Category Manager

Are you an experienced Category Manager ready to take on a new challenge? We're looking for a driven individual to manage a portfolio of suppliers, ensuring that contracted expectations are continuously improved throughout the contract life cycle.

In this role, you'll be responsible for driving additional value, providing market insights to internal stakeholders, and supporting the business with strategic sourcing decisions.

This role is paying up to £58,000 and will be a hybrid position, working at Head Office in Reading at least 2 days per week.

In the role of Category Manager, you’ll be responsible for:

• Manage a portfolio of suppliers to enhance contract performance and extract additional value.

• Provide category expertise and market insights to internal stakeholders.
• Develop and implement category strategies while managing associated risks.
• Lead competitive tenders and proposals for the supply of goods and services.
• Be the commercial expert within your category and swiftly respond to market changes.
• Engage proactively with internal stakeholders to align category strategies with business needs.
• Ensure accurate and timely reporting on all sourcing projects.
• Adhere to company policies, standards, and procedures.

We’d love to hear from you if you have the following:

• Strong networking skills and the ability to build productive relationships across teams.
• A proactive attitude, seeking opportunities to drive performance improvements.
• Experience leading complex supplier negotiations, ideally up to £100m in value.
• A solid understanding of pre- and post-deal processes to drive organisational value.
• The ability to influence stakeholders and suppliers to foster meaningful change.
• Experience navigating complex supply chain environments.
• The capability to prioritise and manage risk effectively in a dynamic setting.

What’s in it for you?

• Competitive salary from £45,000 to £58,000 depending on experience.
• 26 days holiday per year, increasing to 30 with length of service (plus bank holidays).
• Contributory pension with up to a 12% contribution match.
• Annual personal medical assessments.
• Access to a comprehensive benefits hub offering discounts and wellbeing support.

If you’re a strategic thinker with strong negotiation skills and a passion for driving value, we’d love to hear from you. This is a fantastic opportunity to join a forward-thinking company and make a real impact in a critical role.

How To Apply:

If this sounds like the ideal role for you, then please apply now! Alternatively, you can contact Niche Recruitment to find out more about this exciting opportunity.