI, managing a team of six to drive innovation.

• National Marketing Manager, Hyundai South Africa (Sep 2009 – Jan 2013)

Led marketing strategies and procured media/event services, managing a team of five to boost fleet sales and secure cost savings, including for the 2010 FIFA World Cup sponsorship.

• Advertising Sales Representative, Men’s Health Magazine/Media24 (Dec 2008 – Sep 2009)

Sold advertising space and managed client relationships, driving revenue through advertorials and RFP responses.

• Advertising Sales Representative, Caxton Newspapers & Magazines (Nov 2005 – Dec 2008)

Executed sales strategies and organised promotional events, negotiating contracts to secure new business.

• Operations Manager (Student Role), B&B Rosebank Rooftop Market (Jan 2003 – Nov 2005)

Coordinated logistics and compliance for 700+ vendors, honing operational and problem-solving skills.

Formal Qualifications

• CIPS – The Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (UK)

Advanced Diploma (Postgraduate) In Progress, Expected July 2025

Diploma Completed September 2019

• University of Johannesburg

B.Comm (Marketing Management) Credits towards, 2003–2005 (Incomplete due to financial constraints)

Continuous Professional Development

• Vodafone University (Vodacom In-House Training) 2014–2024 - Courses in procurement strategy, category management, digital transformation, and leadership.

• NWU Business School & ITSI 2020 - Telecommunication Masterclass for Non-Technical Managers

• European Institute of Purchasing Management (EIPM) 2014 - Advanced Category Management Sourcing Project Management

• Vega School 2009–2010 - Media Efficiency (Buying and Planning) Public Relations Management Principles of Branding

Education

Available upon request. See my LinkedIn profile

(www.linkedin.com/in/jacquesgeurtse) for

recommendations or contact me for references

from managers, peers, and stakeholders.

References

Contact this candidate