Category Group Manager

ComXps; Bristol; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading defense contracting firm is seeking a Category Manager with extensive experience in the defense industry. The ideal candidate will lead category management efforts, engage effectively with stakeholders, and possess a strong understanding of relevant technologies and systems. This role is based primarily in Bristol, with some flexibility for working in London, and will require occasional travel to other sites. Applicants should have significant experience managing large-scale categories and must be comfortable working within a complex project environment.

Qualifications

• Wide experience in category management is essential.
• Candidates should have a strong background in stakeholder engagement.
• Experience in a technical and engineering environment related to defence or oil and gas is required.

Skills

Understanding of the Defence Industry

Delivery of benefits through category management

Leadership experience

Strategic thinking

Strong commercial awareness

Tools

Microsoft applications

PowerPoint

Job description

This role is Inside IR35.

Contract Length: 31st March 2026 (End of Financial year) - with potential to extend

Location: London OR Bristol, – 2 days per week onsite – Bristol is preference - Minimal travel, will be occasional travel between offices to other sites.

Clearance: SC

Skills Required

• Understanding of the Defence Industry, supply chains and/or deep knowledge in related categories e.g. autonomous systems, weapons systems, sense decide & communicating systems, power propulsion & auxiliary systems, would be an advantage.
• Track record of delivering benefits (full range of non-financial and financial benefits) through category management interventions within a complex project/programme delivery environment.
• Credible and assured to command the confidence of a range of senior stakeholders.
• Proven leadership experience.
• Ability to think strategically, act decisively and respond quickly.
• Strong commercial awareness including an expert understanding of the commercial lifecycle.

Essential

• Wide experience on category management
• Looking for category management background
• Worked with deep category knowledge/expertise
• Previously worked with stakeholders to build the requirements
• Stakeholder engagement
• An understanding/previous experience working in a technical and engineering environment
• Worked for defence, oil and gas, engineering industries
• Understanding on life support, cost models, availability and resilience, supply chain is key
• Technologies/systems - Microsoft applications, PowerPoint
• Experience of Facilitating workshops
• Worked on multi million - 5bn+ Categories - large scale categories
• Good delivery focus

Desirables

• Having worked in a high change environment would be ideal.
• Experience of defence supply chain
• Nice to have - MCIPS - not strongly required