Senior Procurement Manager - Category Manager

Senior Category Manager - Indirects (Non IT)

Woking - Hybrid with travel

About Our Client

This role is within a prominent organisation which is growing its offering. As a large organisation, they are focused on delivering excellence in their services and maintaining strong supplier relationships.

Overview

This role is within a prominent organisation which is growing its offering. As a large organisation, they are focused on delivering excellence in their services and maintaining strong supplier relationships.

Job Description

As a Senior Category Manager - Indirects (Non IT) you will lead strategic sourcing and category management across a diverse indirect spend portfolio valued at approximately £80m. Categories in scope include professional services, facilities management, marketing services, travel, HR services, and GNFR.

This is a high-impact role within a multi site organisation, responsible for delivering cost efficiencies, improving supplier performance, and supporting operational excellence through strong category strategies and stakeholder engagement.

Responsibilities

• Category Strategy & Sourcing: Develop and execute category strategies that deliver cost savings, service improvements, and risk mitigation.
• Lead full lifecycle sourcing activities including market analysis, RFI/RFP, evaluation, negotiation, and award.
• Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders across operations, finance, legal, HR, and senior leadership.
• Align procurement activity with business needs and long term strategic priorities.
• Manage supplier relationships, KPIs, and performance frameworks.
• Negotiate and oversee contracts to secure favourable commercial and risk managed outcomes.
• Monitor category spend and identify cost saving opportunities.
• Ensure full compliance with procurement governance and regulatory requirements.
• Identify and address category-specific risks across the supply chain.
• Continuous Improvement & Market Insight: Drive process improvements and contribute to digital procurement initiatives. Stay informed on market trends and emerging risks to shape sourcing strategies.

The Successful Applicant

A successful Senior Procurement Manager;

Key Requirements

• A proven track record as a Senior Procurements/ Senior Category Leader across multiple categories
• Strong strategic sourcing and category management experience across indirect spend (professional services, facilities, marketing, HR, travel, etc.).
• Proven commercial acumen with a track record of savings delivery and supplier performance improvement.
• Experience negotiating complex service-based contracts.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills across multiple functions.
• Proficiency with procurement processes, e-sourcing tools, analytics, and contract management systems.
• Knowledge of procurement risk management and compliance.
• Experience within a matrixed or multi site organisation; regulated environment experience is an advantage.
• Project management capability from strategy to implementation.
• Degree educated or equivalent experience.
• MCIPS qualified (or working towards) preferred.
• Based in Woking - office attendance 3-4 days per week with travel

What's on Offer

• Competitive Salary
• Opportunity to influence a major spend category with high visibility
• Broad, varied remit with meaningful business impact
• Chance to shape and evolve category strategy in a complex, changing organisation
• Exposure to senior stakeholders and cross functional collaboration