Category Director, Europe

Greystar (International); Greater London; On-site; GBP 130,000 - 185,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pension

Healthcare

Holiday allowance

Job summary

Greystar is seeking a European Category Director to define and lead category strategy across Europe, focusing on sourcing priorities, supplier negotiations, and value delivery for real estate and hospitality assets.

The role requires 10+ years of procurement leadership, MCIPS, and proven ability to manage multi-market teams, partner with senior stakeholders, drive ESG initiatives, and ensure compliant procurement practices across the group.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of procurement leadership experience, including Director level roles across European/global markets.
• Proven track record delivering significant commercial savings in real estate, facilities, hospitality or similar sectors.
• Strong category expertise across IT, FM, indirects or related areas, with data-driven decision making.

Responsibilities

• Own the category strategy and sourcing activity for major spend categories.
• Negotiate group-wide / strategic supplier deals and frameworks.
• Manage and develop the Procurement Managers embedded in each market.
• Oversee and approve procurement activity executed by Procurement Managers.
• Track and report benefits delivery and project status for the team.
• Drive adoption of procurement best practice across markets.
• Identify and drive ESG initiatives.
• Support implementation of procurement policies, processes, systems and tools across all markets.

Skills

Category management

Procurement strategy

Stakeholder management

ESG initiatives

Leadership

Education

MCIPS qualification

Job description

The European Category Director will create the strategy for each category assigned to them. They will lead on benefits identification – utilizing business and market knowledge to build a pipeline of procurement activity that will deliver commercial value and service benefits across Europe.

The European Category Director will determine a set of sourcing priorities each year – personally executing EU-wide / strategic tenders and directing the Procurement Managers in the delivery of market-specific procurement activity.

The European Category Director will be responsible for the management and performance of up to 3 direct reports located in the UK. The Category Director must also ensure the effective co-ordination of EU-wide sourcing initiatives by working closely with the procurement managers located outside of the UK.

The European Category Manager will act as a business partner to senior stakeholders.

The role will work closely alongside the Senior Director of European Procurement – helping to shape the future of procurement, demonstrating the value of best-in-class procurement, driving supply chain ESG initiatives and ensuring organization-wide compliance with the procurement policy.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the category strategy and sourcing activity for major spend categories
• Negotiate group-wide / strategic supplier deals and frameworks
• Manage and develop the Procurement Managers embedded in each market
• Oversee and approve the procurement activity executed by the Procurement Managers
• Track and report benefits delivery and project status (personal and team activity)
• Drive adoption of procurement best practice across markets
• Identify and drive ESG initiatives
• Support the implementation of procurement policies, processes, systems and tools across all markets
• Proactive engagement of senior stakeholders – demonstrate the value of procurement, build confidence and trust
• Shape an SRM program and manage the performance of strategic and preferred suppliers
• Support the onboarding of new assets and third party business
• Assist with the development of the procurement value proposition

About You

You’re a senior procurement leader with 10+ years’ experience, including at Director level across European or global markets. With strong category expertise across areas such as IT, FM, indirects or capital projects, you bring a proven track record of delivering significant commercial savings across real estate, facilities, hospitality or similar sectors.

Commercially sharp and operationally minded, you know how to balance cost, quality and service, while building procurement capability in complex, multi-market environments. MCIPS qualified and highly confident with data and technology, you’re an influential leader who can navigate changing priorities, build strong stakeholder relationships, and drive meaningful ESG and responsible procurement initiatives.

What We Offer

We include a range of benefits for our corporate team members, including competitive pension, healthcare, and holiday allowance, amongst others as standard. Please reach out if you are keen to know more.

About Greystar

Greystar is a leading, fully integrated real estate company offering expertise in investment management, development, and management of rental housing properties globally. The company's business model is unique in its ability to own, operate, and develop multifamily, student, and senior housing across the globe. Building a global platform with a local presence, Greystar continues to expand its geographic reach around the world, bringing a globally interconnected professional rental housing platform and industry funded with institutional capital to countries where the sector does not yet exist. Greystar’s pan – European platform was established in 2013 and has scaled rapidly, now with investment, operational and development presence in the UK, Ireland, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, and Spain.

One of Greystar’s core values is Equality, and as such, we continue to pride ourselves on being an equal opportunities employer, accounting for all protected and identifiable characteristics. We truly value diversity of thought, background and of experience. Please reach out to the Talent Acquisition team to explore opportunities at Greystar in more detail or visit our careers site at https://jobs.greystar.com/.