Senior Category Manager

Overview

As Senior Category Manager, you will lead sourcing activities within your category group and shape category strategies to balance commercial goals with operational needs. You’ll own category objectives, negotiate contracts, and drive cost performance while ensuring supply continuity. You’ll work with senior stakeholders to translate business strategy into practical procurement solutions.

This role offers broad exposure, strategic influence, and opportunities to impact cost, supplier performance, and resilience.

• negotiable package
• excellent benefits package
• flexible/hybrid working policy

• Lead sourcing activities within your category group and support Sourcing Leads
• Develop and implement category strategies aligned with business needs
• Own category objectives, annual plans, and contract management plans
• Define contract-specific performance measures, assess risks and supplier issues
• Provide commercial advice and procurement solutions to reduce costs and improve supplier performance
• Lead contract negotiations and assess supplier cost structures using TCO and Value in Use
• Support wider procurement targets: cost savings, cash benefits, spend management, continuity of supply
• Collaborate with Procurement Manager and senior stakeholders to understand spend and operational requirements

• Experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, category management or related commercial role
• Contract management experience and ability to manage supplier relationships
• Ability to analyse financial/commercial data and manage large data volumes
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills
• Organised, commercially focused with ability to manage heavy workload
• Clear communication, presentation, facilitation, problem-solving, and conflict-management skills
• Practical experience of SAP and Microsoft PowerPoint
• Knowledge of quality management and continuous improvement practices
• Degree or equivalent qualification and CIPS membership are preferred but not essential

• stakeholder management
• influencing
• communication
• SAP
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• contract management