Category Manager

Isabel Azcune; Cairns Regional; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 130,000; Part time

Job summary

Isabel Azcune in Cairns is seeking a Category Manager on a short-term contract to lead category strategies, drive value and support capital programs.

You will manage sourcing plans, lead supplier negotiations, draft contracts, and provide commercial advice across projects, ensuring governance and compliance.

Applicants will have proven experience in category management, strategic sourcing, and contract management within asset-intensive environments such as infrastructure or utilities.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience across category management, strategic sourcing and contract management in a complex procurement environment.
• Proven ability to lead procurement activities, negotiations and value delivery.
• Strong governance, compliance and supplier performance management knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement and manage category strategies and sourcing plans delivering value and efficiency.
• Lead spend analysis, market assessments and procurement planning to identify opportunities.
• Negotiate with suppliers and contractors to achieve best value and mitigate risk.
• Draft, negotiate and manage contracts ensuring governance and compliance.
• Support contract owners with administration, variations and performance management.
• Establish supplier governance and conduct performance reviews for improvement.
• Provide commercial oversight over contracts, POs, changes and notices.
• Build relationships with stakeholders and provide procurement advice.
• Report on category performance, supplier metrics and risk.
• Contribute to procurement policies and continuous improvement initiatives.

Skills

Category management

Strategic sourcing

Contract management

Negotiations

Spend analysis

Job description

Category Manager | Short-Term Contract Opportunity

Your new company

This short-term opportunity sits within a complex, asset-intensive environment where procurement plays a critical role in supporting operational performance, capital delivery and long-term business objectives.

Your new role

As Category Manager, you will lead the development and execution of category strategies that drive value, strengthen supplier performance and support the successful delivery of operational and capital programs.

In this role you will:

• Develop, implement and manage category strategies and sourcing plans that deliver commercial value, operational efficiency and risk mitigation.
• Lead spend analysis, market assessments and procurement planning activities to identify opportunities for aggregation, standardisation, innovation and cost optimisation.
• Lead commercial negotiations with suppliers, consultants and contractors to achieve value-for-money outcomes and mitigate commercial risk.
• Draft, negotiate and manage contracts, ensuring compliance with internal governance frameworks, legislation and procurement policies.
• Support contract owners with contract administration, including variations, extensions, performance management, supplier obligations and dispute resolution.
• Establish supplier governance frameworks and conduct supplier performance reviews to drive continuous improvement, innovation and service delivery outcomes.
• Provide commercial oversight across contract claims, purchase orders, change requests, variations and contractual notices.
• Build trusted relationships with internal stakeholders, project teams and suppliers while providing expert procurement and commercial advice.
• Prepare data-driven reporting on category performance, sourcing activities, supplier performance, benefits realisation and procurement risks.
• Contribute to the ongoing development of procurement policies, procedures, governance frameworks and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Promote ethical sourcing, supplier resilience, sustainability, safety and regulatory compliance across the supply chain.

What you’ll need to succeed

You’ll bring extensive experience across category management, strategic sourcing and contract management within a complex procurement environment.

Key strengths include:

• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing category strategies, sourcing roadmaps and procurement plans.
• Proven ability to lead complex procurement activities and commercial negotiations that deliver measurable value outcomes.
• Strong knowledge of category management, procurement governance, supplier relationship management and contract management practices.
• Experience supporting operational and capital projects within infrastructure, aviation, construction, utilities or other asset-intensive environments.
• Strong commercial, financial and analytical skills, including spend analysis, market intelligence and supplier performance evaluation.
• Experience managing supplier governance frameworks, performance reviews and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Well-developed stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to influence and build trusted relationships across all levels of an organisation.
• Strong understanding of procurement legislation, governance requirements, risk management and compliance frameworks.

What you’ll get in return

This short-term contract opportunity offers:

• The chance to work on high-value procurement and capital project initiatives
• Exposure to strategic category management and supplier performance programs
• A collaborative, high-performing and commercially focused environment.
• The opportunity to influence procurement outcomes and deliver meaningful business improvements.