Associate Category Analyst

WMJobs; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 29,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

Birmingham City Council is recruiting an Associate Category Analyst to join the Strategic Category Management team in Birmingham. The role focuses on supporting the development of category strategies, analysing spend data and maintaining procurement information to drive value for money.

You'll work with experienced procurement professionals, handle spend and supplier data, and assist with tender documentation and governance compliance.

Qualifications

• Experience in an administrative, analytical or business support role, managing multiple priorities and meeting deadlines.
• Strong organisational skills with excellent attention to detail and accuracy.
• Experience of providing high-quality customer service and managing enquiries through to resolution.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to build positive working relationships.
• Confidence using Microsoft Office applications, particularly Outlook, Word and Excel.
• A willingness to learn category management techniques, procurement systems and public sector procurement principles.
• A commitment to continuous professional development and expanding your procurement knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Collecting and collating spend, supplier and market information to support category strategies and procurement decisions.
• Acting as the first point of contact for category enquiries, providing guidance and directing more complex queries where appropriate.
• Supporting the preparation and publication of tender documentation using the Council's e-procurement systems.
• Maintaining category management tools, procurement trackers, contract records and key documentation to ensure information remains accurate and up to date.
• Organising stakeholder meetings and engagement sessions, including coordinating agendas, papers and follow-up actions.
• Producing information for reports, dashboards and performance monitoring.
• Supporting procurement and category management activities in line with governance, compliance and assurance requirements.

Skills

Administrative experience

Analytical mindset

Organisational skills

Customer service

Communication skills

MS Office

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Grade B - £28,598 - £34,434

Consultation grade - subject to formal evaluation under the Equal Pay Programme

Working 36.5 hours per week

Sponsorship is not available for this post. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK that does not require employer sponsorship for the duration of the appointment.

Help shape smarter procurement decisions through data and insight
Are you organised, analytical and interested in using data to improve public services? Birmingham City Council is looking for an Associate Category Analyst to join our newly established Strategic Category Management team.

Birmingham City Council,

Associate Category Analyst

Permanent

Grade B - £28,598 - £34,434

Consultation grade - subject to formal evaluation under the Equal Pay Programme

Working 36.5 hours per week

Sponsorship is not available for this post. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK that does not require employer sponsorship for the duration of the appointment.

Help shape smarter procurement decisions through data and insight
Are you organised, analytical and interested in using data to improve public services? Birmingham City Council is looking for an Associate Category Analyst to join our newly established Strategic Category Management team.

This is an exciting opportunity to support the development of category strategies that deliver better value for money, stronger supplier relationships and improved outcomes for Birmingham's residents. You'll work alongside experienced procurement professionals, helping to analyse spend data, support procurement activities and maintain the information that drives strategic decision‑making.

About The Role

As an Associate Category Analyst, you'll provide essential support across a range of procurement and category management activities, including:

• Collecting and collating spend, supplier and market information to support category strategies and procurement decisions.
• Acting as the first point of contact for category enquiries, providing guidance and directing more complex queries where appropriate.
• Supporting the preparation and publication of tender documentation using the Council's e‑procurement systems.
• Maintaining category management tools, procurement trackers, contract records and key documentation to ensure information remains accurate and up to date.
• Organising stakeholder meetings and engagement sessions, including coordinating agendas, papers and follow‑up actions.
• Producing information for reports, dashboards and performance monitoring.
• Supporting procurement and category management activities in line with governance, compliance and assurance requirements.

About You

We're looking for someone who enjoys working with information, has excellent organisational skills and is keen to develop a career in procurement and category management. You'll bring:

• Experience in an administrative, analytical or business support role, managing multiple priorities and meeting deadlines.
• Strong organisational skills with excellent attention to detail and accuracy.
• Experience of providing high‑quality customer service and managing enquiries through to resolution.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to build positive working relationships.
• Confidence using Microsoft Office applications, particularly Outlook, Word and Excel.
• A willingness to learn category management techniques, procurement systems and public sector procurement principles.
• A commitment to continuous professional development and expanding your procurement knowledge.

Why Join Us?

At Birmingham City Council, you'll become part of a modern Procurement Service that plays a vital role in delivering value for one of the UK's largest local authorities. In return, we offer:

• The opportunity to develop specialist skills in procurement, data analysis and category management.
• Structured learning and development, including support towards professional procurement qualifications where appropriate.
• A supportive and collaborative working environment with experienced procurement professionals.
• Flexible and hybrid working opportunities where service needs allow.
• A competitive Local Government Pension Scheme and generous annual leave entitlement.
• Access to a wide range of employee wellbeing initiatives and staff benefits.
• The opportunity to help shape how public money is spent to improve services for Birmingham's communities.

Birmingham City Council is an accredited Disability Confident Leader employer, and we are committed to employing, retaining and developing all of our people.
We want to ensure your recruitment journey with us is a positive and equitable one, so please let us know if there are any reasonable adjustments, additional support, accessibility needs, or if there is any way in which we can support you through your application.
A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be undertaken.
Proof of Right to work in the UK will be required for all applicants in accordance with UK Home Office requirements, before any employment offer can be confirmed.
Job Description and Person Specification - RM-00137636-Associate Category Analyst-Job Description.pdf (PDF, 39.52KB)