Associate Category Analyst

Birmingham City Council; West Midlands; Hybrid; GBP 29,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible and hybrid working

LGPS (Local Government Pension Scheme)

Generous annual leave

Wellbeing initiatives

Job summary

Birmingham City Council is seeking an Associate Category Analyst to join the Strategic Category Management team. The role supports category strategies by analysing spend data, maintaining records and coordinating procurement activities.

You will work with experienced procurement professionals, handle tender documentation, and help produce reports and dashboards to inform decisions. Flexible, hybrid working is available where service needs allow.

Qualifications

• Experience in an administrative/analytical or business support role.
• Strong organisational skills with accuracy and attention to detail.
• Experience providing high-quality customer service and resolving inquiries.
• Excellent written and verbal communication with colleagues and stakeholders.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Word, Excel).
• Willingness to learn category management and public sector procurement principles.

Responsibilities

• Collect spend, supplier and market information to support category strategies and procurement decisions.
• Act as first point of contact for category enquiries and guide complex queries.
• Support preparation and publication of tender documentation via e-procurement systems.
• Maintain category management tools, trackers and contract records.
• Organise stakeholder meetings and follow-up actions with agendas and papers.
• Produce information for reports, dashboards and performance monitoring.
• Assist procurement activities in line with governance and compliance requirements.

Skills

Administrative experience

Analytical thinking

Customer service

Communication skills

Multitasking

Tools

Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel)

Job description

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?

Role

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.

For any informal enquires please contact: [e-mail]

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)